The most fun things to do in Gadsden, AL, cuts across suitable things for everyone of all ages.
Gadsden is located in Etowah County and sits on the banks of the Coosa River. This city offers many beautiful places starting from attractive surroundings, lakes, gardens, and parks.
It is a fantastic place to spend time with family and friends, with beautiful surroundings for picnics and other outdoor activities.
While visiting Gadsden, be sure to explore Gadsden AL attractions such as Noccalula Falls Park, Gadsden Museum of Art, Noccalula Falls, James D, Martin Nature Park, Merry-Go-Round Skate Center, and other Gadsden fun attractions.
Today, a few of these industries remain; however, the city is more famous for its welcoming atmosphere, parks, and gardens.
Gadsden is a fun place to take the kids and enjoy outdoor activities and performing arts. It’s also a great town for exploring local history and outdoor activities.
If you’re traveling in the Deep South, Gadsden is a short drive from Birmingham, Chattanooga, and Atlanta.
Let’s quickly tour the best things to do in Gadsden:
Fun Things to Do in Gadsden (AL)
1. Etowah Memorial Bridge
You can get a very wide and spectacular view of the city when you stand on the Etowah Memorial Bridge.
The Etowah Memorial Bridge is a bridge built as a form of memorial to honor the memories and lives of soldiers.
For the soldiers who were lost while fighting for the homeland during World War I, this bridge is a form of remembrance so that their selflessness is not forgotten.
The Etowah Memorial Bridge was built in 1927 by the Birmingham-based Kershaw G. Charles Construction Company.
It is also called the “Coosa River Bridge”.
Whenever you visit Gadsden, you should visit the bridge.
2. Gadsden Museum of Art
The Gadsden Museum Of Art is an educational and interesting place to visit, with lots of artwork. It was originally opened in 1965.
They organize group performances and solo artist performances and exhibit various works of art. They also help educate people about the history of Gadsden.
The Gadsden Museum of Art is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and closed Monday and Sunday.
Be sure to visit this museum whenever you visit Gadsden because your experience isn’t complete until you visit the Gadsden Museum of Art.
Exploring this Museum of Art is one of the amazing things to do in Gadsden with the family.
3. Banks Park
For fun lovers, one of the most fun things to do in Gadsden, AL, is to visit Banks Park.
This is a local park with a community center for rentals; they also have many other fields. They have picnic areas, and for those who would like to have a picnic with their family and friends, there are picnic pavilions for rent.
They also have a wonderful playground for children, fully equipped and very attractive. For sports lovers, they have a volleyball court, a baseball court, a basketball court and a tennis court open to beginners and professionals.
Banks park also serves as a center for hosting events such as birthday parties, church gatherings, weddings, and many more.
They have a site that can hold about seventy (70) people.
Things to Do in Gadsden (AL) at Night
1. Mort Glosser Amphitheater
The Mort Glosser Amphitheater is one of the oldest amphitheaters in Gadsden and is also fully equipped.
Sandstone obtained from the northeast side of Alabama, precisely from Lookout Mountain, was used to build the Mort Glosser Amphitheater in 1935.
During World War II, the Mort Glosser Amphitheater was converted into an entertainment center for soldiers whose camps were not far away.
The seat of the theatre has a real half-hexagon shape. They also have a clubhouse for premium entertainment, a stone arch, and a wood frame.
The Mort Glosser Amphitheater was known for hosting exciting activities such as boxing matches, musical performances, rallies, and summer games.
2. Black Stone Pub and Restaurant
Let’s say you are looking for a center that will provide you with good food, quality drink, and great music. Then visit the Blackstone Pub & Eatery. They opened in 2002.
They offer delicious treats like their famous White Cheese Dip served with toasted French bread and tortilla chips, Hippie Nachos, Grilled Chicken Nachos, Philly Chicken, and much more.
Black Stone Pub and Restaurant offers the best pizzas with different types of toppings depending on what you want.
They offer over one hundred different beer collections to choose from according to your preferences.
