alabama free travel guide

Alabama Travel Guide: The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Alabama

Your Next Great American Adventure Starts with This Essential Alabama Travel Guide !

Alabama is a state rich in traditions and abundant in beauty, making it a unique travel destination. Whether one prefers vibrant cities or calm Gulf Coast beaches, a trip to the Southern state is sure to meet one’s expectations. The diverse landscape of Alabama is characterized by rolling hills, green forests, and sandy beaches. 

The climate is subtropical, with hot and humid summers and mild winters. Furthermore, the state’s history is defined by the Civil Rights movement , reflected in the numerous landmarks, such as the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute or the National Memorial for Peace and Justice . Moreover, Alabama played a major role in the space race, as evidenced by the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville .

What is the best time to visit Alabama?

The best time to go to Alabama is throughout the spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) months, which have moderate weather and colorful landscapes. The northern part of the state offers excellent autumn foliage. The summer season may be somewhat too hot for some. The winter season might be ideal since it has mild weather and fewer people.

What is Alabama Known for in Food?

One of the highlights of the state of Alabama is its cuisine. Discover delicious barbecue, the state specialty, with various styles from different parts. Don’t miss the crispy, tangy fried green tomatoes. The state’s coastlines create shrimp and grits, another classic southern dish with the best Gulf Coast shrimp. 

Fried chicken is synonymous with the state and is characterized by a crunchy crust and a soft inside, something to must try. Additionally, try peach cobbler, a sweet dessert with fresh peaches and chunks of buttery, crumbled topping.

What to know before visiting Alabama?

When you travel to Alabama, you should be ready for a hot and humid summer. It is better to pack light clothes and drink plenty of water. Do not lose the Southern hospitality that the state is famous for; the Alabamians are known for their friendliness. 

Plan your trip around festivals and events, celebrating music, food, history, and more. Most importantly, sample the local cuisine, from barbecue and seafood to other Southern specialties, for a true taste of Alabama.

What are the Must-visit destinations in Alabama? 

The must-visit destination is Birmingham , the largest city in the state, which is the right place for those who enjoy a mixture of history, culture, and a diversity of culinary options. Montgomery , the state capital, is a center of historical and cultural life. Huntsville , also known as the “Rocket City,” is home to the history of space exploration and the Huntsville Botanic Garden.

Another city to see is Mobile , an old port city known for bright Mardi Gras celebrations. For relaxation and water activities, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are considered some of the best places to visit: beaches, marine life, and wonderful Aboriginal wildlife.

Top Experiences in Alabama

Top 11 Seafood Restaurants in Huntsville, AL You’ll Absolutely Love

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History suffuses Alabama, a description that could be true of many states. But there are few places where the perception of said history is so emotionally fraught. The Mississippian Native American culture built great mound cities here, and Mobile is dotted with Franco-Caribbean architecture. But for many, the word Alabama is synonymous with the American Civil Rights movement.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Sloss Furnaces

The Sloss Furnaces constitutes one of Birmingham's can't-miss sites. From 1882 to 1971, this was a pig iron–producing blast furnace and a cornerstone of…

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

A maze of moving audio, video and photography exhibits tell the story of racial segregation and the Civil Rights movement, with a focus on activities in…

National Memorial for Peace & Justice

Stark and harrowing in its simplicity, this memorial stands in honor of 4400 African American victims of lynching. Great rectangular steel slabs, each the…

Splinter Hill Bog

Blankets of white-topped pitcher plants can be found here, a 2100 acre plot of land owned and protected by the non-profit Nature Conservancy. Walk into…

US Space & Rocket Center

If you ever entertained dreams of playing Major Tom to someone's ground control, head here. This Smithsonian-affiliated museum boasts one of the world's…

Dismals Canyon Conservatory

In many other states, Dismals would be a headlining tourist attraction. In North Alabama, it quietly persists as just an amazing place to visit. This…

Dexter Avenue Parsonage

The home of Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King has been frozen in time, a snapshot of a mid-century home complete with Mad Men–era furniture,…

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

Centuries ago, salt-lashed oak forest, inundated coastal prairie and great quilts of sawgrass covered the Gulf Coast. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge…

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Aug 2, 2023 • 4 min read

At the Africatown Heritage House in Mobile, Alabama, a new exhibition tells fresh stories about the African American experience.

