Set on the rolling upper coastal plains of southeast Alabama near the Georgia border, the college town of Auburn is steeped in tradition, mostly centered around Auburn University's football program.
Auburn football has been in the news a lot lately, from winning a national championship to the deliberate poisoning of its famed oak trees at Toomer's Corner that have blossomed in three different centuries, but whose fate is now tenuous. Living up to its unofficial nickname "The Loveliest Village on the Plains," Auburn is worth a visit in fall, whether you're a fan of the team or not, to revel in the glory and sheer intensity that is college football in the Deep South.
Don't-miss traditions
In December 2001, as Americans were looking for a pick-me-up following 9/11, Esquire magazine published a piece by New England-based writer Charles P. Pierce titled "162 Reasons It's Good to Be an American Man." Occupying the No. 1 slot on the list was the lemonade at Toomer's Corner in downtown Auburn. The celebrated fresh-squeezed lemonade can be found inside Toomer's Drugs, in business since 1896. The drugstore contains an old-fashioned soda fountain that also serves shakes, malts, hot dogs and sandwiches. It is a go-to spot for tourists, fans and locals, not only on game days, but any time of year.
Across from the drugstore are the 130-year-old oak trees that are the centerpiece of another long-standing Auburn tradition, the rolling of Toomer's Corner with toilet paper after a victory. The intersection of College and Magnolia shuts down after an Auburn win so fans can roll the trees with enough toilet paper to make the area look like it has been hit by a snow storm.
This tradition began as a way for students in town to celebrate a road victory, but evolved into celebrating any Auburn victory. The old-growth trees were poisoned earlier this year, allegedly by someone claiming to be a University of Alabama fan, Auburn's rival. It was one of the more bizarre news stories to come out of Alabama in years, and it underscored the almost religious fervor for college football many have in the Heart of Dixie.
Horticulture, forestry and soil experts were called in to save the trees, but they won't know for sure if the oaks will survive until next spring. The experts have given the university a green light for the rolling of the trees this fall, with the stipulation that the toilet paper must be cleared by hand rather than by the high pressure hoses that have been used in the past. This season may be the last to see this storied college football tradition, as the trees might not be there next fall.
Be sure and make it to the stadium early on game day to witness another tradition during the pre-game festivities: the flight of the War Eagle. Although Auburn's official mascot is the tiger, no one can be faulted for thinking it's an eagle, based on the team's battle cry of "War Eagle!" Different stories exist on the origin of the battle cry, but the most commonly accepted tale is from the first Auburn/UGA game in 1892, which, interestingly enough, was played in Atlanta's Piedmont Park.
A Civil War veteran was at that game with a pet eagle that he had found injured on the battlefield during the war and nursed back to health. As the tale goes, the eagle broke loose during the game and flew around the field just as Auburn was driving for a touchdown. The students, who already knew about the man and his eagle, began chanting "War Eagle!" Although there's no verifiable proof the incident actually occurred, Auburn celebrates its spirit before each home game when trainers release an eagle from the top of Jordan-Hare stadium.
The eagle circles over the heads of the crowd until it lands at midfield where a handler awaits with a treat. The spectacle of a loose raptor soaring above thrills even fans of opposing teams in the stands.
For tailgaters, the place to see and be seen before heading to the game is along a quarter-mile stretch of Donahue Drive, running from the players dorm to Jordan-Hare stadium known as Tiger Walk. Thousands of Auburn fans converge around a narrow sliver of cordoned-off asphalt as the players and coaches march single file to the stadium, cheered on by the faithful. If you're sporting another team's colors, it's still worth showing up, if only for the people-watching factor.
Non-football related attractions
Auburn's twin city of Opelika is home to some of the nation's best public golf courses at Grand National, according to both Golf Digest and Golf World magazines. Grand National is part of Alabama's touted Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and has two championship 18-hole courses, as well as an 18-hole short course. The gently rolling fairways hugging a scenic lake shore make a good setting for golfers.
If golf isn't your thing, Opelika is still worth a visit for its historic downtown area containing independent shops and restaurants, and a less hectic vibe away from the college-age crowd.
For arts, culture and serenity, visit Auburn's Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Along with its permanent collection focusing on 19th and 20th century American and European art, the museum's 15-acre grounds contain botanical and sculpture gardens, walking paths and a lake with a cafe terrace.
If you go
Auburn is 110 miles southwest of Atlanta on I-85.
Stay
The Hotel at Auburn University. A large, modern and luxurious property across the street from the historic part of campus and within easy walking distance to the stadium and Toomer's Corner. Rates start at $139. 241 S. College St., Auburn. 334-821-8200, www.auhcc.com.
Rooms are hard to come by on game weekends, because hotels book far in advance and don't post available rooms on the traditional travel booking websites for these dates. The Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau manually inventories available rooms during football season and posts them as a download on its website (check wwww.aotourism.com/Football/). If you have an RV you can join the tailgating circus by parking in the designated fields and parking lots around campus.
Eat
Amsterdam Cafe. Family-run, farm-to-table restaurant one block from campus serving locally sourced gourmet fare in a casual bistro setting. Lunch entrees start at $8, dinner entrees at $17. 410 S. Gay St., Auburn. 334-826-8181, www.amsterdamcafeauburn.com.
Jimmy's. Cajun and creole inspired cuisine in a chef-owned restaurant in the historic section of downtown Opelika. Lunch plates start at $7.95, dinner entrees at $16.95. 104 S. Eighth St., Opelika. 334-745-2155, www.jimmysopelika.com.
Visitor info
Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau. 714 E. Glenn Ave., Auburn. 334-887-8747, www.aotourism.com.
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