Things to Do in Auburn, AL on a College Visit

The best things to do in Auburn, AL on a college visit sit within a short walk or drive of Toomer's Corner: the downtown strip, Samford Hall at noon, a free art museum and arboretum, and Chewacla State Park for an afternoon outside. Our private, student-led tours of Auburn start at Ross Square, behind Samford Hall, a 5-minute walk from the corner, so the town is part of the visit.

What is there to do around Toomer's Corner in Auburn?

Around Toomer's Corner in Auburn there are four things to do in one short walk: the corner itself, a Toomer's lemonade, the downtown strip, and Samford Hall across College Street.

Toomer's Corner. The intersection of Magnolia Avenue and College Street, "where the university and the city of Auburn meet," according to Auburn-Opelika Tourism's history of the corner. Fans roll the oaks in toilet paper after big wins, a habit that started with ticker tape in the 1960s. Our guide to Toomer's Corner covers the oaks' history and where to park.
Toomer's Drugs, 100 N College St. On the corner since 1896. The visitor bureau calls its lemonade, "hand-made to order," the store's hallmark. It also sells sandwiches, ice cream and souvenirs.
The downtown strip. Across the street from the corner. Riley, our Auburn Campus Lead, calls it "our whole downtown strip area where all like the social life and like restaurants and boutiques are at."
Samford Hall. About a 4-minute walk from Toomer's Drugs. The building opened in 1888, and its clock tower plays the fight song at noon each day, according to the admissions office's visit guide.

The Wright Street Parking Deck, a block away, charges $1 an hour with a $15 daily cap, per the City of Auburn as of October 2026.

What can we see on the Auburn campus on our own?

On the Auburn campus, a family can see three things on its own for free: the Davis Arboretum, the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, and the area around Neville Arena. Times below are from Toomer's Drugs, by our own map measurement in October 2026.

Donald E. Davis Arboretum, 181 Garden Drive. A 16-acre botanic garden of Alabama and Southeastern plants. The arboretum's page lists it as open every day from sunrise to sunset and free to the public. About a 20-minute walk.
Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, 901 S. College Street. "General admission and all programs are free for everyone," per the museum's visitor page. It sits about 1.4 miles south of the corner, so most families drive the 4 minutes.
Neville Arena and the Sorority Village. Each of Auburn's 18 Panhellenic sororities has a chapter room in Magnolia, Leischuck or Oak Hall beside the arena, with a hall above it that sleeps about 40 members, according to Greek Life. About a 17-minute walk. These are residence halls, so see them from the sidewalk.

The official campus tour adds a guided walk of about 75 minutes on weekdays, after a 30-minute information session, and the admissions office requires registration ahead of time. Our one-day Auburn visit plan shows how to fit it in with a student tour.

Are there outdoor things to do near Auburn, AL?

Yes, there are outdoor things to do near Auburn, AL, and two of the best are under 20 minutes from Toomer's Corner by car, by our routing in October 2026.

Chewacla State Park, 124 Shell Toomer Parkway. 696 acres south of town with a 26-acre lake, a swimming area, and hiking and mountain-biking trails, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., per Alabama State Parks. About 16 minutes by car. Check the park's fee page before you go.
Kiesel Park, 520 Chadwick Lane. A city park west of town whose walking trail loops 2 1/4 miles, per the City of Auburn's parks page. About 17 minutes by car.

Both work as a break between an official tour in the morning and a student tour in the afternoon.

What is Auburn like on a home football weekend?

A home football weekend in Auburn centers on three places: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Tiger Walk on Heisman Drive, and Toomer's Corner.

Two hours before each home game, the team walks from the Athletics Complex on South Donahue Drive down Heisman Drive into the stadium. Auburn-Opelika Tourism calls it Tiger Walk. After a win, fans head to Toomer's Corner to roll the oaks. The bureau says the lemonade line at Toomer's Drugs "runs far beyond the doors of the drugstore" on game days.

Plan the parking. The Wright Street Parking Deck charges a flat $40 on home football Saturdays, per the City of Auburn, as of October 2026.

The last two home games of 2026 at Jordan-Hare are November 7 against Arkansas and November 21 against Samford, per the athletics schedule. Pick one of those weekends to see the town at full volume. Pick a weekend with no home game for a calmer visit and $1-an-hour parking.

What does a current Auburn student show visiting families?

A current Auburn student shows visiting families the parts of town a campus tour leaves out: where students rent, Greek life, and the downtown blocks. These are the stops Riley described to us in October 2026.

Where upperclassmen live. Keep walking past the library or toward the business buildings, she says, and "you'll see some off campus" housing.
Old Row and New Row. Fraternity houses on Old Row sit close to campus. "One's right by the library and one's right across," Riley says. New Row is "further out where you have to drive." Our guide to Auburn sororities and rush covers the dates and costs.
Greek life for a student who wants to rush. If a family tells her that, she makes sure to stop by a house or a chapter room "so they kind of see what it looks like."
The questions parents ask. Families ask her about the bar scene, whether it is safe, and which areas she would not recommend living in.

Riley says the town is "big but small," so campus and the town both fit in one walk. A private tour of Auburn is $150 for your family, 60 to 90 minutes, seven days a week, with a current student. TourCollegeTowns is independent and not affiliated with Auburn University.

Frequently asked questions

Is the art museum in Auburn free?

Yes, the art museum in Auburn is free. The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, at 901 S. College Street, says "General admission and all programs are free for everyone." It is about a 4-minute drive south of Toomer's Corner, by our routing in October 2026. Check the museum's site for hours on the day you visit.

How far is Chewacla State Park from downtown Auburn?

Chewacla State Park is about 5.8 miles from downtown Auburn, roughly 16 minutes by car from Toomer's Corner, by our routing in October 2026. The park, at 124 Shell Toomer Parkway, covers 696 acres with a lake, a swimming area and trails, and Alabama State Parks lists its hours as 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Does Samford Hall play the fight song every day?

Yes, Samford Hall plays the fight song every day at noon, according to the Auburn admissions office's visit guide. The clock tower was finished in 1889, per Auburn-Opelika Tourism. Samford Hall is about a 4-minute walk from Toomer's Drugs, so time a stop downtown around noon.

Can you walk between downtown Auburn and campus?

Yes, you can walk between downtown Auburn and campus. From Toomer's Drugs, Samford Hall is about 4 minutes on foot, the Ralph Brown Draughon Library about 9 minutes, and the Stadium Parking Deck by Jordan-Hare about 18 minutes, by our map measurement in October 2026. Wear comfortable shoes for a full day.