Apr 26, 2023 • 3 min read

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Just 250 miles from north to south, ALABAMA ranges from the fast-flowing rivers, waterfalls and lakes of the Appalachian foothills to the bayous and white sand beaches of the Gulf Coast. Away from the water’s edge, agriculture, dominated by pecans, peaches and watermelons, flourishes on the gently sloping coastal plain. Industry is concentrated in the north, around Birmingham and Huntsville, first home of the nation’s space programme, while the farmlands of middle Alabama envelop Montgomery, the state capital. Away from the French-influenced coastal strip around the pretty little town of Mobile, fundamentalist Protestant attitudes have traditionally backed right-wing demagogues, such as George Wallace, the four-time state governor who received ten million votes in the 1968 presidential election, and, more recently Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who in the summer of 2003 was suspended for not obeying a federal court order to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the rotunda of the state judicial building in Montgomery. While times have moved on since the epic civil rights struggles in Montgomery, Birmingham and Selma – monuments and civic literature celebrate the achievements of the campaigners, and even Wallace renounced his racist views – a visit to Alabama offers a crucial reminder of just how recently those struggles were fought.

Civil rights in Birmingham

Civil rights in montgomery.

In the first half of 1963, civil rights leaders chose Birmingham as the target of “Project C” (for confrontation), aiming to force businesses to integrate lunch counters and employ more blacks. Despite terrifying threats from Commissioner of Public Safety Eugene “Bull” Connor, pickets, sit-ins and marches went forward, resulting in mass arrests. More than two thousand protesters flooded the prisons; one was Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, who wrote his Letter from a Birmingham Jail after being branded an extremist by local white clergymen. Connor’s use of high-pressure fire hoses, cattleprods and dogs against demonstrators acted as a potent catalyst of support. Pictures of snarling German Shepherds sinking their teeth into the flesh of schoolkids were transmitted around the world, and led to an agreement between civil rights leaders and businesses that June. Success in Birmingham sparked demonstrations in 186 other cities, which culminated in the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibiting racial segregation. The headquarters for the campaign, the 16th Street Baptist Church, on the corner of Sixth Avenue, was the site of a sickening Klan bombing on September 15, 1963, which killed four young black girls attending a Bible class. The three murderers were eventually jailed, though it took until 2002. Across the road, Kelly Ingram Park, site of the 1960s rallies, has a Freedom Walk diagramming the events through sculptures of menacing dogs, water cannons and youthful protestors. Next door, the admirable Civil Rights Institute, 520 16th St (bcri.org), is an affecting attempt to interpret the factors that led to such violence and racial hatred. Exhibits re-create life in a segregated city, complete with a burned-out bus and heart-rending videos of bus boycotts and the March on Washington.

In the 1950s, Montgomery’s bus system was a miniature model of segregated society – as was the norm in the South. The regulation ordering blacks to give up seats to whites came under repeated attack from black organizations, culminating in the call by the Women’s Political Council for a mass boycott after seamstress Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1, 1955, for refusing to give up her seat, stating that she was simply too tired. Black workers were asked to walk to work, while black-owned “rolling churches” carried those who lived farther away. The protest attracted huge support and the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA), set up to coordinate activities, elected the 26-year-old pastor Dr Martin Luther King, Jr as its chief spokesperson. Despite personal hardships, bomb attacks and jailings, protestors continued to boycott the buses for eleven months, until in November 1956 the US Supreme Court declared segregation on public transport to be illegal.

