Welcome to the bigroads.com travel guide to Alabama! Hopefully this page helps provide some inspiration and tips to help you plan your next trip to Alabama.
Take note that I build and maintain this website as both a hobby and public service. I take joy in performing travel research and sharing my experiences and adventures. I currently do not make a profit from this website, and you will see no invasive or annoying ads on it. Your constructive feedback about this site and its content is encouraged. Please email me if you have any suggestions or ideas for improvement.
|
Alabama is famous for its Gulf Coast beaches, Civil Rights museums and historical sites, and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Beyond those attractions, the state offers many doses of natural beauty, especially in northern Alabama where you'll find several scenic rivers and nature preserves. Alabama also has the Talladega Superspeedway and the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, arguably the best motorcycle museum in the country.
|
TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS IN ALABAMA
|
Are you short on time or struggling to choose something to do or see in Alabama? Here are my selections for the top 10 attractions or experiences in Alabama, in no particular order:
✮ Visit some of the top waterfalls in the Southeast, including Noccalula Falls in Gardsden and DeSoto Falls in Fort Payne
✮ Explore the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, one of the finest space museums in the country
✮ Cycle the Chief Ladiga Trail, a wonderful 33-mile paved rail trail that also connects to the 61.5-mile paved Silver Comet Trail in Georgia
✮ Attend a racing event at the Talladega Superspeedway
✮ Catch a concert at the outdoor Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
✮ Enjoy some of Alabama's Gulf of Mexico beaches, such as those found at Gulf Shores or Orange Beach
✮ Learn about the Civil Rights movement at the excellent Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
✮ Go hiking in one of the beautiful nature preserves in northern Alabama
✮ Enjoy some canoeing/kayaking or tubing on one of Alabama's scenic rivers (e.g. Cahaba River, Styx River, etc.)
✮ See more than 700 motorcycles on display at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham
If I could select only one place to visit in Alabama, I would choose the beaches along the Gulf Coast.
For a list of 10 great attractions in each U.S. state, click here.
|
5-STAR ATTRACTIONS IN ALABAMA
|
Here is my opinionated list of 5-star attractions in Alabama. I believe each of these attractions should be on your Alabama bucket list since they are all noteworthy from a national perspective:
Northern Alabama
(including Huntsville)
✮ Alabama Barn Quilt Trail - take a driving tour to see more than 80 barns that have quilt designs painted on them
✮ Ave Maria Grotto, Cullman - see miniature reproductions of famous religious sites
✮ Big Spring International Park, Huntsville - a lovely public park with walking trails and a famous natural spring
✮ Cane Creek Canyon Preserve, Tuscumbia - a large privately owned nature park with 15 miles of trails that is open to the public on weekends
✮ Cathedral Caverns State Park, Woodville - guided tours of the best cave that is open to the public in the state
✮ Cook Museum of Natural Science, Decatur - an excellent, relatively new hands-on natural science museum; great for kids
✮ DeSoto Falls, DeSoto State Park, Fort Payne - see one of the best waterfalls in the Southeast; 104 feet tall!
✮ Dismals Canyon, Phil Campbell - beautiful nature preserve with pretty forests, glowworms, hiking trails, waterfalls, and cabin rentals
✮ Harmony Park Safari, Huntsville - drive-thru wildlife preserve with free-range animals
✮ Huntsville Botanical Garden, Huntsville - beautiful medium-sized botanical garden; one of Alabama's most popular tourist attractions
✮ Little River Canyon National Preserve, Fort Payne - nature preserve with scenic views, waterfalls, and more; the "Grand Canyon of the East"
✮ Little River Falls, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Fort Payne - take a short walk to see an impressive 45-foot waterfall
✮ Madison County Nature Trail, Huntsville - nature park with walking trails and a covered bridge
✮ Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville - nature park with great scenic views, 20 miles of hiking trails, and 14 miles of cycling trails
✮ Natural Bridge Park, Haleyville - a 148-foot natural standstone bridge; one of Alabama's most impressive natural attractions
✮ Neversink Pit, Fackler - an impressive geologic attraction; one of the biggest sinkholes in the U.S.; rock-climbers can enter the 162-foot pit
✮ Noccalula Falls, Gardsden - one of the best waterfalls in the Southeast; 95-ft tall!
