Things to Do in Gadsden

Under the shadowy cover of nightfall, and by the flickering glow of a lantern, the Birmingham Ghost Walk weaves gaggles of ghost seekers through the city's spirit-populated historical sites. Tour leader Wolfgang Poe leads each march through time, beginning with a group-bonding ritual that tunes minds into the vibrations of Wolfgang's spirit guides. Winding toward the Alabama and Lyric Theaters, walks stop to discuss brothels, taverns, and townhouses long since gone, but not vacated by their former inhabitants. As the moon slinks behind clouds and shadows move into the shapes of embarrassing childhood nicknames, tour-takers shake off spine-tingling chills to finish the adventure at the Tutwiler Hotel. Cameras are allowed and, due to its dark themes and subject matter, the Ghost Walk gives itself a PG-13 rating.

In two theaters, Sapphire Motion Pictures projects current movies from booths equipped with 3-D image and digital sound technology. As new pictures emerge from Hollywood, Sapphire casts a line to snag the films and project them inside state-of-the-art theaters. Each theater also sells snacks from the concession booth to complement the movie-watching experience and feed the giant humans that act out scenes inside the screen.

Sprawling across an indoor arena, Pump It Up's giant inflatables beckon kids to slide and bounce during private parties and open play. Technicolor bouncy castles send their inhabitants soaring, obstacle courses foster good-spirited competition, and ceiling-to-floor slides let sock-clad kiddies pretend they're escaping a giant gumball machine. Occasionally, Pump it Up's staff dims the lights and turns up the music to transform their facility into a glow-in-the-dark party catered to tweens and teens. The play center specialists also hosts interactive adventures such as Pirate Quest, which lets little ones don eye patches and debate which hedge fund they should use to invest their treasure.

Pump It Up's staff supervises the arena, giving parents time to relax and play patty cake uninterrupted. They can also help customers design personalized parties inside a private room with options such as goodie bags, ice cream, and pizza.:m]]

At Vestavia Bowl Family Fun Center, kids are encouraged to knock things over. The staff strives to spread a passion for bowling through various youth incentives, from organized leagues to the Kids Bowl Free promotion—a system that awards children complimentary games to take up summer free time. The staff even lends out kits to area P.E. teachers as part of the In-School Bowling Program, furnishing classes with balls, pins, carpeted lanes, and lengthy lesson plans on how to find the ball's finger holes.

By tutoring youngsters in bowling techniques, the center hopes to instill the same fondness for the sport held by its managerial team. Certified bowling coach Keith Henderson heads the pack of competitive players—many of whom boast sanctioned 300 games on their records—and oversees 34 lanes equipped with computers and overhead scoring monitors. For an ethereal gaming environment, black lights illuminate the lanes during select hours and birthday parties. Guests can also test their dexterity at pool tables and arcade games. Meanwhile, the snack bar preps burgers, hot dogs, and wings to pair with draft beers; patrons can even take advantage of Eat & Bowl specials, which offer a combo meal and two games for one price.

Inside their blue-walled studio, staffers at Do It Yourself Crafts help visitors wield glass, tie-dye, silver clay, and pottery paints to create colorful, one-of-a-kind artwork. Glass-fusion classes teach patrons the skills they need to meld glass shards into funky tiles, and parties bring friends together to bond while they work on various art projects; patrons 21 or older can tote along libations to fuel the festivities. During pottery-painting sessions, patrons select a piece of raw ceramic bisque to adorn with provided pigments, choosing from forms such as plates, mugs, and plaques.

Spanning 4,000 square feet, the climbing surfaces at First Avenue Rocks mimic the natural textures of the abundant local sandstone boulder terrain. One hundred varied climbing routes up to 17 feet high greet climbers who choose to ascend by bouldering without ropes on angled walls and roofs dotted with challenging foot-and handholds or on the facility’s ropes courses. For safety, the facility positions its vertical terrain above the floor’s 10-inch-deep Asana pads for safe landings in the event of missed holds or misguided urges to fly. Instructors are available to prep students of all ages and ability levels to tackle the gym's terrain, teaching three stages of introductory climbing courses and two advanced lead-climbing courses. When not on the rocks, guests can hone muscle cooperation through onsite fitness programs in weight training, yoga, CrossFit, and climbing-specific training. Outdoor excursions are also available with the gym's guides, certified by the American Mountain Guides Association, in top rope, sport climbing, and bouldering.