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Alabama Tourism Department

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Welcome to the Alabama Tourism Department website, the industry professional’s source for the latest news and resources surrounding Alabama travel.

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March 24, 2024

Bryan Stevenson likes to say we are all more than the worst thing we’ve ever done. He reminds juries of that when defending his clients against death sentences. Perhaps that same grace should extend to nations. Stevenson is quick to add, however, an action’s full damage must be understood before attempts at moving on are […]

Montgomery earns spot on The New York Times list of top 52 travel destinations for 2024

January 3, 2024

At the start of every year, The New York Times publishes a list of its top 52 travel destinations, offering new, interesting inspiration to its readers. This year, Montgomery snagged a top spot. At No. 28 on the list, The New York Times highlighted Montgomery for its historic roles as the former capital of the […]

Student Groups Will Love This!

November 30, 2023

Space Camp for the beach? Gulf Shores launches Gulf Camp for environmental education, ecotourism From the article by Dennis Pillion on AL.com Gulf Shores has spent decades building its reputation as a premiere vacation destination. Now, the city on Alabama’s Gulf Coast is looking to become a leader in environmental education and programming that will bring […]

• 3 Other destinations
• 4.1 Climate
• 4.2 Tourist information
• 6.3 By train
• 6.4 By plane
• 9.1 Festivals
• 9.2.1 Collegiate
• 9.5 Cycling

Alabama is a state in the Southern United States of America . Alabama is known for its civil rights history and scenic beauty, and has a lot to offer those who enjoy the great outdoors, from Gulf Coast beaches to 40 National and stare parks.

Regions [ edit ]

Cities [ edit ]

• 32.3675 -86.3 1 Montgomery — state capital and first capital of the Confederacy
• 32.597684 -85.480823 2 Auburn — home of Auburn University
• 33.5175 -86.809444 3 Birmingham — Alabama's largest city
• 34.580992 -86.983392 4 Decatur
• 31.227222 -85.407222 5 Dothan
• 34.713611 -86.586111 6 Huntsville — home of Marshall Space Flight Center
• 30.727669 -88.052672 7 Mobile — Alabama's only major port and largest city near the Gulf
• 33.206667 -87.534722 8 Tuscaloosa — home of the University of Alabama
• 34.730839 -87.702854 9 Tuscumbia — Helen Keller's home

Other destinations [ edit ]

• 30.267797 -87.701468 1 Gulf Shores & Orange Beach — 32 miles of beautiful sugar white sands on the prettiest beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. A visit to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach offers the perfect balance of non-stop activity and lay-around-doing-nothing time. Putter around a bit on one of the championship golf courses. Cast your line for deep-sea adventure on a one of the Orange Beach fishing charters. Travel back in history with a visit to Fort Morgan, the site of the Civil War Battle of Mobile Bay. Commune with Mother Nature as you hike wildlife trails gazing at shorebirds.
• Horseshoe Bend National Military Park — In the spring of 1814, General Andrew Jackson and an army of 3,300 men attacked 1,000 Upper Creek warriors on the Tallapoosa River. Over 800 Upper Creeks died defending their homeland.
• Little River Canyon National Preserve — Little River is unique because it flows for most of its length atop Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama
• 34.329966 -88.711811 2 Natchez Trace Parkway — The 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway commemorates an ancient trail that connected southern portions of the Mississippi River , through Alabama, to salt licks in today's central Tennessee
• 34.97662 -85.81425 3 Russell Cave National Monument — For more than 10,000 years, Russell Cave was home to prehistoric peoples. Russell Cave provides clues to the daily lifeways of early North American inhabitants dating from 6500 BC to 1650 AD.
• Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail — The Selma to Montgomery National Voting Rights Trail was established by Congress in 1996 to commemorate the events, people, and route of the 1965 Voting Rights March in Alabama
• Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail — Come on a journey to remember and commemorate the survival of the Cherokee people despite their forced removal from their homelands in the Southeastern United States in the 1840s
• Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site — In the 1940s Tuskegee, Alabama became home to a "military experiment" to train America's first African-American military pilots. In time the "experiment" became known as the Tuskegee Experience and the participants as the Tuskegee Airmen
• Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site — Nestled on the campus of historic Tuskegee University, the site includes the George W. Carver Museum and The Oaks, home of Booker T. Washington
• Desoto Caverns — A cavern and small family attraction in Childersburg, Alabama.

