Location: Sheffield
Top Things to do in Sheffield
What to do and see in Sheffield, United States: The Best Places and Tips
Sheffield is a city in Colbert County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Shoals metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 9,039. Sheffield is the birthplace of "country-soul pioneer" and songwriter Arthur Alexander, French horn player Willie Ruff, notable attorney, actor, former senator and presidential contender Fred Thompson, Watergate committee U.S. Senator Howell Heflin and U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, whose father was working in nearby Athens when he was born. It sometimes is referred to as "the City of Senators" due to the births of Heflin, McConnell and Thompson within its borders. Col. Harland Sanders worked in the Sheffield depot for Southern Railway in the 1900s. It is also home to the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio where many popular 20th century musicians recorded their work, including Alexander and Ruff. It is the site of historic Helen Keller Hospital, formerly known as Colbert County Hospital and originally constructed in 1921. It was changed to Helen Keller Hospital in 1979, and Keller's birthplace Ivy Green is located less than one mile southwest of the hospital in adjacent Tuscumbia.
Restaurants in Sheffield
1. Muscle Shoals Sound Studios
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 105 reviews
Our iconic recording studio opened in 1969 when studio musicians now known as The Swampers - David Hood, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Beckett and Roger Hawkins - left FAME Studio and started their own operation. Fully restored to it's 1969 look thanks to a grant from Beats Electronics, the studio is open for tours and is once again a fully functioning recording studio at night. A wide array of merchandise is also available in store and online with new designs and the classic duds worn by Mick Jagger, Bog Seger, Willie Nelson, Linda Rondstadt, Rod Stewart etc. Tour guides start in the basement where the publishing offices were, proceed to the main studio and end in the gift shop of course! There are numerous Swamper sightings! Group tour rates are available and the studio is open to requests for special events and occasions like weddings and birthday bashes. We are not your typical hands-off museum. We encourage people to play the piano where Old Time Rock and Roll was recorded!
Reviewed By Tom F - Sheffield, Alabama
This small studio is packed with history and many great stories that make the museum/studio come alive. The tour guides are knowledgable and friendly and you never know who you will meet there. All kinds of greats recorded here but my favorites are the Swampers, the founders of the studio. The gift shop has many great gists in a wide variety of price ranges.
2. Ivy Green
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 185 reviews
The birthplace of Helen Keller, this site provides tours and information and includes the historic pump that provided the "miracle" breakthrough.
Reviewed By whitewater4 - Lookout Mountain, Georgia
Fulfilled one of bucket list places to visit. Our tour guide was so informative taking us from Helen's child hood and her struggle with blindness and deafness to the amazing women and accomplishments. I suggest you watch "The Miracle Worker" before your visit to appreciate what Helen accomplished in her life and how Annie Sullivan changed Helen's life. Helen Keller should be an inspiration to all of us.
3. University of North Alabama
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 130 reviews
Reviewed By Donna D - Middleton, MA
Adorable, clean campus complete with a Starbucks and Chick Fillet. Don’t forget to visit Una and Leo, the lions. Beautiful enclosure for them. Friendly, articulate students. Don’t miss the George Lindsey Film Festival in March that shows free films all weekend from emerging film makers!
4. Wilson Lock & Dam
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 32 reviews
Engineering marvel built in 1924 spans 4,541 feet in length at a height of 137 feet.
Reviewed By mwscottoo
Wilson dam and the Muscle Shoals TVA reservation are why the TVA was created in the first place. A coal plant was built in 1918 to help with the war effort producing nitrates for bombs. It also helped with power to build the Wilson Dam. After the war the government did know what to do with the facilities. With the Great Depression it gave the cause for river management which did all types of good things for not just the Tennessee Valley but for the world.
All of these things can be explored on nature trails. It is very peaceful walking next to the river and listening to the birds and looking plants and smelling the flora and fauna. Walking the steps of the old Wilson coal plant is a stark reminder that when we're gone the earth preserves very little of our history. The stone steps will be there for centuries but aside from that not much remains.