✮ Skydive Alabama, Vinemont - a highly-rated skydiving experience in northern Alabama
✮ U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville - one of the very best space museums in the U.S.; Alabama's #1 tourist attraction
✮ U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum, Huntsville - see historic military vehicles, weapons, memorabilia, and more
Central Alabama (including Birmingham, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa)
✮ Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, Birmingham - the best motorycle museum in the U.S.; has nearly 750 vintage and modern motorcycles
✮ Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham - one of the top civil rights museums in the U.S.
✮ Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham - see 17,000 pieces of art from 3000 B.C. to the present day
✮ Bryant Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa - famous college football stadium with a 100,000+ capacity; home of the Crimson Tide
✮ Cheaha State Park, Delta - drive up to the highest point in Alabama; the park has lots of scenic views and great hiking and biking trails
✮ Chief Ladiga Trail - Alabama's most famous rail trail; this trail connects with the Silver Comet Trail in Georgia for a total of 95 paved miles!
✮ Civil Rights Memorial Center, Montgomery - see a memorial to the 41 people who died in the fight for civil rights
✮ First White House of the Confederacy, Montgomery - visit the home of President Jefferson Davis
✮ Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) Tours, Montgomery - tour a car manufacturing facility; reservations likely required
✮ Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn - famous college football stadium; home of the Auburn Tigers
✮ Legacy Museum, Montgomery - learn about the history of slavery and rascim in the U.S.
✮ McWane Science Center, Birmingham - a great scenic museum that also has an aquarium and IMAX theater
✮ National Memorial for Peace and Justice, Montgomery - national memorial to commemorate the black victims of lynching
✮ Oak Mountain State Park, Pelham - excellent state park with 50-plus miles of trails; offers many other outdoor activities (too many to list)
✮ Rickwood Caverns State Park, Warrior - one-mile long guided tours of an underground limestone cave
✮ Rosa Parks Library and Museum, Montgomery - exhibits, artifacts, and art related to the life and lessons of Rosa Parks
✮ Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, Birmingham - see a historic pig iron-producing blast furnace
✮ Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega - the biggest and fastest oval in the NASCAR circuit
✮ Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, Tuscaloosa - a wonderful outdoor amphitheater (one of the finest in the U.S.)
✮ Vulcan Park and Museum, Birmingham - see great views from the world's largest cast-iron statue
✮ Wind Creek Casino & Hotel, Montgomery - one of several Wind Creek resort casinos in Alabama
Southern Alabama (including Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Mobile, and Orange Beach)
✮ Adventure Island, Orange Beach - a family-fun park with go-karts, bumber boats, miniature golf, and more
✮ Alabama Aquarium at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island - a marine educational facility and aquarium
✮ Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, Gulf Shores - a very good medium-sized zoo
✮ Alligator Alley, Summerdale - tourist attraction with hundreds of alligators (you can hold the babies)
✮ Bamahenge, Elberta - a full-size fiberglass replica of the famous Stonehenge of England
✮ Bellingrath Gardens and Home, Theodore - a beautiful 65-acre estate with lovely gardens
✮ Boat tours from Orange Beach - e.g. dolphin cruises, fishing charters, sailing, sunset cruises, etc.
✮ Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge - visit an "undisturbed coastal barrier habitat"; walking trails and great bird-watching
✮ Dauphin Island - an "affordable family-friendly beach vacation destination"; features beaches, an aquarium, and the home of Fort Gaines
✮ Fort Gaines, Dauphin Island - visit a historic Civil War-era fort on the shorelines of Dauphin Island
✮ Fort Morgan State Historic Site, Fort Morgan - visit a historic fort that pre-dates the Civil War
✮ Gulf Shores - a small city along the Gulf Coast known for its sugar-white beaches and family-friendly attractions (e.g. Waterville USA)
✮ Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores - features 2 miles of beaches, hiking trails, and fishing pier
✮ GulfQuest-National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico, Mobile - an excellent interactive maritime museum
✮ Hummingbird Zipline Course, Orange Beach - excellent zip-lining tours
✮ Mobile Carnival Museum, Mobile - museum dedicated to Carnival and Mardi Gras
✮ Orange Beach - a small town along the Gulf Coast known for its white beaches; generally considered more upscale than nearby Gulf Shores
✮ Skydive The Gulf, Elberta - highly-rated skydiving experiences
✮ Track, The, Gulf Shores - family-fun center with excellent go-kart tracks and other family and child-friendly attractions
✮ USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile - one of the premier military museums in the U.S.
✮ Waterville USA, Gulf Shores - the best water park in Alabama
Are you aware of any other 5-star attractions Alabama? If so, please email me at gparsons66@hotmail.com.
