Amy's Podcast

If you’ve ever driven between Auburn and Lake Martin and wondered what’s tucked along Highway 280, the answer is Waverly, Alabama. It’s the kind of place you could blink and miss, but if you stop, you’ll find live music, incredible food, curated shops, and a community that’s been rooted there for generations.

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If you’ve ever driven between Auburn and Lake Martin and wondered what’s tucked along Highway 280, the answer is Waverly, Alabama. It’s the kind of place you could blink and miss, but if you stop, you’ll find live music, incredible food, curated shops, and a community that’s been rooted there for generations.


Waverly, Alabama on Highway 280

Right between Auburn and Lake Martin sits the cutest little town called Waverly, Alabama. It’s small. It’s easy to miss. But what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in personality.

There are so many people that would live in Waverly, but it is very hard to find property for sale there. Those families have lived there for generations and generations and generations. If you close your eyes, you’re going to miss it.


280 Boogie at Standard Deluxe

One of the biggest things happening in Waverly every year is 280 Boogie. It happens twice a year — once in the spring and once in the fall — and the spring one is the best.

This music festival has been going strong for well over 20 years. It’s a full-day event that stretches into the night with live music, food vendors, arts and crafts, wine, and the entire community showing up.

The venue, Standard Deluxe, is what makes it unforgettable. It feels like going back in time. The property has multiple spaces, the bar is adorable, and the atmosphere is relaxed, Southern, and full of character.

And a fun story — Amy was hiking in the middle of nowhere in Montana wearing her Waverly t-shirt when someone passed her on the trail wearing the exact same one. That’s how small the world is.


Wildflower Bakery

Another favorite in Waverly is Wildflower Bakery. They’re fantastic with sourdough and all kinds of baked goods, and their savory items are just as good.

It’s a fun little place to grab a pastry or a coffee in the morning. They open early and are closed on Sundays.


Fig and Wasp

Another fan favorite in Waverly is Fig and Wasp. It’s a cute little shop with a very curated feel.

You’ll find interesting antiques, unique décor pieces, and little treasures you can pick up for your home. It’s thoughtful, not cluttered — the kind of store that feels intentional the moment you walk in.


The Waverly Local

One of the best restaurants in our area is The Waverly Local, and it’s right in Waverly. It’s a beautiful little restaurant, and when the weather is nice you can eat outside on the patio.

They also have a fantastic bar area, and it even serves as a charming venue for small weddings or receptions. It’s one of those places that makes you proud to bring people from out of town.


Waverly may be small, but it’s packed with life. Between Auburn and Lake Martin, it’s more than just a dot on Highway 280. It’s music, food, community, and history — all wrapped into one unforgettable stop.

Read the Transcript

All about Waverly, Alabama– Episode 5

Welcome to episode 5 of Tumors to Lake Martin with Amy B. Cotton.

All right, I’m on the drive from Auburn to the lake. It’s approximately 2:20 in the afternoon. I have to be back by 4:30 for a meeting. I’m going up just to drop something off with somebody and then heading back to Auburn. That’s how fast the commute is. I’ll let you guys know what time I get back.

So that’s not what I want to talk about today. Today I wanted to talk about what is in between Auburn and Lake Martin. And on 280, there’s just the cutest little town called Waverly, Alabama. That’s what’s in between.

And what goes on in Waverly, Alabama? There’s a lot of things that go on in Waverly, Alabama. First of all, the 280 Boogie goes on in Waverly, Alabama. There’s twice a year. There’s one in the fall and one in the spring. The spring one is the best. They’ve been doing that for years. I would like to say, gosh, well over 20 years that they’ve been doing that.

What is it? It’s a musical festival. It happens in April. It’s a massive ordeal. It’s so great, you guys. What do I want to use? What is the word I want to use for this? The venue. Let’s start off with the venue.

The venue is adorable. It’s like going back in time. It is so well done. I love it. Yes, they have the cutest little bar in there. They have several different venues on the property, but the standard deluxe is what that’s called. It’s called standard deluxe, and that is where 280 Boogie is held at the standard deluxe in Waverly, Alabama. So highly recommend that.

The spring one is coming up. I forget the day. I just saw it. Probably the middle of April, and then they usually have one in September or October as well called the fall boogie. But it is a lot of fun, and it is something that the whole community enjoys. Lots to go to. And there’s some arts and craft vendors there. There’s plenty of food. They’re holding wine yards. They make standard deluxe has the best t-shirts as well. Actually, I have one on right now.

Fun story, they have hats too. All kinds of southern, good old t-shirts and hats. Highly recommend. But funny story, I was on a hike in the middle of nowhere, Montana. I kid you not. It was like a waterfall hike. I have on my Waverly t-shirt, Waverly, Alabama t-shirt. And another person who passed me on the trail, there was not that many people on the trail. They had on a Waverly t-shirt as well. That’s what a small, how small the world is. That’s crazy.

And she says, where are you from? I said, I live in Auburn. She’s, well, I live in North Carolina, but I went to Auburn, uh, to school in Auburn, and we go back and have a house at Lake Martin. I was like, wow, in the middle of nowhere Montana, that happened.

So highly recommend a visit to, um, to, uh, Waverly to just go to the boogie. It’s on a Saturday. It lasts all day long and into the night.

The other thing that goes on in Waverly, it’s a couple of different things. There’s wildflower bakery. It is fantastic. They are great with sourdough, any kind of baked baked goods. Also, I love their like savory items as well. Um, great coffee. It’s just a fun little place to go and pick up a pastry in the morning or a coffee. And I don’t know what time they close. I don’t know. But they are open probably at 7 in the morning. Um, they are closed on Sundays, though. I do know that.

So another little fan favorite is uh Pig and Wasp, which is a cute little store. It’s got, uh, it’s kind of hard to describe. It’s got very curated. That’s how I would describe it. A lot of different things, a lot of really cool antiques, a lot of great drugs, a lot of little things that you can just pick up and use for decor items.

And I’m trying to think of, oh, the Waverly Local, the local. One of the best restaurants in our area is, that’s where the home of the Waverly Local is. And I highly recommend that beautiful, beautiful little restaurant. You can actually eat outside when the weather is great on their little patio. They have a little bar area that is absolutely fantastic. It’s also a great place for like a little wedding venue, a little bit wedding reception there. I’ve been to one. That’s why I can say it’s cute. And that’s at the Waverly Local. And their little outdoor bar is right beside that.

So there’s a lot going on in this cutest little town. There are so many people that would live in Waverly, but it is very hard to find property for sale in Waverly. Those people have lived there for generations and generations and generations. If you close your eyes, you’re gonna miss it. So it is a non-miss event. Waverly, Alabama, located between Lake Martin and Auburn.

On that note, peace out and remember, home is the nicest word there is.

“Waverly may be small, but it’s packed with life.”

- Amy Barton Cotney

Keep Listening

Episode 4: Auburn and Lake Martin Real Estate

Episode 4: Auburn and Lake Martin Real Estate

What does a real day in the life of a real estate agent actually look like? From 5 a.m. emails to hot yoga at 93 degrees, inspections, negotiations, and weekend showings in Auburn and Lake Martin, here’s what Amy’s Monday really looked like.

Amy Barton Cotney

I live here. I work here. And I’d love to help you feel at home here too.