Understand [ edit ]

Alabama, along with the South in general, has a reputation for "Southern hospitality." The people of this state are generally genial and helpful and often go out of their way to help a stranger.

The state is named after the Alabama tribe, a Native American group who used to live at the confluence of the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers.

Known primarily for its status as the original capital of the Confederacy (in Montgomery) and the birthplace of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, Alabama can be a study in contrasts.

The sport of American football is taken extremely seriously in Alabama. In addition to significant regional devotion to high-school football teams the entire state, in terms of college football, is divided into two factions: Auburn University fans and University of Alabama fans. The rivalry is so bitter, in fact, that it took an act by the Alabama State Legislature in the late 1940s to force the two colleges to play one another (the two had stopped playing each other in the first years of the 20th century over an officiating dispute).

Even then, the two schools would not agree to play at opposing sites so the State of Alabama used taxpayer funds to build Legion Field in Birmingham as a neutral site. It was only in 1989 that the Crimson Tide finally visited Auburn and 2000 that the Tigers visited Alabama. This can also be a point of concern for tourists, as the rivalry is so serious that tourists are best not to mention it at all.

Alabama is also noted for having the lengthiest constitution in the world. At nearly 300,000 words, the constitution is made up of nearly 946 amendments, and because of this, the state has numerous constitutional officers/administrators. Some aspects of the constitution are so complex that ordinary residents of the state can't accurately make out what certain statements in the constitution mean.

Climate [ edit ]

Due to its location in the Deep South, Alabama has a humid subtropical/continental climate. Summers are hot and humid, winters are cool to cold, and fall and spring offer pleasant temperatures.

Tourist information [ edit ]

• Alabama Tourism website

Talk [ edit ]

Many (though certainly not all) Alabamians speak with thick local accents so non-native English speakers may have difficulty understanding them. Visitors to North Alabama (Birmingham and north) will experience accents that are more "country" in nature (Senator Richard Shelby is one example) while visitors to South Alabama (south of Birmingham) will experience accents that are more closely reminiscent of those from the 1939 film Gone With the Wind and the 1994 film Forrest Gump , which takes place in Southern Alabama. Former governor Fob James is a textbook example of someone who speaks like this.

Get in [ edit ]

By car [ edit ].

Alabama is accessible by five interstate highways: Interstate 10 (I-10) crosses the state from east to west near Mobile in the south; I-20 enters Alabama from the east, traverses Birmingham, and joins I-59 as it traverses Tuscaloosa and exits the state in a southwesterly direction; I-59 enters northeastern Alabama, continues southwest through Birmingham, and exits the state toward the southwest; I-22 enters Alabama from the northwest and ends in Birmingham; I-65 enters Alabama from the north, traverses Birmingham, and ends in Mobile; I-85 enters the state in the east and ends in Montgomery.

By bus [ edit ]

Greyhound Lines offers bus transportation to cities and towns throughout Alabama. Greyhound bus stops are found in Anniston, Athens, Birmingham, Dothan, Evergreen, Gadsden, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Opelika, Selma, Troy, Tuscaloosa, and Tuskegee.

By train [ edit ]

There is one daily Amtrak route serving Alabama, the Crescent . Trains 19 (southbound) and 20 (northbound) run from New Orleans to Washington, D.C. and New York City . There are three stations in Alabama: Anniston , Birmingham and Tuscaloosa . Coach and sleeper service is available, with checked baggage, a restaurant car, a café and a lounge.

