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Things to Do in Centreville, AL, Bibb County’s River Town

The Cahaba River at the Riverwalk and canoe launch in downtown Centreville, Alabama

By Julie Holdsambeck, Associate Broker, eXp Realty, Central Alabama. Updated October 29, 2026.

Centreville, Alabama is the county seat of Bibb County, and is a river town of about 2,800 people on the Cahaba River in the center of the state (ATLAS Alabama). Among the best things to do in Centreville are paddling or tubing the Cahaba from downtown and camping at Cahaba River Historical Park. Also fun are walking the historic courthouse square, and catching the fireworks at Celebration on the Green the week after the Fourth of July.

Centreville at a glance

  • Where: Bibb County, Central Alabama, ZIP 35042, on the west bank of the Cahaba River
  • Role: Bibb County seat, incorporated January 21, 1832 (Encyclopedia of Alabama)
  • Population: about 2,800 (ATLAS Alabama)
  • Historic district: on the National Register of Historic Places since October 19, 1978 (National Park Service)
  • Downtown program: fully designated Main Street Alabama city since June 2023 (Main Street Alabama)
  • Bragging rights: Alabama’s hottest recorded temperature, 112°F, in September 1925 (WTVY)
  • Typical home value, Bibb County: $220,064 as of June 30, 2026 (Zillow)
  • Best months to visit: May through September for river floats, May for the Cahaba lilies, July for fireworks, December for Christmas on the Square

Why is Centreville on the Cahaba River?

Centreville is on the river because of a waterfall. The town grew up at a spot once called Falls of the Cahaba, and Sarah F. Chotard named it after she received a federal land grant there in 1823 (Encyclopedia of Alabama). The falls made it a key stop for travel through the region, and the first post office in Bibb County opened here in 1821 (University of Alabama Libraries).

The railroad changed everything in 1898. Well, the railroad and a fire. The Mobile and Ohio line came through that year and stores and hotels went up fast. Then in 1903 a fire burned many of the wooden businesses, and the town rebuilt them in brick (Encyclopedia of Alabama). That brick is a big reason downtown looks the way it does today.

Getting around is simple. U.S. 82 and State Routes 6, 25 and 219 all pass through town, and Bibb County Airport sits east of Centreville on U.S. 82 (same source). The Bibb County Chamber of Commerce notes that Birmingham’s airport is within 75 miles.

What can you do on the Cahaba River in Centreville?

You can paddle, tube, fish and camp on the Cahaba without leaving town. The Cahaba is the longest free-flowing river in Alabama, and the World Wildlife Fund and The Nature Conservancy have named it one of only eight biodiversity hotspots in the world (Alabama Scenic River Trail).

Start at the Cahaba Riverwalk and Canoe Launch in downtown Centreville. From there, the Alabama Scenic River Trail maps out a 12.6-mile paddle downstream (same source). Not a paddler? Adventure Shoals is the local outfitter, open May through September for tubing floats (same source), and WVUA 23 reports it draws people from all over the state who might never have found Centreville otherwise. If you want a feel for a day on this water, I wrote about it in Cruisin’ the Cahaba.

Would you rather keep your feet dry? Cahaba River Historical Park is run by the city and has picnic areas, primitive camping, RV spots, a boat ramp, trails and a meeting space (ATLAS Alabama).

One teacher note before you go. The Cahaba rises fast after heavy rain, and city leaders have warned kayakers and canoers to stay off when it runs high and swift (WBRC). Call your outfitter and ask about the water level before you put in.

What is there to see on the Centreville courthouse square?

The Centreville Historic District is the heart of downtown, and it’s on the National Register of Historic Places. The original 1977 nomination counts 26 structures built around the 1902 Bibb County Courthouse and Court Square (National Park Service).

Take a slow lap and look up. You’ll see late Victorian buildings and Revival-style storefronts from the late 1800s and early 1900s (Encyclopedia of Alabama). The Davidson-Smitherman House, built around 1825, is on the National Register too. Look for the memorial marker on the square for Ross Franklin Gray, a Medal of Honor recipient who graduated from Centreville High School, and know that the poet Minnie Bruce Pratt grew up here (same source).

Downtown has momentum right now. Centreville Main Street is working with the city and the Bibb County Commission to fix up buildings while keeping the historic character (WVUA 23).

And here’s one for your next trivia night. Alabama’s all-time high temperature, 112°F, was recorded in Centreville in September 1925, on a day Tuscaloosa hit 105°F (WTVY). So when I tell you to float the river in July, I mean it.

What events happen in Centreville every year?

Centreville’s big annual events are Celebration on the Green in July, the Cahaba River Crawl and Christmas on the Square, with the Cahaba Lily Festival a short drive away in May.

