This is a little farther from the hotel locations, (approximately 10 miles, 15 minutes). However, the historical value of the home itself is amazing. Also, the story behind Helen's discovery of the world through the creativity and ingenuity of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, is inspiring. ☺

Hours: Monday through Saturday 8:30am- 4:00pm

Last tour starts at 3:45pm

$5 per person

Close to downtown Florence, this museum provides a good background on the Native American heritage of the Shoals area. The Mound is accessible through steps, providing lovely views from the top.

Open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm

Sunday, 1 pm – 4 pm

$5 for adults, $2 for students

For those interested in architecture, this house, built by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1940, is indicative of the rise, and subsequent impracticality, of Wright's "Usonian"-style homes, (although many current houses have been inspired by his design). They were originally intended as low-cost housing for middle-class American families. The tour provides a good history lesson on the Rosenbaum family, Mr. Wright, the house's design, and the landscaping.

Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-4pm. Sunday, 1-4pm.

$10 per adult, $5 per senior or student.

This beautiful public park is a great place to relax and walk by the river, take in the beautiful views, and observe the Singing River Bridge from a distance.

It also offers a playground, fishing piers, boat ramps, picnic shelters with fireplaces, and a floating restaurant and bar.

Wilson Dam, built by the federal government during World I to supply energy to two local explosive nitrate plants, is an example of one of the first hydroelectric power plants in the area.

It was one of the first dams built on the Tennessee River, and was one of the largest public construction projects in the nation--employing some 10,000 workers. For many years, the 90’ lift from Pickwick Lake to Wilson Lake was the largest single lift lock in the world.

Its construction improved the river's navigability, eliminated mosquito ridden diseases, provided energy for regional development, and created numerous recreational activities. TVA, (Tennessee Valley Authority), acquired Wilson Dam in 1933 to continue to produce electricity for the Tennessee Valley, still in use to this day.

The building of this dam contributed to the creation of one of the Shoals' most prominent landmark features today--the wideness and fullness of our beautiful Tennessee river!

The dam reservation site also features a network of hiking and walking trails.

Although you cannot tour the inside of the dam itself, from the overlook, you can read about the dam's history, view the dam's power, and walk on some of the lovely trails.

Right below the Wilson Dam, visit this gorgeous waterfall and park. Complete with a playground, bathrooms, and beautiful views of the river, you can walk a short distance to view the cascading waterfall, and watch the rushing, pure rapids. A perfect place to relax, play, and reflect!

This stone wall was built by a Native American descendant in honor of his great-grandmother and her people's forced removal by Andrew Jackson to the Oklahoma Indian Territory reservation, (Trail of Tears).

Although this is farther from downtown Florence than the other locations, it allows for a scenic drive down the beautiful, historic Natchez Trace Parkway, --used by pioneer settlers, traders, and merchants throughout the 1700s-1800s.

Hours: 8-4 pm. Self-guided tours available.

In Cullman Alabama, on the grounds of the Benedictine Abbey, lies a landscaped, 4-acre park full of miniature reproductions of world religious sites. Built by a monk over a period of 50 years. The miniatures incorporate discarded building supplies, bricks, marbles, tiles, pipes, sea shells, plastic animals, costume jewelry, toilet bowl floats and cold cream jars. Although this site lies an hour and a half away, it is an amazing site to see the creativity and ingenuity that was at work in the hidden, forested hillside.