Muscle Shoals Food and Music Tour

The Muscle Shoals Food and Music Tour is a four-hour experience that combines the culinary traditions and legendary music heritage of the Shoals region of northwest Alabama. Operated by Tennessee Valley Tourism, the tour departs from the Marriott Shoals Hotel lobby at 10 Hightower Place in Florence, Alabama, on the south bank of the Tennessee River. The Shoals area — spanning the cities of Florence, Tuscumbia, Sheffield, and Muscle Shoals — produced some of the most influential recordings in American popular music during the 1960s and 1970s, and that history runs through every stop on the tour. Three food stops anchor the itinerary. A catfish cabin visit is the centerpiece: fried catfish served with Southern sides such as hush puppies, coleslaw, and beans reflects a food tradition historically tied to the rivers and communities of northwest Alabama, where Tennessee River catfish has been a staple for generations. Additional stops cover soul food staples including cornbread, field peas, and slow-cooked collard greens. Throughout the tour, the guide narrates the cultural connections between the Shoals community, African American culinary traditions, and the musicians who converged on the area to record some of the most celebrated tracks in the American songbook. Between food stops, the route passes the exterior of FAME Recording Studios on Muscle Shoals Highway — where Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, and The Rolling Stones recorded landmark tracks — and continues to the W.C. Handy Museum in Florence, which honors the legacy of the musician and composer known as the father of the blues. The $70 per person price includes all food tastings, guided narration, and the W.C. Handy Museum visit. Interior access to FAME Recording Studios is not included and must be booked separately. Tours are conducted in English and capped at small groups for an intimate experience. Booking is available through Tennessee Valley Tourism at colbertcountytourism.org or by calling +1 256-571-7591.