  • Celebration on the Green, the week after the Fourth of July, with fireworks, vendors and music. The Brent-Centreville Public Library helps put it on (WVUA 23). Past years have added food trucks, a car show, a children’s parade and a 5K (University of Alabama).
  • Cahaba River Crawl, a downtown event from Centreville Main Street with river float packages through Adventure Shoals (WVUA 23).
  • Christmas on the Square, every December (Encyclopedia of Alabama).
  • Cahaba Lily Festival, each May in nearby West Blocton. It’s free, it’s held at the Cahaba Lily Center at 1012 Main Street (WVUA 23), and the canoe trips let you see the lilies blooming right in the river (Encyclopedia of Alabama).

Dates move from year to year, so check with the organizers before you load up the car. If you’d rather get out on foot, I’ve written about running in Brent, right across the river.

Where do people in Centreville eat, read and run errands?

Most everyday stops in Centreville are on or near Walnut Street and the courthouse square: a downtown cafe, the public library, the Chamber of Commerce and the hospital. The Alabama Scenic River Trail points paddlers to The City Cafe downtown for a meal once they’re off the water (Alabama Scenic River Trail).

The Brent-Centreville Public Library at 153 Walnut Street offers computers, notary service and meeting space. When WVUA 23 visited, it was open Monday through Thursday from 9 to 5 and Friday from 9 to 1 (WVUA 23), so call ahead if you’re driving in. The Bibb County Chamber of Commerce works out of the historic Centreville Depot (Business Alabama).

For health care, Bibb Medical Center at 208 Pierson Avenue lists emergency services and an urgent care center (Alabama Hospital Association). Most specialty care means a drive to Tuscaloosa or Birmingham. Public schools are run by the Bibb County School District.

What do homes cost around Centreville?

The typical home value in Bibb County was $220,064 as of June 30, 2026, up 0.2% from a year earlier, according to Zillow.

If I were explaining that number to my old math class, I’d start with what it measures. Zillow’s figure estimates what a typical home in the whole county is worth, including the homes that didn’t sell this year. That makes it steadier than a monthly sale price. In a county where only a handful of homes close each month, one big sale or one small one can swing the monthly median by tens of thousands of dollars. A 0.2% change on $220,064 works out to about $440. In plain terms, Bibb County values held flat over the past year.

Julie’s take

I was featured on Fox News for Centreville’s growing retirement community, so people ask me about this town a lot. My advice never changes. Don’t decide from a listing photo. Come on a Saturday, float a stretch of the Cahaba if the water’s right, eat downtown and walk the square at your own pace. Then time the drive to your doctor, your family and the places you go every week, one by one. If the whole day feels like your speed, Centreville might be your place. If the drives wear you out, you want to know that before you sign anything, okay? And if you’re still deciding whether a move makes sense at all, start with my 6 signs it’s time to downsize in Central Alabama.

Frequently asked questions about Centreville, AL

What is Centreville, Alabama known for?

Centreville is known as the Bibb County seat and a river town on the Cahaba River. It has a downtown historic district on the National Register of Historic Places, built around the 1902 Bibb County Courthouse. It also holds Alabama’s record high temperature of 112°F, set in September 1925.

Can you kayak or tube the Cahaba River in Centreville?

Yes. Paddlers put in at the Cahaba Riverwalk and Canoe Launch in downtown Centreville, and Adventure Shoals runs tubing floats from May through September. Always check the water level first, because the Cahaba gets high and swift after heavy rain.

Is there camping in Centreville, AL?

Yes. Cahaba River Historical Park is run by the City of Centreville and offers primitive camping and RV accommodations, plus picnic areas, a boat ramp, trails and meeting space.

When is the best time to visit Centreville, AL?

May through September is the best time for river floats, since that’s when Adventure Shoals runs tubing trips. Come in May to see the Cahaba lilies near West Blocton, in July for the Celebration on the Green fireworks, or in December for Christmas on the Square.

What is the population of Centreville, AL?

Centreville has about 2,800 residents, according to the State of Alabama’s ATLAS municipal profile. Bibb County as a whole had 22,293 people at the 2020 Census.

How much do homes cost near Centreville, AL?

Zillow put the typical home value in Bibb County at $220,064 as of June 30, 2026, up 0.2% over the year. Monthly sale prices in Bibb County swing more because so few homes sell each month, so a local agent can give you a closer read on a specific street.

Thinking about Centreville?

Thinking about your next move in Central Alabama? Call or text Julie at 205-928-9376, or start the conversation at yourcentralalabama.com. No pressure to sell. We start by figuring out what makes sense for you.

Sources

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