They also have a venue for live acts and music that showcase great musical talent. What else could you ask for?
3. Premiere Cinema 1
Among the best and most fun things to do in Gadsden for a great movie experience is a visit to the Premiere Cinema 1
Premiere Cinema 1 is rated the best in Gadsden if you want to have an amazing movie experience.
Gadsden Mall has a beautiful and large Premiere Cinema with a very welcoming environment. It is fully equipped with great digital sound and a widescreen TV that makes watching movies fun.
They provide comfortable seats and a cozy environment to help you relax while watching the latest Hollywood movie.
Things to Do in Gadsden For Couples
1. Chestnut station
Chestnut Station is one of the most interesting places to visit in Gadsden with family and friends for an amazing experience.
They also have a studio to showcase your karaoke skills and a friendly competition between your family and friends.
They have a full bar with a variety of drinks to choose from with a very live music spot. The music spot is very lively and active, where you can enjoy listening to music and showing off your dance moves on stage.
Just imagine enjoying your drink with mini corn dogs or southern buffalo wings that have been prepared with deep fry and great music. Yeah! The feeling is divine.
They are open Mondays to Fridays from 4 pm to 2 am, on Saturdays from 2 pm to 2 am, they are closed on Sundays.
2. Noccalula Falls
Noccalula Falls Park has an enchanting waterfall known as Noccalula Falls. It is a beautiful place with a refreshing environment.
Noccalula Falls is always beautiful, all year round, no matter the time or season. It is also one of the tallest waterfalls in Alabama.
Noccalula Falls was named after a Cherokee princess who allegedly killed herself by jumping into the falls in 1975.
After this incident, Noccalula Falls became more popular and was named Black Creek Falls. It is also a cozy center for hiking, especially under the waterfall.
Noccalula Falls is a great place not only for hiking but also for meditation. This is a cool place to spend time with your family while relaxing and enjoying its peaceful surroundings.
3. Tigers for Tomorrow
Tigers For Tomorrow is such a fun place to visit in Gadsden, especially for animal lovers, including children.
It has about hundred and forty (140) acres of land, full of many animals of various kinds.
Tigers for Tomorrow has about one hundred and seventy (170) tigers, bears, and lions, mainly from Africa.
It is a non-profit organization whose main purpose is to try to bring humans closer to animals. Here you learn about the animals and also organize tours.
During your tour, you will come across other animals, such as cougars, wolves, and many others.
Their staff is very friendly and always ready to answer your questions.
Things to Do in Gadsden for Kids
1. Carousel Skating Center
The Merry-Go-Round Skate Center is one of the best things to do while you are in Gadsden, AL. This center is so much about fun and enjoyment.
This is by far, the one place to visit for an amazing roller skating experience. And it is open to both adults and children.
They also organize colorful and exciting events such as pizza parties, Glow night, and ladies’ night. They are open from Friday to Tuesday.
Do well to add the Merry-Go-Round Skate Center to your list of places to visit. Your list isn’t complete without it.
2. Parker Park Oak
Dub Parker Park praises that Gadsden is truly a city of great beauty. They have a very beautiful picnic setting for you and your family to have a magical outdoor experience.
Picnic tables are available for your use, along with a pavilion. It is a gigantic playground for children that includes different playgrounds.
Kids may have confusion about the equipment to begin with. They also offer a boat launch.
Everyone’s safety is their top priority, so a security guard is always nearby to protect you.
They are always closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but they are open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
If you are really interested in the fun things to do in Gadsden, then you should add this to your checklist of places to visit in Gadsden, AL.
3. Imagination Place Children’s Museum
The Children’s Museum is a place that gives children a chance to discover and enjoy. It is filled with several items that are very attractive to children and can easily grab their full attention.
The Imagination Place Children’s Museum is a very educational place that allows children to feel free to learn and ask questions about things they find interesting.
This place is built for children between the ages of two (2) to ten (10) years old, with lots of exciting activities.
