Things to Do in Irondale

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.

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.

In one corner, kids practice cracking a safe. In another, tiny hands sift through sand to find ancient fossils, with no archaeologists in sight. Toddlers, meanwhile, wander through a surreal dreamscape of 10-foot milk cartons and car-sized paper towel rolls. But these aren’t scenes from a zany summer movie about all the adults disappearing: they're snapshots of the McWane Science Center, whose dozens of fun, interactive exhibits enliven science.

Notable exhibits include a collection of Alabama dinosaur skeletons that help us understand what life was like in the state millions of years ago. An aquarium area boasts a Shark & Ray Touch Tank, delighting visitors with an aquatic petting zoo. Interactive contraptions such as the pulley chair lift—which lets kids learn about simple machines as they hoist themselves aloft—convey abstract concepts with fun activities.

Rhythm N Motion fetes shimmying strut masters and boogying beginners alike with its high-energy adult dance classes, in which you can bust moves in a supportive and fun environment. Burn calories and mold muscles Tuesdays from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. with Burlesque Strip Aerobics, a total-body workout that emphasizes fun, flirtation, and fitness set to old-school jazz music. The class doffs its dapper cap at the tease element of strip keeping students comfortable and fully clothed. The Tuesday evening 6–7 p.m. timeslot ushers in Hip-Hop Fusion, which engages abs and extremities in rhythmic sweat sessions useful for cardio development and stockpiling moves for future DDR-based job interviews. Thursday evening Ballroom 101 classes sate steppers and swayers with a variety of dances, regularly featuring the social swirls and soulful shakes of the tango, hustle, waltz, foxtrot, and wolfgallop performed with or without a partner from 7 to 8 p.m.