A MESSAGE FROM Ron Anders

Welcome to Auburn! Whether you just finished unpacking the moving truck or are here for the weekend, we’re excited you’re here. As you explore the Loveliest Village on the Plains, we hope you get a glimpse of why we’ve been named a best place to live (MONEY Magazine) and one of the South’s best college towns (Southern Living).

It doesn’t take long to see the ties between Auburn University and its hometown. We at the City of Auburn are proud of this close partnership that extends far beyond athletics. It spreads into our economic development efforts, infrastructure improvements and cultural and recreational opportunities.

About 10 minutes from downtown, you’ll find Chewacla State Park with more than 30 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, a 26-acre lake and RV and tent campgrounds. Have a pup in tow? Check out the dog parks and walking trails at Kiesel Park, Town Creek Park and Dinius Park. Bring the kids to the award-winning Town Creek Inclusive Playground, designed and built for all ages and abilities. If nature isn’t your thing, see a Broadway play at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center or admire the collections at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art — both mere minutes from campus. There’s so much to love about our village, and that has brought more and more people to our community. Recent estimates show that Auburn is now home to more than 80,000 residents, yet our small-town charm persists. That close-knit feeling you get when walking downtown or through the streets of our neighborhoods is what many still cherish about our community and a large part of why so many of our residents have chosen to build their lives and raise their families here.

At the core of Auburn, you’ll find our vibrant, beautiful downtown where the lines between town and gown overlap. It’s where we celebrate our victories. It’s where all facets of our community come together for parades and block parties. And it’s where we meet friends and family to shop and dine. Our bustling downtown has so much to offer year-round.

But downtown isn’t Auburn’s only draw. Our city schools are nationally recognized for their excellence, and the business community is thriving and steadily growing. Auburn earns its title as the Loveliest Village on the Plains, and some of the best places to see this manifested are in our beautiful parks.

And as we venture into the future, we’re planning for how we can grow wisely and intentionally while preserving all that we hold dear. We hope that you’ll get involved and join us as we envision what’s to come for our community.

Again, we’re glad you’re here, and we hope you see why Auburn is a great place to visit and an even better place to call home.

Ron Anders, Jr. Mayor, City of Auburn