By plane [ edit ]

The largest airport in Alabama is the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport BHM  IATA . Airlines servicing this airport offer direct flights from Atlanta , Baltimore , Charlotte , Chicago , Dallas , Denver , Detroit , Fort Lauderdale , Houston , Las Vegas , Miami , Minneapolis , New York City , Orlando , Philadelphia , Tampa , and Washington, D.C. .

Commercial flights are also available at Dothan International Airport (DHN) ; the Huntsville International Airport HSV  IATA ; the Mobile Regional Airport MOB  IATA ; the Montgomery Regional Airport MGM  IATA  ; and the Northwest Alabama Regional Airport MSL  IATA .

Get around [ edit ]

Car is no doubt the best method, and the most scenic. Interstates converge on Montgomery, Birmingham, and Mobile, and make quick transportation between those cities and ones in other states. They also connect to Anniston, Tuscaloosa, and Huntsville. Elsewhere though, travel can be slower in more rural areas.

Information on transit can be found here .

See [ edit ]

• Helen Keller's Home , Tuscumbia . ( updated Apr 2019 )
• Moundville , Moundville . ( updated Apr 2019 )
• Mt. Cheaha , Delta . ( updated Apr 2019 )
• USS Alabama Battleship , Mobile . ( updated Apr 2019 )

Do [ edit ]

Festivals [ edit ].

• Gulf Shores is home to the National Shrimp Festival [dead link] . This outdoor event is held annually in October and features over 300 vendors that offer fine art, arts and crafts, an international marketplace and plenty of shrimp. Three stages also carry music continuously throughout the festival. Over 200,000 people attend the festival annually and it has been ranked as one of the top twenty events in the southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society, and one of the top five in the state. 2016 will mark the 45th anniversary of this festival.
• The Oyster Cook-Off Craft Spirits & Beer Weekend has been a local staple in Gulf Shores for over a decade, featuring hundreds of food and beverage choices. The first week of November starts the cook-off, with Craft Beer tastings from breweries around the southeast, vast collections of rare spirits, and live music. The festival started humbly featuring master-grade oyster preparations alongside local farmers and has grown into a full fledged foodie festival featuring chefs of international acclaim and dishes well beyond the scope of oysters. It's a ticketed event, with a portion of sales going back to charitable causes.
• Tuscumbia is home to the Helen Keller Festival. This outdoor event is held annually in June for three days (Friday to Sunday) and kicks off with a lengthy parade complete with floats and its riders throwing candy to bystanders, high school marching bands, horses, Civil War reenactors and Shriners zipping about in their miniature go-karts. Afterwards, Main Street is closed and is filled with local vendors selling everything from handmade crafts to fresh vegetables. An antique car show is also a highlighted feature. Many local and out of state bands perform throughout the day with at least one major performer, normally of the country music variety, performing Saturday night in Spring Park. Also performed at the birthplace of Helen Keller is a local production of the stage play The Miracle Worker which is a theatrical rendition of Helen Keller's childhood and interaction with Ann Sullivan. One little known fact about Helen Keller that most natives of Tuscumbia do not even realize is that she was an ardent and outspoken socialist during her adult life.

Sports [ edit ]

Talladega Super Speedway is in Talladega.

Collegiate [ edit ]

Home to what is considered one of the top rivalries in sports, the state of Alabama revolves around college football. Each weekend of the fall, hundreds of thousands of fans around the state pack stadiums to cheer for their respective teams.

• University of Alabama Crimson Tide .  
• Auburn University Tigers .  
• University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers .  
• Troy University Trojans .  
• Jacksonville State University Gamecocks.
• Iron Bowl .  
• LendingTree Bowl .  

