10 FUN THINGS TO DO In and around Sylacauga

Home of the world’s purest white marble, the Hodges Meteorite & Jim Nabors

  1. Come see us make the best ice cream in the country!  Eat ice cream at Blue Bell Creameries, tour the facility and visit and shop the charming country store.
  2. Fish, boat or pack a picnic lunch at Lake Howard.
  3. Enjoy a taste of local history, culture and fine art at the Isabel Anderson Comer Museum’s impressive collection.  Learn more about Sylacauga’s native son, Jim Nabors (a.k.a. Gomer Pyle), see a replica of the Hodges meteorite and see the geological study of marble through sculptures.
  4. Visit and shop in our unique specialty shops and trek through our antique shops on a personal treasure hunt.
  5. Break out your dancin’ or shoppin' shoes at any of our annual Festivals – check the calendar for dates!
  6. Hike or bike in the Talladega National Forest, gateway to the Appalachian Trail.
  7. Visit DeSoto Caverns, enjoy a fun-filled day touring the first recorded cave in the U.S.  The onyx draperies in these caves are among the largest free hanging formations – over 30 feet long.  You’ll enjoy your exploration of this magnificent cave.  A number of attractions are on site for the entire family.  Picnic and camping are a must! 
  8. Skeet shoot, hunt, spend the night and enjoy Southern hospitality at Selwood Farms.
  9. Go to the races!  Come see the world’s fastest, most competitive motorsports facility - Talladega SuperSpeedway, site of two major NASCAR Winston Cup events each year and home of numerous world records for speed on a closed course.
  10. Visit a bit of history at the Pioneer Village and seek to discover your heritage. 

 

BLUE BELL CREAMERIES

 Blue Bell Creameries purchased the Sylacauga, Alabama manufacturing plant in 1996 and began production of Blue Bell Ice Cream in 1997.  Soon after production began it opened a Country Store and Ice Cream Parlor.  The Country Store and Ice Cream Parlor are an important part of a fun and educational tour of the manufacturing facility.  Over 20,000 guests visit the plant each year to see “the best ice cream in the country” manufactured.

 The Blue Bell tour is a must for vacationing families, tour groups, and school children.   Tours are offered 5 days a week in the spring and summer and 4 days a week in the fall and winter.  Tours can be scheduled

8 a.m.- 2 p.m.   The guided tour includes a short video and then a walking tour that allows visitors to see the manufacturing process of Blue Bell Ice Cream.  The tour can accommodate up to 45 people at a time.  After your tour you will be treated with a sample of your favorite ice cream flavor.  Tours last 30- 45 minutes.

Children and adults enjoy seeing their favorite flavors being made.  Cookies, pecans, peaches, strawberries and more can be seen as they are added to different flavors.  A variety of flavors of cups, pints, quarts, ½ gallons, 3 gallons, and other ice cream novelties are all manufactured in Sylacauga.

Walk-ins are welcome anytime in the Country Store and Ice Cream Parlor.  Tours can be scheduled by calling (256) 249-6112 or toll free (888) 573-5286.  The plant is located at 423 North Norton Ave. in Sylacauga, AL.

LEISURE

 A variety of recreational and cultural opportunities is definitely the spice of life for residents of Sylacauga.  Couple those positive factors with a pleasant year round climate, moderated by cool green forests and hills, and it’s no wonder why most prefer to stay home and enjoy their relaxing lifestyle. 

VISIT THE ISABEL ANDERSON COMER MUSEUM AND ARTS CENTER

 What do the Lincoln Memorial, Gomer Pyle, the late Congressman Bill Nichols, LTG (Ret. James W. Crysel, Gospel Singer Billy Todd and a meteorite all have in common?  The answer is Sylacauga, Alabama.  Our small town museum proudly exhibits these claims to fame along with an impressive collection of fine art that includes metal and bronze sculptures and a growing collection of paintings.  A visit will guarantee a fun and educational experience, free of charge!  The Isabel Anderson Comer Museum & Art Center, located on North Broadway, is certainly worth the trip. 

At the Comer Museum you will find some of Sylacauga’s famous marble, which is the world’s purest and whitest.  It was used in such buildings as the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.  Guiseppi Moretti, a famous Italian sculptor purchased a quarry in Sylacauga in the 1890s.  The center maintains several original sculptures by Moretti, who also sculpted “The Head of Christ Upon the Cross.” 

Sylacauga, an Indian name, was also the home of many Indian tribes.  At the Comer Museum, you may view large collections of Indian Artifacts from local digs. 

In 1954, Mrs. Ann Hodges, who was napping on her couch, was awakened very suddenly when a meteorite penetrated her roof and struck her on the thigh.  The Hodges or Sylacauga meteorite, which weighs 8.5 pounds and is 7 by 5 inches in diameter, can be viewed in replica form at the museum.  The original is in the Alabama Museum of Natural History in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  Sylacauga is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records since this is the only case of a meteorite hitting a living person. 

Also at the museum, you can see many collections, including dolls, coins, antiques, pioneer log cabin, old ledgers, old photographs, old newspapers dating back to 1948, Civil War and World War II memorabilia, geological history and chemical composition of Sylacauga’s marble (calcium carbonate.) 

The Comer Museum also offers art shows all year (see annual events calendar) and educational classes for all ages in the world of art.  Lectures and field trips are offered at various times of the year also.  Many temporary exhibits change monthly so there is always something to see.  Simply call the Museum for current hours and further details.  The number is 245-4016. 

SYLACAUGA COUNTRY CLUB

Sylacauga Country Club was established in 1968.  Formerly the Coosa Valley Country Club, it is owned by the membership of 330 members with 25 staff members.  Sylacauga Country Club offers members one of the most beautifully maintained 18-hole, par 72 courses in Alabama.  The course is 6200 yards and has Bermuda greens and fairways.   

Sylacauga Country Club offers full amenities for the entire family including an Olympic size pool, pro shop, snack bar, lounge and dining facility.  

Golf lessons are available by appointment.

 

 

 


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