Local Attractions

“The economy is making it too difficult to do anything on family nights.”
“We used to have family nights all the time, but now everything is so expensive!”
“Are you kidding? You have to have money to have a family night!”
These are the type of answers I ran into after taking a poll at a local business. The question is obvious, “What do you do, or where do you go on family nights?” The usual answer I received was very similar to the three at the top. After asking the question and receiving the answer, I then asked what they had done in the past for family nights, or what they would do for family nights. I got a few Chuck-E-Cheese answers, but almost all answered out of the three below:
1. Bowling
2. Movies
3. Out to eat
All three of these cost money, and number two and three usually cost a pretty penny, mostly if you’re looking for a good restaurant such as Red Lobster or P.F. Changs.
I asked the question why it was that they didn’t do anything else… the answer was blunt, “What else is there to do around here?” Wow! That answer sounds like we’re living in the middle of nowhere!
To give a little encouragement and to help you out, let me give you a long list of ideas of new and exciting events and activities that are right in our area or just an hour or two drive away. True, many of these cost money, but they’re fresh ideas. Most of these ideas are priceless, in both ways, with the money and with the memories.

1. Hiking/Parks (Always good for the families health, and Spring Park now has lots of exciting attractions!)
A short list of parks around this area:
· Spring Park
· Veteran’s Park
· Diebert Park
· Davy Crocket State Park
· Joe Wheeler State Park
· Shiloh National Park
· Wilson Park
· Florence Water Park
2. Library/Bookstores (Always good for the families mental health)
3. Plays (The Zodiac, the Ritz or Gingerbread players are always putting on some fun play in this area)
4. Horseback Riding (Areas around here give half-day to all-day trail rides, especially in the summer)
5. Zoo (Only a couple hours away, the Zoo is a super place for varying ages and it’s very entertaining. Check for days of the month that the zoo is open free, to all visitors)
6. Badminton/Tennis (Hey, it’s free, and we have plenty of nice tennis courts in our picturesque town)
7. U.S. Space & Rocket Center (Very educational and lots of excitement. Going with a group can lower the price-rates as well)
8. Chuck-E-Cheese (Fun for Birthday parties or just meeting-up with friends)
9. Visit Friends (How often do we neglect that? Visiting friends can prove more fun than a movie or a game of bowling many times!)
10. Ice Skating (Ice Skating is great for all ages; even Mom and Dad can get out on the ice and have a blast. And most rinks have monthly group events, with great rates; sometimes they even include lunch)
11. Mini Golf/Glow Golf (The mall now has a large Glow Golf area, and this too can give you better rates with a group. There are always advertisements of Mini Golf set-up in this area)
12. Golf (If your kids are into learning how to golf this is the perfect activity for a lovely day. This activity is great with Grandparents or friends who willingly give up some time to teach the younger generation in an area they have mastered)
13. Fishing/River (This is one of the wonderful things about where we live. We are close to the water and we have some great parks and picnic areas right by the beautiful scenery of rock cliffs and the river. Check-out the Pier at the end of McFarland. Nice!)
14. Caves/Caverns/Hiking Trails (We’re getting close to that time of year that makes it perfect for these types of activities. Caves, caverns, and hiking trails can be found all around this area. Some of the caves and caverns offer group tours; there is even one about 45 minutes away that offers bat viewing. Alabama Outdoors offers classes and events on spelunking)
15. Shiloh (Not too far away is Shiloh. This National Park has events that involve our historic past. They offer a Living History in April. They have a museum, video presentation and gift shop. Shiloh is well worth the drive.)
16. Downtown Florence (Every first Friday of the month Downtown Florence is buzzing with stores, vendors, live music, art and it’s located right by Wilson Park.)
17. Noccalula Falls (The falls of Noccalula cascades 90 ft. over Lookout Mountain ledge into a lush ravine. Home to Gilliland-Reese Covered Bridge, park features botanical garden, pioneer homestead, nature trails, picnic areas, year-round campground, train ride, and a petting zoo.)
18. Alabama State Capital (For a great educational time with your kids, Alabama State Capital is perfect. After the tour, enjoy a picnic outside)
19. Indoor Game Day (What about those days with rain or when it’s just too cold? Planning an indoor game day can be almost as much fun as having one. Ask the kids ideas for games they would enjoy and then go online or flip through magazines such as, Cookie or Family Fun for more great ideas)
20. Visit Relatives (Grandkids are always welcome at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, and on visiting Uncles and Aunts the kids love to play with their cousins. This can be a great time for the whole family)
21. Bicycling/Flying Kites/Canoeing (These are all great outdoor activities that include the whole family; any age. There are fabulous bike trails, open fields, creeks to dip our toes in and canoe runs situated all around our picturesque area)
22. Go Carts/Bumper boats ( Funland or Winkle World can give a whole day of fun)
23. Bowling (Always enjoyable for the whole family and fairly cheap. The game room inside is also a great idea for afterwards. Check-out various deals they offer for different times of the month)
24. Natchez Trace (Natchez Trace offers many areas for hiking, picnics, swimming, fishing, and much more. Bring the family dog along, load up the roller blades, or pack the kites and be prepared for some enjoyment. The Natchez Trace also hosts many events throughout the year; such as, Craft Shows, Historic Live events, Indian lore and other captivating activities )
25. David Crocket State Park (This State Park is filled with enjoyment. Unique playgrounds, hiking trails, wading streams, flat-bottom and paddle boats, tennis courts, camping areas dot the landscape of this great park. The family can spend all day or a month here, camping, enjoying the park and visiting the nearby towns; including Amish wagon rides to see sorghum produced, buying Amish-made baskets, produce and honey)
26. Planetarium (The Planetarium can be a grand time of instruction and pleasure wrapped into one event. The Planetarium in Florence offers seasonal showings and you also have the opportunity to view the heavenly sky through their telescope)
27. Natural Bridge (Natural Bridge Park is an all-day event of pleasure. Don’t forget to bring the camera!)
28. Scavenger Hunts (It’s great fun to plan a scavenger hunt for your kids, especially if you have one or two older children who can help in the planning. At a park, in your backyard or at a friend’s house is a wonderful place to plan this activity)
Now we don’t have to wait for the once a year theme-park vacation on steroids. Each week can have a little dash of fun for the whole family. With just a bit of creativity and a little research on entertainment or activities in our area you can begin planning to have family nights all over again!