Hike [ edit ]

Alabama has some decent hiking options. One of the best areas is the Sipsey Wilderness , which features old-growth forest and dozens of waterfalls. Other areas include the trails and scenic overlooks in Mount Cheaha State Park. The Pinhoti National Recreation Trail runs for approximately 171 miles (280 km) through the hilly forests of eastern Alabama, offering multiple sites for overnight camping.

Golf [ edit ]

• Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail , 100 Sunbelt Parkway , ☏ +1 205 942-1177 , toll-free: +1-800-949-4444 , fax : +1 205-290-1230 , [email protected] . Ten public golf courses throughout Alabama. $40-125 per course .  

Cycling [ edit ]

Chief Ladiga Trail rail trail in eastern Alabama that stretches for 33 miles (53 km) from Anniston to the Alabama-Georgia state line, where it joins Georgia's Silver Comet Trail.

Eat [ edit ]

Mobile has some of the best fried seafood east of the Mississippi River. Don't forget to try local oyster bars, and the shrimp is superb. Ask locals for recommendations that are off the beaten path and area favorites.

Alabama barbecue is outstanding and comes in many forms, but pork is always most popular. There are several award-winning barbecue "joints" in Alabama, and their claim to fame is typically "pulled pork", but they will offer ribs, too.

For dessert, look for pecan pie. During the summer, fresh peaches and blackberries are available. Fruit pies abound, and if you want something a little different, look for cobblers. Home-style peach ice cream is a particular treat.

Drink [ edit ]

• Sweet Iced Tea . One delicious recipe for making sweet tea is to put on a pan of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling place two family-size Lipton tea bags in the boiling water, and then immediately turn the stove off. While the water is still raging hot, mix in 1⅓ cup of cane sugar and stir so that the sugar does not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. Wait one hour and then mix with one gallon of water in a gallon-sized container. Serve over ice. ( updated Sep 2019 )

Go next [ edit ]

• Mississippi - Alabama's neighbor to the west has Civil War battlefields, scenic parkways, and antebellum charm.
• Tennessee - North of Alabama, Tennessee offers the cities of Memphis , Nashville , Knoxville , & Chattanooga , plus the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains .
• Georgia - On Alabama's eastern border, Georgia has the major metropolis of Atlanta , with many attractions, and the charming cities of Macon & Savannah .
• Florida - Bordering the southern part of the state is Florida, with a lot more gulf coast than Alabama, including fabulous beaches, the big tourist area of Orlando , and the cities of Tampa , Jacksonville , and Miami

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The Best Alabama Road Trip Itinerary for Your Next Adventure

January 19, 2022

Are you ready to learn the truth about the most misunderstood state in the US? This Alabama road trip itinerary will open your eyes, melt your heart and, quite possibly, change your life. 

Too much to promise for a simple driving itinerary? Allow me to explain…

See also 101 interesting facts about Alabama

Table of Contents

Your Perfect Alabama Road Trip Itinerary

Disclosure  – This project took place through a partnership with Alabama Tourism Department and America As You Like It. As ever, as always, we kept the right to write what we like. There’s really no point otherwise! Also, we use some affiliate links. That means that if you book or buy through some of these links then we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We still only recommend products and services we use ourselves. Again, no point otherwise!

Alabama Road Trip Map

White sands at sunset, dolphins in waves.

Space rocket launches and cavernous caves.

Mountains with lookouts, long trails of tears. 

Carnival, Mardi Gras, parties with cheers.

Writerly stories that reach through the age.

From Gatsby to Mockingbird, turning the page. 

Then footsteps and missteps, bombing and rage.

Forgiveness. 

Non-violence. A bus stop. A change?

Drive Alabama, a culture exchange.

Alabama’s beautiful beaches…

Why You Should Visit Alabama

Alabama isn’t one of those states that people know well. Even among friends and fellow travel writers, I heard question after incredulous question. Why are you going to Alabama? What is there to do in Alabama? And even, more than once, is it worth going to Alabama?!

