Auburn (Alabama)

Auburn is in the River Heritage region of Alabama, and home to Auburn University in downtown Auburn. During the university's home football games, the town fills up with thousands of alumni and college football fans for a weekend of tailgating.

Get in

By plane

Most people traveling to Auburn fly into either Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL IATA) in Atlanta, GA or Birmingham International Airport (BHM IATA) in Birmingham, AL, both of which are about 120 miles away.

The nearest commercial airports are Columbus Metropolitan Airport (CSG IATA) in Columbus, GA or Montgomery Dannelly Field (MGM IATA) in Montgomery, AL. Both are about 50 miles from Auburn.

By train

There is no passenger train service to Auburn.

By car

Auburn is accessible from Interstate 85, which runs four miles south of Auburn.

  • I-85, providing access to Atlanta, GA and Montgomery, AL. Exits 51 (College Street) and 57 (Glenn Avenue) provide the most convenient access to Auburn.
  • US-29, providing access to Troy and points south.
  • US-280, providing access to Birmingham, AL. It is fastest to take AL-147 from US-280 into Auburn, as US-280 continues to Opelika.

By bus
  • Greyhound (Exit 62 off of I-85 next to a Big Cat gas station), toll-free: +1-800-231-2222. Provides service to the Auburn area. 
  • BreakShuttle, . Only available during scheduled breaks. Private service geared for students transiting during recesses, though is open to the public. Provides service from Atlanta, Nashville, and Tampa, among other cities. 

Get around

By foot

Downtown Auburn is easily traversable on foot. The sidewalks and pedestrian crossings in and near downtown are heavily utilized by Auburn's student population which means that cars will often stop if they see a pedestrian waiting at a crosswalk. However, the further one gets from downtown, the greater the distances become. Eventually, you will need to reconcile yourself to using a car or bicycle.

Areas outside of Downtown and north Auburn, especially areas along South College and Wire Road, lack sidewalks and pedestrian crossings and are not suitable for pedestrian traffic.

By bicycle

Bicycles are a common method of transportation in Auburn, allowing one to cover longer distances than when on foot. Most areas in Auburn can be reached by a short bike ride of any other point. Auburn was voted a "bicycle friendly city" by the league of American Bicyclists because of the city's bike plan, bike lanes, and advocacy efforts. Both the City of Auburn and Auburn University have established bicycle committees.

Auburn City Police will occasionally cite bicyclists for riding on the sidewalk. In Auburn (like the rest of the U.S.), bikes are considered traffic just like cars, though drivers will often ignore bicyclists. Be aware of your surroundings.

By taxi

By transit

TigerTransit provides transportation services exclusively for Auburn University students and faculty, and is not accessible to people unaffiliated with the university.

Phenix City Express provides transportation services to the general public during football gamedays.

By car

Cars are the most popular form of transport in and around Auburn. Traffic can be bad during short periods of time near downtown Auburn. Parking can also be difficult to find near downtown Auburn at certain times of the day. On Friday and Saturday of home football game weekends, traffic and parking are particularly bad.

Visitors are advised to pay close attention to any notices concerning the towing of unauthorized vehicles. Towing notices are enforced on a regular basis. In particular, towing from apartment complexes may occur at any time of the day or night.

Car Rental Companies include:

See
  • 🌍 Auburn University. The scenic campus is home to 23,000 students and features buildings in the Greek Revival through the Modern styles. 
  • 🌍 Donald E. Davis Arboretum, 249 Sciences Center Classroom, ☏ +1 334 844-5770. Daily, sunrise-sunset. The arboretum features native trees, shrubs and wildflowers of the southeastern United States, including 150 different tree species native to Alabama and the Southeast. Located on the corner of Mell Street and Simmons Drive on the Auburn University campus. Free admission. (updated Aug 2019)
  • Eagle's Nest, on top of Haley Center on the Auburn University campus. The highest point in Lee County provides a fantastic view of campus and the surrounding countryside. Can only be accessed by Auburn University Student Recruiters and War Eagle Girls and Plainsmen, so take a campus tour starting from the Upper Quad.
  • 🌍 Jordan-Hare Stadium. The 87,451-seat venue for Auburn University's football team located in the center of campus. No admission except on gameday, but still a terrific sight. 
  • 🌍 Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, 901 S College St, ☏ +1 334-844-1484. A 40,000-square-foot art museum opened in 2003, featuring visiting collections as well as a permanent collection devoted primarily to 19th- and 20th-century American and European art. Also features 15 acres of botanical gardens featuring large-scale sculpture, a three-acre lake, and a landscape that incorporates walking paths, benches and water features. Located on South College at Kimberly Drive. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, and college students and children under 17 free. (updated Oct 2016)
  • 🌍 Lovelace Athletic Museum, 250 Beard-Eaves Court, ☏ +1 334-844-4750. A museum dedicated to the history of Auburn Athletics, primarily focused on Auburn football but showcasing Auburn's success in other arenas. Located on the corner of Samford Drive and Donahue Drive on the Auburn University campus. Admission is free. 
  • Spring Villa, 1474 Co Rd 148, Opelika. An antebellum home in Spring Villa Park.
  • Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge, Park Rd in Opelika Municipal Park.
  • Museum of East Alabama, 121 S 9th St, Opelika. Small museum covering history of the region, including Opelika's railroad origins and lawless era. +1 334-749-2751

Do
  • Roll the trees at Toomer's Corner (intersection of Magnolia and College streets in downtown Auburn) following an Auburn victory.
  • Get lemonade at Toomer's Drugs, located at Toomer's Corner. Once there was also a nostalgic college bar called the War Eagle Supper Club, but it was demolished in 2016.
  • Follow the Auburn University Walk of Fame on the streets of downtown Auburn.
  • Take a bike ride on Auburn's many on-street bike lanes and off-street bike paths (or, in absence of a bike lane, ride on the street because bikes rule the road in Auburn!)
  • 🌍 Tuskegee National Forest. Just west of Auburn, it offers the 8.5-mile-long Bartram National Recreation Trail which is ideal for hiking, mountain biking, and bird watching. 
  • 🌍 Chewacla State Park. A pleasant park to unwind which is located just off I-85. 