For a list of 5-star attractions in neighboring states, click on any of these links:
FL |
GA |
MS |
TN
|
BEST TOWNS & CITIES TO VISIT IN ALABAMA
|
These towns and cities in Alabama are generally regarded as the most interesting to travelers:
✮ Birmingham - a medium-sized city known for its many fine museums
✮ Dauphin Island - a small town on the Gulf Coast that is known for its quiet, uncrowded beaches; the Alabama Aquarium is also there
✮ Fairhope - a small city along the eastern shorline of Mobile Bay that has several boutique shops and art galleries; often called "Alabama Gulf Coast's most charming city"
✮ Gulf Shores - a small city along the Gulf Coast known for its sugar-white beaches and family-friendly attractions (e.g. Waterville USA)
✮ Huntsville - a medium-sized city in northern Alabama that is the home of the excellent U.S. Space and Rocket Center (considered one of AL's top tourist attractions); the city has several great breweries and some great fishing opportunities
✮ Montgomery - a medium-sized city known for its Civil Rights memorials and sites
✮ Orange Beach - a small town along the Gulf Coast known for its white beaches; generally considered more upscale than nearby Gulf Shores
Click here if you'd like to see a complete list of towns and cities that I find interesting across the entire U.S.
|
WHAT IS ALABAMA FAMOUS FOR?
|
Here are some things that Alabama is famous or well-known for:
✮ aerospace and defense industries
✮ beaches
✮ civil rights history
✮ college football
Click here if you'd like to explore what other U.S. states are famous for.
|
NATIONAL PARKS IN ALABAMA
|
There are currently no national parks in Alabama. However, there are many other federally-managed parks and properties in the state, including:
National Monuments
✮ Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
✮ Freedom Riders National Monument
✮ Russell Cave National Monument
National Forests
✮ Conecuh National Forest
✮ Talladega National Forest
✮ Tuskegee National Forest
✮ William B. Bankhead National Forest
National Historical Parks / Other National Parks & Properties
✮ Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
✮ Little River Canyon National Preserve
✮ Natchez Trace Parkway
✮ Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail
✮ Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail
✮ Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
✮ Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
✮ Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site
For more information on Alabama's national parks, visit the Alabama page of the National Park Service.
For an overview of all U.S. national parks, click here.
|
Alabama has more than 20 state parks. Here is a list of the finest state parks in Alabama:
Northern Alabama (including Huntsville)
✮ Cathedral Caverns State Park, Woodville - guided tours of the best cave that is open to the public in the state
✮ DeSoto State Park, Fort Payne - see one of the best waterfalls in the Southeast; 104 feet tall!
✮ Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville - nature park with great scenic views, 20 miles of hiking trails, and 14 miles of cycling trails
Central Alabama (including Birmingham, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa)
✮ Cheaha State Park, Delta - drive up to the highest point in Alabama; the park has lots of scenic views and great hiking and biking trails
✮ Oak Mountain State Park, Pelham - excellent state park with 50-plus miles of trails; offers many other outdoor activities (too many to list)
✮ Rickwood Caverns State Park, Warrior - one-mile long guided tours of an underground limestone cave
Southern Alabama (including Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Mobile, and Orange Beach)
✮ Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores - features 2 miles of beaches, hiking trails, and fishing pier
To see my list of the top 100 state parks in the country, click here.
|
BEST WATERFALLS IN ALABAMA
|
Alabama has more than 75 natural waterfalls. Here is a list of many of the best waterfalls in Alabama:
Northern Alabama (including Huntsville)
✮ Caney Creek Falls in William B. Bankhead National Forest
✮ DeSoto Falls within DeSoto State Park in Mentone
✮ High Falls within High Falls Park in Grove Oak
✮ Kinlock Falls in William B. Bankhead National Forest
✮ Little River Falls within Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne
✮ Lost Sink Falls within Keel Mountain Preserve in Gurley
✮ Mardis Mill Falls (aka Graves Creek Falls) in Blountsville
✮ Noccalula Falls in Noccalula Falls in Gadsden
✮ Sougahoagdee Falls in William B. Bankhead National Forest
Central Alabama (including Birmingham, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa)
✮ Cheaha Falls in Talladega National Forest
✮ Devils Den Falls in Talladega National Forest
For a listing of all known waterfalls in Alabama, visit the World Waterfall Database.
|
BEST SCENIC DRIVES IN ALABAMA
|
Here is a list of the best scenic drives in Alabama:
✮ Natchez Trace Parkway - a 444-mile paved route from TN to MS with beautiful scenery and several significant historical sights
✮ Talladega Scenic Drive/AL-281 - a 26-mile paved route that passes through Cheaha State Park and Talladega National Forest
I haven't driven the Alabama "Coastal Connection Scenic Byway" yet, but it's very possible that route is worthy of inclusion above.