Well, where should I start? With the white sand beaches, award-wining eco credentials and dolphins dipping at sunset? The rust and russet rolling peaks of the Appalachian mountains? The heartbreaking and heart-fixing stories of the civil rights movement through household names like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King?

Perhaps we’ll curl up with a good book? Choose from Truman Capote, Fiztgerald and Gatsby and Harper Lee’s classic To Kill a Mockingbird. Or party all year in Mobile, home to the oldest Mardi Gras in America.

Would the world’s biggest space museum blast your interest? Or how about some shrimp & grits, ribs in smoky barbecue sauce and a slice of pecan pie?

Yes, this Alabama road trip will sweep you through the Yellowhammer State in either seven, ten or fourteen days. But leave your prejudices at home.

Above all else, Alabama invites you to explore with an open mind.

Feeling overwhelmed with your travel plans? Check out our Travel Toolbox ©  and Road Trip Planner & Toolkit ©.  They contain all the resources you need to get everything done, easily and with a side of sass.

Waking up excited every day!

How to Use This Alabama Road Trip Itinerary

There are many ways, obviously, to plan a road trip through Alabama but the highlights remain the same. This loop runs from New Orleans to New Orleans but other good ideas for Alabama road trips involve either driving in a loop from Atlanta, Georgia, or driving south to north from New Orleans to Tennessee. For international visitors, it’s easier to fly into one of the other states and then cross the state line.

7, 10 or 14 Nights in Alabama?

If you stay one night in each of the main places here, that makes a 7 day Alabama road trip itinerary. However, to do it this way, you have to move and pack fast. I would strongly recommend expanding it to make a 10 day road trip itinerary, and I’ve indicated in each section where and why you should spend extra time in a place. To craft a full 14 day or two week Alabama road trip itinerary, I would take your time with this one, then stop off in Monroeville for the night and make excursions to Selma and the Edmund Pettus Bridge and Muscle Shoals too.

Facing the Past

A road trip through Alabama brings up some big topics amid the great hospitality and sense of joy and fun, which is why it’s such a powerful thing to do. Alabama is not alone with this, at all, but the iconic moments relating to genocide, slavery, racism and colonialism that took place here leave Alabama with a unique historical footprint. It’s hard to serve the topics well within the framework of a travel itinerary, so please rest assured that I will be back with more in-depth articles and context through individual articles later.

Sorting out Logistics

Each section has an introduction as to why you should visit that part of Alabama followed by a fact box that details things like drive times, where to stay, where to sleep and so on. If ever you get lost, head to the table of contents or Alabama road trip map here.  

And don’t forget the Road Trip Planner & Toolkit© to help you plan an amazing trip!

Alabama Itinerary Overview

Here are the key stops on a 7 day Alabama road trip itinerary. The pace is pretty full on, so if you can, I’d suggest you extend this to either 10 days or two weeks to really make the most of things. I’ve added in where and how I would make those changes in the sections below.

• New Orleans
• Appalachian Mountains
• Monroeville

Gulf Shores

Carnival in Mobile: the longest running one in the US

The first thing to know about Mobile is how to pronounce it. Mo-beeeeel. Not Mo-baisle as in crocodile.

With that out of the way, you’re ready to enjoy one of the most colourful cities in the world: Mobile.

Often described as New Orleans’ little sister, on account of its wrought iron railings and love for carnival, Mobile, while smaller, actually came first. Named the capital of French Louisiana in 1702, a full fifteen years before New Orleans came into being, today’s Mobile oozes charm and speakeasy atmosphere on Dauphin Street, a mix of theatre, restaurants and bars beneath wrought iron railings and pastel painted facades.

Honestly, I’d recommend a visit for that street alone but Mobile has other tricks up its golden beaded sleeve.

Exploring a submarine in Alabama…

History in Mobile

The History Museum of Mobile gives a good introduction to the state’s history, including the often overlooked Native American struggles, along with some harrowing depictions of the realities of the slave trade. The sections are short but powerful and manageable for young children.