It features a fantasy high-speed train, a sunken pirate ship cruise, and a god-shopping grocery store.
Visit the Imagination Place Children’s Museum during your visit to Gadsden and your kids will thank you for a lifetime.
Indoor Activities to Do in Gadsden
1. Back Forty Beer Co.
If you want to be in a place that serves the best beer, then you should visit Back Forty Beer Co once you are in Gadsden.
They also feature samples of award-winning craft beer. This brewery got its name due to the high fertility of its soil.
They also serve delicious food and snacks as per your taste with a peaceful environment to enjoy your meal.
Don’t forget to have a great time with family and friends while enjoying their fantastic beer and food.
2. Anniston Museum of Natural History
The Anniston Museum of Natural History is an entertaining museum filled with lots of historical collections.
This museum was constructed in 1930 and has been very active since then, collecting so much historical data.
This museum serves as an eye-opener as it teaches you about history you may not have encountered and also shows you virtual data to back it up.
It is a very educational place for children to expand their knowledge and discover new things. It also teaches you about the power of weather, fossils, minerals, and much more focused on the planet and its formation.
There are animals on display that have lived for thousands of years; they were animals caught by a single trader who went hunting all over the world.
3. Central Carver Legacy Museum
The Central Carver Legacy Museum was built as a high school before it was closed in 1971 and renovated into a museum.
This museum includes 26 different classrooms, a gymnasium, cafeteria with other new sections or stations.
This museum got its name from George Carver Washington, a very popular botanist.
They help showcase the various artworks of the African American community. Consequently, to teach students about African American history
Carver High School served African-American students from Gadsden until it closed in 1971. It was named in honor, of George Washington Carver, a famous American botanist, and inventor.
This is a highly educational place and a beautiful place full of different sections trying to impact other lives in one way or another.
Romantic Things to Do in Gadsden
1. The Falls Park
One of the best and most fun things to do in Gadsden, AL, is to spend a good time at The Falls Park.
Falls Park is one place to have fun and have an amazing time with family and friends.
This park contains about two hundred acres of land. With several beautiful and fascinating features, it also has an alluring waterfall.
They have spots for those who want to go camping and have a great adventure. This park is covered by beautiful flowers and shrubs which gives the environment an impressive and amazing look.
You can also select a train ride in the park, go for long walks or even go for a run. However, you want to spend your free time.
They also have a petting zoo, one of the most interesting places, especially for children. It also features a historic pioneer village and a miniature golf course.
Falls Park is a good venue for weddings and other events and is a renowned park known for its exceptional beauty.
2. Neely Henry Lake
Neely Henry Lake is the true definition of beauty, it is also known as Gadsden’s highly kept secret, and no one can really falsify this claim.
This lake has over eleven thousand, two hundred acres of water and a shoreline of about three hundred and thirty-nine.
If you love fishing, this is the best place for you. They have fish of different species, such as catfish, bass, plus and more.
You can also visit the Newly Henry Dam, which was built in 1966 and produces hydroelectricity for Gadsden.
You may encounter other animals, such as prairie warblers, purple martins, bald eagles, and many more.
You can also opt for a mountain bike for a much cooler experience running along the water’s edge on forest trails.
It is a very nice place to spend picnics or family gatherings with your family.
3. James D. Martin Wildlife Park
James D. Martin Wildlife Park is a place with some amazing and exciting features in the city of Gadsden.
James D. Martin Wildlife Park became active in 1991, on October 15.
It was built in honor of the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, as James D. Martin was called at the time.
There is a path for pedestrians, for those who like to go for long walks, and for those who want to go cycling too.
James D. Martin Wildlife Park is surrounded by Newly Henry Lake. The footpath provides fascinating views of the lake and other nearby islands.
This makes things to do in Dodge City to explore a pretty perfect addition to your list of fun things to do in Dodge City.
Cheap Things to Do in Gadsden
1. Chief Ladiga Trail
The Chief Ladiga Trail is one of the most beautiful places in the area, with lots of recreational activities.
