Florence, AL

Florence is the largest city in the Shoals, the four-city area on the Tennessee River that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield and Tuscumbia. Its downtown runs along Court Street, with brick storefronts leading up to the University of North Alabama campus. The town is known for music (W.C. Handy, the Father of the Blues, was born here) and for design, from the only Frank Lloyd Wright building in Alabama to the clothing and textile studios that have made Florence a name in Southern fashion. It is a college town too, so downtown stays lively during the school year with students, concerts and game days.

Start at the Rosenbaum House, a 1940 Usonian home that is open for tours, then visit the Florence Indian Mound & Museum and Pope’s Tavern. Downtown, browse the boutiques and book and record shops, pick up a coffee at a local coffee shop, and sit in Wilson Park. For dinner, Florence has a strong restaurant scene for its size, from Southern plates to upscale spots, and the Shoals recording studios in Muscle Shoals are just across the river. Wilson Dam, a short drive east, is worth a stop for its scale and river views.

Florence questions, answered

What is Florence, Alabama known for?

Music, architecture and fashion. W.C. Handy was born here, and the W.C. Handy Music Festival takes over the Shoals every summer. The Rosenbaum House is the only Frank Lloyd Wright design in Alabama. Florence is also home to the University of North Alabama, and the famous Muscle Shoals recording studios are a few minutes away across the Tennessee River.

When is the best time to visit Florence?

Summer brings the W.C. Handy Music Festival, a week or more of concerts across the Shoals each July. Fall is lovely, with the Alabama Renaissance Faire in October and football at UNA. First Fridays fill downtown with art, music and food on the first Friday evening of most months from spring through December.

How do I get to Florence?

Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) in Muscle Shoals is about 15 minutes away, with limited commercial service. Most visitors fly into Huntsville International (HSV), about an hour and 15 minutes east. Florence is on US 72 and US 43, and Nashville is about two hours north. Birmingham is about two hours south.

What else is near Florence?

The rest of the Shoals is right across the river. Muscle Shoals has the FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound recording studios, Tuscumbia has Ivy Green, the birthplace of Helen Keller, and Wilson Dam spans the Tennessee River between Florence and Muscle Shoals. The Natchez Trace Parkway crosses the river just west of town for scenic drives and bike rides.

Where should I stay in Florence?

Downtown Florence has a few hotels within walking distance of Court Street, which makes it easy to enjoy dinner and First Fridays without driving. More chain hotels are along US 72. Browse our places to stay for inns and rentals, and book ahead during the W.C. Handy festival and UNA graduation weekends.