For a list of great scenic drives in each U.S. state, click here.
|
BEST OCEAN BEACHES IN ALABAMA
|
Alabama's Gulf Coast beaches are famously beautiful. Here is a list of the best beaches in Alabama:
Western beaches
✮ Public Beach, Dauphin Island
✮ West End Public Beach, Dauphin Island
Eastern beaches
✮ Alabama Point Beach
✮ Gulf Shores Main Public Beach
✮ Gulf State Park Beach
✮ Orange Beach
|
BEST RAIL TRAILS IN ALABAMA
|
Here is a list of some of the best rail trails (or similar cycling paths) in Alabama:
✮ Aldridge Creek Greenway
✮ Chief Ladiga Trail
✮ Five Mile Creek Greenway
✮ Gulf Oak Ridge Trail
The Chief Ladiga Trail is the premier rail trail in Alabama. If you combine it with the Silver Comet Trail in Georgia you can create a fantastic multi-day ride of more than 95 fully-paved miles. This distance makes this one of the longest (and best) paved rail trails in the U.S.
For detailed information on all known rail trails in Alabama, visit the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy website.
|
BEST AMUSEMENT PARKS IN ALABAMA
|
There are only a few notable amusement parks in Alabama, and they are small or medium in size. They include:
Northern Alabama (including Huntsville)
✮ Point Mallard Park, Decatur
✮ Spring Valley Beach, Blountsville
Central Alabama (including Birmingham, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa)
✮ Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure, Bessemer
Southern Alabama (including Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Mobile, and Orange Beach)
✮ OWA Parks & Resort, Foley
✮ Waterville USA, Gulf Shores
✮ Water World, Dothan
|
Alabama has many great museums. The best museums in Alabama include:
Northern Alabama (including Huntsville)
✮ Cook Museum of Natural Science, Decatur
✮ Rosenbaum House Museum, Florence
✮ U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville
✮ U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum, Huntsville
Central Alabama (including Birmingham, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa)
✮ Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, Birmingham
✮ Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham
✮ Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham
✮ Civil Rights Memorial Center, Montgomery
✮ First White House of the Confederacy, Montgomery
✮ Legacy Museum, Montgomery
✮ McWane Science Center, Birmingham
✮ Rosa Parks Library and Museum, Montgomery
Southern Alabama (including Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Mobile, and Orange Beach)
✮ Foley Railroad Museum & Model Train Exhibit, Foley
✮ GulfQuest-National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico, Mobile
✮ Mobile Carnival Museum, Mobile
✮ USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile
In my opinion, the two finest museums in Alabama are the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.
|
BEST DAY HIKES IN ALABAMA
|
Alabama offers many good hiking trails, especially in the northern half of the state. Here are some of the best day hikes in Alabama:
Northern Alabama
(including Huntsville)
✮ Alum Hollow, Green Mountain Nature Preserve, Huntsville
✮ Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve trails, Tuscumbia
✮ Dismals Canyon, Dismal Canyon Conservatory, Phil Campbell
✮ East Bee Branch Canyon, Sipsey Wilderness, Mount Hope
✮ Falls Loop, DeSoto State Park, Fort Payne
✮ Little River Canyon National Preserve trails, Fort Payne
✮ Noccalula Falls & Black Creek Trail, Noccalula Park, Gadsden
✮ Rainbow Mountain Loop,
Rainbow Mountain Preserve, Madison
✮ Sougahoagdee Falls, William B. Bankhead National Forest, Houston
✮ Walls of Jericho, Skyline Wildlife Management Area, Stevenson
Central Alabama (including Birmingham, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa)
✮ Bald Rock Boardwalk, Cheaha State Park, Delta
✮ Chinnabee Silent Trail, Talladega National Forest, Lineville
✮ Kings Chair Overlook, Oak Mountain State Park, Pelham
✮ Odcum Scout Trail, Talladega National Forest
✮ Pulpit Rock Trail, Cheaha State Park, Delta
✮ Smith Mountain Fire Tower, Jacksons' Gap
Southern Alabama (including Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Mobile, and Orange Beach)
✮ Pine Beach Trail, Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
A good article about hiking in Alabama can be found on the Fifty Grande website.
