UA Campus
The UA Campus area of Tuscaloosa refers to the area surrounding the beautiful 1,000-acre residential University of Alabama’s main campus. It is enclosed by Jack Warner Parkway NE along the Black Warrior River, Mcfarland Blvd East, 15th Street, and Queen City Ave. This area of town is student-central; enrollment reached a record high of 33,602 students in 2013.
Attractions:
Obviously, the main attraction of this Tuscaloosa area is the University of Alabama. Within the campus there are several famous buildings, monuments and museums including Bryant Denny Stadium (home of the Alabama Crimson Tide, 14-time national champions) and the Walk of Champions, Smith Hall’s Alabama Museum of Natural History, Denny Chimes (home to the “Football Walk of Fame”, with hand and foot prints of legendary Alabama players), Foster Auditorium (the site of Alabama Governor George C. Wallace’s “stand in the schoolhouse door” on June 11, 1963), Gorgas House (the oldest building on the campus), the “Quad” (surrounded by the first four buildings constructed after the University was burned during the final days of the Civil War), the President’s Mansion (the home of all University presidents since 1841), the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art, the Paul W. Bryant Museum (displays the history of University of Alabama football), the Round House (was used to shelter sentinels serving guard duty at the University as part of the military system instituted to preserve order among the students during the Civil War), and the University Club. The Black Warrior River runs along Jack Warner Parkway, which is the northern border of the UA Campus area. In recent years the beautiful, waterfront area has become more commercially developed and is commonly referred to as the Riverside Community. The Riverwalk is a 3-4 mile walking/biking trail, and the River Market/Visitor’s Center is now open, home of the Tuscaloosa Farmers Market and the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission. The Bama Belle Riverboat is located in the Riverwalk Park, and is a modern day replica of the grand paddlewheel river, boats that graced the Black Warrior in the 1900′s. The Bama Belle provides an exquisite setting for sightseeing and dinner cruises, and is available for private parties, business meetings, and holiday celebrations. The Park at Manderson Landing and the Annette M. Shelby Park are also both located in the area.
Businesses and Shopping:
Located on University Blvd, the University Town Center is an on-campus shopping center filled with versatile dining options, apparel stores and service stores to meet all of your needs! There is even a Publix Super Market for convenient grocery shopping.
Also located on University Blvd is “The Strip”, a row of bars and shops that is always packed with students walking to class during the day and enjoying featured restaurants and bars at night. Student favorites include Bento Japanese restaurant, Buffalo Phil’s (known for their fingers of fire and hot wings), Surin of Thailand, Quick Grill (for that late night food fix) and Pepito’s, all of which are also budget-friendly! Popular bars include The Houndstooth (voted by Sports Illustrated as the number one college sports bar in the nation), Gallettes (famous for their Yellow Hammer drinks), The Jupiter, and the Bear Trap.
Dining:
Located next to Bryant Denny Stadium, Rama Jama’s is a student favorite for delicious breakfast and lunch. The entire restaurant is filled with Crimson Tide memorabilia so it is very popular on game-day for a home-style breakfast! Newk’s is another favorite for soups, sandwiches, salads, pizzas and more, and the just-opened Another Broken Egg is located directly on the Black Warrior River and another popular option for breakfast and lunch. Located in the University Town Center are several popular restaurants including Little Italy Pizzeria, Firehouse Subs, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Swen Chinese Restaurant and Coldstone Creamery. Other restaurants on “The Strip” include The Pita Pit, El Rincon Latina Bar & Grill, Waffle House, Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, Ruan Thai Restaurant and Smoothie King.
Things to Consider:
As The University of Alabama continues to increase its enrollment size there are fewer places to park on campus. Most students purchase parking permits which allow them to park in a designated area, which means students are supposed to walk anywhere that is not included in their designated area. Therefore, parking is a huge issue on campus and expensive parking tickets are distributed regularly. On football game days roads are blocked off and parking is even more of an issue.
Apartments in Area:
2 BDRM
apartment in
Tuscaloosa,
AL
from
$829
4 to 5 BDRM
apartment in
Tuscaloosa,
AL
from
$875 to $900
1 to 2 BDRM
apartment in
Tuscaloosa,
AL
from
$560 to $725
2 to 3 BDRM
apartment in
Tuscaloosa,
AL
from
$1700 to $2550
Eff BDRM
apartment in
Tuscaloosa,
AL
from
$515
1 BDRM
apartment in
Tuscaloosa,
AL
from
$675 to $875