Chief Ladiga Trail is the best entertainment center, especially for those who love running and hiking.
You can also go inline skating or cycling here; all these activities are very exciting and in a pleasant environment.
They also have a great picnic area where you and your family can just hang out and enjoy your time together.
You can also take a walk through the forest and get a closer look at nature and its wildlife.
2. Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts
The Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts is one of Gadsden’s entertainment centers that was purpose-built to showcase Gadsden’s cultural values.
The Mary G. Hardin Center is located downtown on Broad street, inside a newly renovated store that finally opened in 1990.
They have a lot of performances, visual displays, and traveling art on display. It is a non-profit organization.
They are open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. but are closed on Sundays.
Make sure you don’t miss the fun and exciting events at the Mary G. Hardin Center whenever you visit Gadsden.
A visit here will open you up to the world of art, definitely one of the best things to do in Gadsden for art lovers.
3. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
Golf is one of the most exciting and competitive games, and it is 100% fun.
Its surroundings are a great view of wetlands and forest pastures in a beautiful landscape.
It is also surrounded by a lake known as Lake Lee. They have different course completions like Backbreaker, The short course, Heartbreaker, and Mindbreaker.
With a total of about thirty-six (36) holes, you can also go on a little tour to see the beautiful surroundings with lots of exciting facilities.
What to do in Gadsden, AL, for golf lovers makes it a highly recommended addition to your list of things to do in Gadsden for fun.
Free Things to Do in Gadsden
1. Downtown Gadsden
Downtown Gadsden is a fun hub to visit with family and friends, consisting of many attractions.
They have a place to shop for authentic local artwork that can also serve as souvenirs and a special gift to someone.
Downtown Gadsden also has a very nice museum that has a lot of Gadsden cultural items on display.
Their dining room is second to none when it comes to serving delicious meals to visitors.
Downtown Gadsden usually hosts a special event that affords people living in the city to come out en masse with live music to enjoy the moment.
This happens on the first Friday of every month, and the arena usually has lots of market stalls and street food vendors.
Make sure you include Downtown Gadsden on your bucket list. You’ll be glad you did.
2. Berman Museum
The Berman Museum is a museum for all ages, including adults and children. This place contains many educational programs that have to do with nature.
The Berman Museum exhibits about eight thousand local and international artifacts. This museum exhibits books of Remington bronzes, oil paintings, and Jada sculptures, including ancient and modern weapons and much more.
All these artifacts were collected by a German merchant. They also educate people about the history of the colonization of the American West.
3. Town Creek Fishing Center
Town Creek Fishing Center includes many exciting outdoor activities on the lake known as Lake Huntersville.
They have campsites and also ensure that all the equipment needed while camping is in place and in good condition.
You can also go fishing as they provide fishing boats for rent and canoes and pontoons.
Town Creek Fishing Center is a beautiful place with a peaceful environment and moderate noise.
Cool Places to Visit in Gadsden
1. The Imagination Place
Designed for children ages 2 to 10, Imagination Place is a safe zone where children can learn, explore and interact with exhibits.
Discover the permanent exhibition of the museum KidsTown USA, a miniature urban center for youth.
Visit a grocery store, board the Imagination Express train, or even sail on a sunken pirate ship!
Whatever your kids want to do during their trip to Gadsden, there’s no limit to their imaginations.
2. Central Carver Legacy Museum
Carver High School served African-American students from Gadsden until it closed in 1971.
It was named in honor of George Washington Carver, a famous American botanist, and inventor.
Housed in an old high school, the museum shows the positive impact it had on the African-American community at the time through a series of exhibits, exhibits, and artwork.
It is a great example of how a small school has been transformed into a thriving learning center with new departments, gymnasiums, 26 classrooms, and a cafeteria.
Conclusion
We are particular about picking just the fun and best things to do in Gadsden on your next vacation.
If you are already in Gadsden, you should begin your tour immediately. Remember to spare no limb to catch all the fun you can.