The highpoint of Alabama is Cheaha Mountain (2,413') in Cheaha State Park. You can drive to the top year-round. There are other excellent hiking trails in the state park though, including Bald Rock Boardwalk and Pulpit Rock Trail.
|
BEST BACKPACKING TRIPS IN ALABAMA
|
Alabama offers a few backpacking opportunities, including these favorites:
✮ Conecuh Trail, Conecuh National Forest
✮ Cathedral Caverns State Park
✮ DeSoto State Park
✮ East Bee Branch Canyon
✮ Oak Mountain State Park
✮ Pinhoti Trail, Talladega National Forest
✮ Sipsey Wilderness
✮ Skyway Backpack Loop, Talladega National Forest
Many of the trails that are listed above are sparsely maintained. You may need a GPS to help you navigate on at least some of these trails.
|
CLASSIC OUTDOOR ADVENTURES IN ALABAMA
|
Alabama offers many outdoor adventures, including these classics:
✮ Backpacking the Pinhoti Trail
✮ Bouldering in Horse Pens 40
✮ Bouldering in Moss Rock Preserve
✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Alabama Scenic River Trail
✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Bartram Canoe Trail
✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Cahaba River
✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Perdido River
✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Sepulga River
✮ Cycling the Chief Ladia Trail - this excellent paved rail trail can be combined with Georgia's Silver Comet Trail (for a trip of 90-plus miles)
✮ Cycling the Natchez Trace Parkway
✮ Mountain biking Chewacla State Park
✮ Mountain biking Coldwater Mountain
✮ Mountain biking Lake Lurleen State Park
✮ Mountain biking Oak Mountain State Park
✮ Parasailing at Orange Beach
✮ Rock climbing in Jamestown
✮ Rock climbing in Palisades Park
✮ Rock climbing in Sand Rock
✮ Skydiving in Elberta (near Orange Beach / the Gulf Coast)
✮ Skydiving in Vinemont (northern Alabama)
✮ Tubing the Cahaba River
✮ Tubing the Styx River
|
UNIQUE / SPECIALTY FOODS TO TRY IN ALABAMA
|
Here are some unique / specialty foods to try while you are in Alabama:
✮ banana pudding
✮ chicken with white BBQ sauce
✮ conecuh sausage
✮ fried crab claws
✮ fried green tomatoes
✮ gulf shrimp ("big reds")
✮ orange pineapple ice cream (e.g. Trowbridge)
✮ pecan pie / pecans
✮ shrimp and grits
✮ west indies salad
For a list of unique foods and mom-and-pop type eateries and restaurants in Alabama (or any other U.S. state), visit the Roadfood.com website.
For a list of unique foods to try in each of the 50 U.S. states, click here.
For a list of the top-rated beers to try in Alabama (or any other U.S. state), visit the Beer Advocate website.
|
OTHER KEY ALABAMA INFORMATION
|
Here is some helpful key information about Alabama:
State Capital:
Montgomery
Major Airports:
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM), and to a lesser extent, Huntsville International Airport (HSV)
Largest Cities:
Huntsville (221,986), Montgomery (199,571), Birmingham (198,433), Mobile (185,427), Tuscaloosa (101,426), Hoover (94,804), Auburn (80,695)
Primary U.S. Interstates:
I-10, I-20, I-22, I-59, I-65, I-85
State Highpoint:
Cheaha Mountain (2,413'); you can drive to the top year round
Professional Sports Teams:
None (although college football is enormously popular in Alabama)
Funny or Unique Town/City Names:
Allgood, Boar Tush, Burnt Corn,
Frog Eye, Normal, Scratch Ankle, Screamer, Slicklizzard, and The Bottle
Take note that in general this travel guide intentionally excluded restaurants, lodging/hotels, breweries, wineries/vineyards, and certain other types of attractions (like arcades, ax-throwing, bowling alleys, and escape rooms). These types of places tend to come and go, and keeping up with that would be too challenging. I encourage you to use Google Maps, Tripadvisor, Yelp, and other travel sites that have reader reviews to find the latest and greatest places that I haven't covered here.
|
In addition to the information found on my website, I personally recommend purchasing these road trip/travel-related guidebooks. Click on any book cover to read reviews and/or purchase these books on Amazon.com.
 
 
 
 
|
MORE U.S. STATE TRAVEL GUIDES
|
Did you enjoy this state travel guide? If so, here are links to more of my comprehensive U.S. state travel guides:
|
As an Amazon Associates affiliate, this website contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any products after clicking any Amazon.com link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only endorse products that I have personally used or those that come highly recommended by trusted peers.
|
|
