Southern Byways

Okay, so I’m a bad planner. I really didn’t think everything would be closed in downtown Northport on a Sunday afternoon, especially a Sunday afternoon after a home football game. By alas, it was. Oh well, I still had a good time walking around and taking photos.

Downtown Northport is a must-do for any visitor in the area, and it’s even more fun when the shops and galleries are open. Trust me on this one.

A couple of things to be aware of when you are here:

• Some of the businesses, such as Northport Old Fashion 5 & 10, have been around for quite a while, and still are operated by the founder’s families. 

• Eat at The Globe. For lunch, may I recommend either The Globe Grilled Cheese or The Much Ado, a club sandwich. There are also appetizers, salads and entrees on the menu to choose from as well. For dinner, you can’t go wrong with starting the evening with either crawfish spring rolls or blue crab cakes, or both. For your entree, consider The Winter’s Lamb or The Othello Tale, beef medallions. And do you see a pattern here? A Shakespearean pattern, perhaps?

• In an earlier post, I made a passing reference to The Kentuck Festival. It takes place at the park, which is about a half mile west of downtown. Now, if you can’t wait that long to see (and purchase) some art, visit the Kentuck Arts & Crafts Center, which is home to seven artists’ studios.  

This is just a sample of what this quaint area has to offer. So, the next time you are in Tuscaloosa, make your way over the bridge to downtown Northport. You never know what you might discover.

Photo credits: Personal Photos

Apryl Chapman Thomas