This Tiny Alabama Town With Only 180 Residents Has No Stoplight But Plenty Of Reasons To Visit

With a population of approximately 180 residents (and not a single streetlight downtown), Waverly, Alabama, isn’t a small town; it’s a tiny one. But what this hamlet hidden between Auburn and Lake Martin lacks in size, it makes up for with massive amounts of throwback charm. While there’s not a lot to see and do, every bit of it is worth experiencing, so pick a pretty day and wander over to Waverly for a few hours of chatting with friendly folks, digging into good food, and scouring shelves for cool finds. 

Where To Eat

Eat Like A Local At Waverly Local

Since 2017, when it started serving good eats from a 100-plus-year-old space that once housed a tractor dealership, Waverly Local has drawn folks from all over Alabama for its elevated takes on Southern comfort food, with most of its menu built on locally sourced ingredients (hence its name). Hungry folks hang out in the courtyard and tuck into cumin-spiced Alabama pecans, tangy bacon-wrapped pickled okra (from Alabama’s Wickles Pickles), and juicy roasted pork with silky stewed collard greens and mashed potatoes. 

thewaverlylocal.com, 1465 Patrick St., Waverly, AL 36879

Get A Bakery Buzz At Wild Flour Bakery

Get your sugar high and caffeine fix at Wild Flour Bakery in the center of downtown. Occupying an old cotton warehouse, this sweet spot owned by baker Sarah Jones and her husband Howard came to Waverly in 2023 but moved into its new digs this fall. The offerings at the confection and coffee shop change with the seasons but often include Basque-style cheesecake, the Deluxe Dog (Alabama-made Conecuh sausage, ham, and cheese smothered in smoked-onion jam and spicy mustard wrapped in flaky pastry), assorted hot sandwiches on fresh sourdough, and rich chocolate gateaux. Jones notes the dual personality of the space. “It’s an elegant French vibe but comfy too and with nods to local history thanks to big photos of old Waverly throughout,” she says. 

facebook.com/wildflour.microbakery, 1015 Mayberry Ave., Waverly, AL 36879

Wine Away Some Time At Waverly Priper

An exciting addition to Waverly’s offerings opens in early October. Right across from Waverly Local, a new wine bar, Waverly Proper, offers vino-tastings and rotating pop-up events on weekends as well as yoga classes and other community gatherings during the week in the town’s old general store.

What To Do

Hunt For Treasure At Fig & Wasp

An antique-hunting hobby led to Fig & Wasp, a combo antique and home décor store fronting downtown’s main street and opened by Meredith Frye and her mom Tammy “Scout” Nance in 2020. Today, the spot features a carefully curated selection of English and French antique furnishings, imported Turkish rugs, pillows handsewn from European fabrics, and thoughtful gifts. Every item is hand-picked. “Mom and I are really intentional about what we choose for the store,” Frye says. Walls and shelves show off the duo’s own creativity too: Don’t miss Frye’s paintings and Nance’s warm white “farmhouse style” pottery.

figandwasp.com, 1500 Patrick St., Waverly, AL 36879

Slow Down To Step Back In Time At Era

Across the street, a vintage lover’s dream awaits at Era, a flea market/antique store/archive of nostalgia. Throwback lamps and frames, groovy jackets and bold, colorful costume jewelry mix with retro home décor, kitschy, pop-culture glassware, and more, creating a space Forest Gump would deem “a box of chocolates.” And since you never know what you’re going to find, take the time to slow down and dig.

instagram.com/erawaverly, 1473 Patrick St,. Waverly, AL 36879

Get Down At The Boogie

In 2001, a new four-lane Highway 280 bypassed Waverly, replacing the original 280 that ran straight through downtown. Instead of complaining about folks now driving around them, residents were so happy, they celebrated and appropriately called their party the Old 280 Boogie. Now an annual outdoor music and arts festival, the Boogie energizes Waverly every April, bringing bands spanning Southern rock, Americana, bluegrass, and indie rock to play on the grounds of Standard Deluxe, a live music venue but also a design and silkscreen print shop that produces sought-after T-shirts (emblazoned with fun, funky designs) and hand-printed posters. The event is recognized as one of the top music festivals in the South, but Standard Deluxe is grooving all year long with a calendar full of concerts. 

standarddeluxe.com, 1015 Mayberry Ave,. Waverly, AL 36879

Where To Stay

Check Into The Waverly Railroad House

If you fall under Waverly’s charming spell and choose to stay a night or two, check into the Waverly Railroad House, a cozy two-bedroom, one-bath rental. The recently renovated 1882 cottage once housed railroad workers and is within walking distance of downtown.

facebook.com/Waverlyalabamarental, 1330 Patrick Street, Waverly, AL, 36879