The Damn itself is cool, but I like damns and pretty much think all damns are cool. Damns do have environmental impacts but the Tennessee Valley is a place that needed river management to sustain commerce and an economy. In less than one hundred years the valley went from one of the poorest in the world to being an area that has hundreds of rocket engineers. It has factories riddled all across Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. Educational institutions went from novelty to some of the largest colleges and universities in the south. The Wilson damn was a seed of progress, and that seed grew and made the south one of the best places to live.
5. Frank Lloyd Wright's Rosenbaum House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 286 reviews
Reviewed By ALoldsters - Decatur, Alabama
This a small house built in 1940 for a local Alabama family. It is so different from today's living - much simpler, basic, but with a great setting and connection to the outside. There are three bedrooms without room for chests or dressers - the closets and chests are all built-in using the design of the rest of the house.
The kitchen is tiny and so is the dining area, not really a room. the house has large doors to the outside in most of the rooms. They let in lots of light and show great views.
The house is well worth a visit by anyone with even a hint of architectural curiosity or history. You start at the building across the street where you will meet your guide. Ours was excellent.
Highly recommend a visit. Sorry that I waited so many years to see this.
6. Helen Keller Birthplace and outdoor play, The Miracle Worker
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 107 reviews
Reviewed By AvaTennessee1
We went to see The Miracle Worker play. It was really good. However, it was extremely crowded and the bleachers were not easy maneuver. With the late start time, 8:00pm the play was over at 10:15. Too late for families with young children. The yellow jackets and mosquitoes were also an issue. The grounds of Ivy Green and the home tour are great.
7. Old Railroad Bridge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 24 reviews
Reviewed By Kegan36604 - Mobile, AL
A little tricky to find, but once you're there the bridge is a fun way to kill an hour or so. The day we were there a couple was taking engagement photos. That said, it does provide a pretty good backdrop for photographers. Also, it is one pet friendly, plenty of parking
8. Fame Recording Studios
Overall Ratings
4 based on 39 reviews
FAME Music was established in 1959 and has gone on to be the heartbeat of the Muscle Shoals Sound with entities including FAME Publishing, FAME Recording Studios, FAME Records and Muscle Shoals Records. FAME moved to Muscle Shoals in 1961. FAME has worked in the studio with some of the Greatest artists in Rock music history. Artists such as Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Otis Redding, the Osmonds, Jerry Reed, Alabama, Mac Davis, the Gatlin Brothers, Bobbie Gentry and many others. More recently FAME has recorded projects for The Gregg Allman Band, Third Day, Michael McDonald, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Aloe Blacc, Chord Overstreet, Keb Mo, John Paul White, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Matisyahu, Band of Horses, Drive by Truckers, Bettye Lavette, Cyril Neville, the Civil Wars, Anderson East and Jamey Johnson to name a few.
Reviewed By KevStephenson76 - Muscle Shoals, Alabama
This is where history was made. A still operating studio with plenty of memorabilia where all the greats recorded here. You have to take a tour and be sure and watch the Muscle Shoals documentary (rent it or stream online) before you come to really...MoreThank You!
9. Deibert Park
Overall Ratings
5 based on 72 reviews
Reviewed By AvaTennessee1
The grounds are usually very well-kempt and clean. This is a good place to walk, run, or jog, let the kids play, and enjoy the scenic outdoors.
10. Spring Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 86 reviews
A breathtaking centerpiece of Spring Park is a large 51-jet fountain that shoots water more than 150 feet into the air. No admission.
Reviewed By X46RLcindyr - Birmingham, Alabama
We happened on this park by accident! It is a lovely, well maintained park! The water fall is beautiful, and we enjoyed the monuments there. The fountain is really neat. It was nice to see so many folks there using the facility, and that there was a place to grab lunch or have a picnic.
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