Golf

Golfing is an enormously popular outdoor sport in Auburn among both visitors and those associated with the university. The area's mild winters mean that the game can be played year-round, and a number of fantastic golf courses are located in and around the Auburn area. Auburn was also ranked as the number one city in the nation for Golf in 2005 by Golf Digest. Among them:

  • Robert Trent Jones Grand National. It's a stop on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and features 54 holes of golf along Lake Saugahatchee. Green fees are from $40 to $62. 
  • Indian Pines features 6,213 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 71. Green fees from $25 to $30.

Buy
  • 🌍 Auburn University Bookstore. Located in Haley Center on the Auburn University campus. Auburn University souvenirs and supplies. 
  • 🌍 J&M Bookstore, 115 S College St, ☏ +1 334-887-7007. 10am–5pm. Located on College Street between Magnolia Avenue and Thach Avenue. Auburn University souvenirs and supplies. 
  • Tiger Rags. Located on Gay Street between Magnolia Avenue and Thach Avenue, Auburn University souvenirs and the unofficial official gameday and victory T-shirts. 

Eat

In addition to the usual fare found in most American cities, Auburn has some excellent local and regional restaurants:

  • Amsterdam Café, 410 South Gay Street, ☏ +1 334 826-8181, . Su-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM. 
  • Ariccia Italian Trattoria & Bar (in the Auburn University Hotel and Conference Center on College Street at Thach Avenue), ☏ +1 334 821-8200. A pricey but excellent Italian restaurant that is a great place to take a date. 
  • Brick Oven Pizza Co., 2520 Enterprise Drive (on Gay Street near the intersection of Glenn Avenue), ☏ +1 334 745-0223, fax: +1 334 745-0224, . Su-Th 11AM-9:30PM, F Sa 11AM-10:30PM. A gourmet pizza restaurant with pizzas and pasta. Eat outside if you can. 
  • China Palace, 2450 Martin Luther King Drive (On College Street in downtown Auburn adjacent to the Heart of Auburn Hotel), ☏ +1 334 887-8866. M-F 11AM-2PM, 5PM-9:30PM; Sa Su 5PM-9:30PM. Serves an "Asian fusion" including Chinese, Thai, and even a sushi bar that is very reasonably priced and deliciously fresh! 
  • 🌍 Hamilton's on Magnolia, 174 East Magnolia Avenue, ☏ +1 334 887-2677, fax: +1 334 887-2676, . Su-Tu 11AM-9PM, W-Sa 11AM-10PM. 
  • Laredo Mexican Grill (Laredo's), 1832 Opelika Road, ☏ +1 334 246-4101. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-9PM. A good Mexican place. Wednesday night is Margerita Night. 
  • Little Italy Pizzeria, 129 East Magnolia Avenue, ☏ +1 334 821-6161. Great pizza at a great price. Stagnooooooo! 
  • Mellow Mushroom Pizza, ☏ +1 334 887-6356. Downtown Auburn on College Street. Pizza joint with a great atmosphere and is always hopping, especially after an Auburn victory. 
  • Momma Goldberg's Deli (Momma G's), 500 West Magnolia Avenue (On the corner of West Magnolia Avenue and North Donahue Drive.), ☏ +1 334 821-0185. Su-Th 10AM-2AM, F Sa 10AM-3AM. An Auburn landmark, the run-down shack conceals some of the best sandwiches to be found anywhere. Be sure to try the "Momma's Love all the way." 
  • Niffer's Place, 1151 Opelika Road, ☏ +1 334 821-3118. M-W 11AM-9:30PM, Th-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-9PM. A local casual dining restaurant with good hamburgers, salads, wings, and sandwiches. 
  • Tenda Chick (On the corner of Glenn Avenue and Dean Road.), ☏ +1 334 821-8543. Excellent all-around chicken restaurant but famous locally for its chicken fingers. 

Drink

Auburn has several good bars for students and visitors. The bars in the downtown area regularly change names and redecorate, so keep an eye out for new bars.

A relic not to be forgotten is War Eagle Supper Club, as it was an Auburn classic. Once ranked by Playboy among the best college bars in the country, Supper Club was a different kind of place. It drew all crowds and all ages, and was unrivaled for great live music and dirty ambience.

  • 🌍 17-16, 156 E Magnolia Ave. A fairly large one story bar with a very relaxed feel. Pool tables in the back and an outdoor patio and bar in the back as well. Very popular with Greeks and not very rowdy, A good place to go early in the night before Bourbon or Sky Bar. 21+ 

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

Go next
Routes through Auburn
Atlanta ← LaGrange ←  N  S  → Montgomery → END
Atlanta ← LaGrange ←  N  S  → Pensacola → END


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