Best things to do in Florence

Serving as a path for Native Americans, animals, and settlers, Natchez Trace Parkway can be explored today by driving, hiking, horseback riding, and through other activities. Explore the 714.6 km (444 mi) parkway by visiting the prehistoric mound sites, waterfalls, archeological sites, cypress swamps, overlooks, and historic sites along the way. The parkway was a migratory route for bison and other game; Native Americans followed the traces of bison and other game, solidifying this trail. Eventually, this route became the fastest communication between key settlements. A parkway map shows each mile marker and sites along the Trace (mileposts are numbered starting at Natchez, which is mile marker 0). There are limited amenities along the parkway itself, so make sure you have fuel and other essentials before you embark on your journey, or travel off the path a few miles to visit neighboring towns with amenities.

The University of North Alabama (UNA) is a public university in Florence, Alabama. It is the state's oldest public university. Occupying a 130-acre (0.5 km2) campus in a residential section of Florence, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Tuscumbia, Sheffield and Muscle Shoals. The four cities compose a metropolitan area with a combined population of 140,000 people.
The University of North Alabama was founded as LaGrange College in 1830. It was reestablished in 1872 as the first state-supported teachers college south of the Ohio River. A year later, it became one of the nation's first coeducational colleges.

The Children's Museum of the Shoals, Inc. is a unique community resource that offers hands-on exhibits and programs geared specifically to the developmental stages and needs of children. Our mission is to further classroom education and complement existing cultural and educational resources.

The museum allows children the freedom both to play and to experience the joy of learning in a safe, enriched, and stimulating environment. It also offers academic enrichment for the state and national curriculum standards in the fields of science, environmental education, the arts, history, and culture.

Exhibits and activities encourage children to imagine, make choices, and create and to experience the world in ways that expand their awareness and promote science and cultural literacy.

Experience what early life was like for rock-and-roll legend Elvis Presley, and see firsthand how his childhood influenced his musical genius at Elvis Presley Birthplace & Museum. Here, you can walk through the small house where "The King" was born and lived until he was 13, when his family moved to Memphis in search of a better life. You can also go inside the Assembly of God church where the Presley family worshipped often and where Elvis first encountered gospel music. This genre appeared within many of his famous songs later in his career. The museum itself displays a variety of Elvis memorabilia, such as jumpsuits that he wore during performances. Check out the gift shop and purchase some exclusive Elvis souvenirs that are only available here.

Tracing the journey of one of American's most volatile times as a nation, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute researches and showcases the lessons learned during the Civil Rights Movement. Via interactive exhibits and archives, you can follow numerous events and racial struggles that have taken place in Birmingham from the 1950s until today. Take a self-guided tour through 5,400 sq m (58,000 sq ft) of galleries that present dramatic images of inequity and segregation. You'll hear true stories about the fight for equality and see life-sized displays and multimedia presentations. You'll also discover the positive events that changed the world. This museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

Explore American Civil War history on the Shiloh and Corinth battlefields at Shiloh National Military Park. The two-day Battle of Shiloh on April 6-7, 1862, began a six-month struggle between Union soldiers and Confederates over a railroad junction in Corinth. This battlefield, named for the Shiloh Methodist Church, opened to the public as a park in 1894. The park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. Visit the museum and interpretive center to learn about the war tools used in this era. For further exploration of the park, pick up a narrated audio tour that provides highlights of the battlefield as you drive the 20.4 km (12.7 mi) route. You can walk through the Shiloh Indian Mounds Site and view the Iowa Monument, Sunken Road, and Confederate Memorial.