A Bit of Writing

Audrey threw her head back in frustration and wiped her bangs from her hot forehead. This was the second time the window on her side of the vehicle wouldn’t roll down, somehow jammed, and of course in Samuel’s old car the air-conditioner was in need of repair.
She had tried and failed for her third time in convincing Samuel to drive around Peabody High School, perhaps she would even get a glimpse of the beautiful wooden bridge across Peabody Lake. Samuel threw the “all-important” itinerary in her face every time, declaring that they weren’t in Pittsburgh for a fun romp around town. “We’re on important business, Audrey. Now drop all your dreamy ideas about driving around every place you remembered since you were six,” Samuel would always say in his nasally voice.
They had already spent half the morning in some stuffy old office on the highest floor in the building, and the elevator would have to break right as they walked in the door. Besides, the lawyer who intended to handle their case hadn’t shown much of a friendly attitude towards either of them. He was so stuck-up and reserved.
The car rattled as Samuel drove not so calmly across two pairs of railroad tracks. Audrey tried rolling the window down again and thankfully this time it gave a low mechanical hum and the window slowly slid down. She leaned her head out in the warm air watching the familiar sights and signs pass.
They were supposed to be heading to some expensive restaurant but once Samuel got stuck at a red light the lawyer’s car was nowhere in sight and she was sure Samuel had got himself lost… again.
It was planned on Samuel’s all-too-strict itinerary to meet the lawyer, take him out to lunch, and then head out for an endless round of visits to people who might be called as witnesses. Audrey wondered how Samuel was going to pay for the lawyer’s meal and then that stuffy conservative had to drag his assistant along. It was obvious now that she was going to have to pay Samuel back for her part of the meal once the day was over, which she wondered if it would ever end.
All this about lawyers and cases and witnesses started to make her head pound, and the heat of the day didn’t help any. Samuel’s high-pitched chattering really started to hit a nerve and so for half of the drive up to Pennsylvania she faked a tiresome sleep. She supposed she should be thankful for Samuel in a way, considering that he did get the work done. If it were left up to her she would have visited all her old haunts, checked up on friends, and most likely gone rollerblading at the old rink that served those delicious ice-cream sundaes.
Samuel started unfolding the map again, Audrey hated when he did that. His speed would go from ten to thirty in odd surges while he held a pencil in his mouth, tracing the roads with his finger, barely paying any attention to the road, while mumbling to himself the whole time. Samuel never used that pencil anyway; Audrey began wondering if that was the only way he could think, with a pencil shoved between his lips. They were now driving in a direction where the sun was glaring at them through the windshield, causing Samuel to swerve and jerk at the steering wheel even more ferociously. She had given up trying to help with directions, he wanted everything done right and if he couldn’t swerve while intently staring at the map then she needed to shut up or find herself another ride.
Audrey slumped back down in the cracked-leather seat and allowed the swerving to go on, hoping that it wouldn’t cost them their lives.