Just a short drive from speakeasy Downtown, you’ll find a mighty contrast at the Battleship Memorial Park. Enthusiasts could spend an entire day here, exploring the depths of a retired submarine, staring at the wings of a B-52 and then scaling the ladders of the Battleship USS Alabama. Retired service personnel offer anecdotes about living on top of a nuclear warhead deep below the sea for 90 days at a time and the entire setup gives an insight into the reality behind the most powerful military in the world.

Carnival in Mobile

Finally, we can’t talk about Mobile without talking about Carnival and the mystic societies. To say that Mardi Gras here is a big deal is to massively underplay the concept of big deals. It’s huge. Ginormous. Gigantic. Heck, someone throw a thesaurus over here fast, we need to talk about Carnival in Mobile!

It’s the longest running Mardi Gras in America, and if you can’t make the real deal in Spring, don’t despair. The Carnival museum will welcome you with fire breathing dragon floats, jewel-studded dresses that need ball bearings to help them travel along the floor, dinner pieces that would rival royalty and a glimpse into a secret world of striped pyjamas, kings, queens and the Excelsior band.

On Dauphin Street in Mobile…

Practical Tips for Mobile

Dauphin Street is a fun street to walk along and, with the right shoes, it’s possible to walk from there to the history museum and carnival museum. In fact, the walk is half the fun.

For the Battleship Memorial Park, however, you will need to drive. Parking on site is easy once you get there. Enjoy!

Why is Alabama called the Yellowhammer State?

First of all, let me spare you some embarrassment. Yellowhammer is nothing to do with industry or communism. It’s the name of a bird. Legend has it that a group of soldiers from Huntsville wore yellow trimmed clothes during the Civil War. They were nicknamed the yellowhammers and soon the term referred to anyone from Alabama. The yellowhammer now is the official state bird.

It’s just over two hours from New Orleans to Mobile on straight, main roads.

Where to Stay

• Mobile’s Riverview Plaza lives a short and colourful walk from both the atmospheric part of Downtown and the museum district. It pierces the sky like a magnified needle, offering great sunrise views across the industrial side of Mobile and its waterway. Both self-parking and valet parking are available but don’t worry too much about breakfast. It’s only a short walk to the inimitable Mo’Bay Beignets.

How Many Nights

We squeezed by with one night but to really enjoy and appreciate the museums, it would be a gift to have more time. Probably one and a half days here is ample, which my involve two nights depending on what time you need to arrive and leave.

Where to Eat

• Wintzell’s Oyster House – a no frills, welcoming oyster bar with fried green tomatoes, crab claw baskets and award-winning seafood gumbo.
• Mo’Bay Beignets – Mobile’s favourite coffee bar, bright and white Mo’Bay serves sugar dusted beignets with signature hot sauces that include butterscotch, cinnamon and gingerbread.
• Roosters – casual spot for South American inspired food. Worth a visit to see the size of the hot sauce counter!
• Noble South – highly recommended gourmet spot for Southern food like Shrimp & Grits
• The Mobile Carnival Museum – glittering gowns, dinner invitations, floats and mystic history.
• USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park – clamber among a real submarine, battleship and fighter planes and start to understand the might of America’s military.
• Dauphin Street – atmospheric architecture and ambiance.
• The History Museum of Mobile and Fort Conde – a walk through how we got to where we are.
• Beignets at Mo’Bay Beignets – sugar dusted tradition.

Inside Tips

• I’d really recommend taking a tour around the Carnival Museum if possible. It’s such a huge part of life here that it’s good to be able to ask questions and dig a little deeper into the culture and tradition surrounding these magnificent parties. 

Montgomery. Cruel history and inspiring history all in one city.

Montgomery. It’s probably not a name that many people know, yet a few square miles in this state capital contain name upon name that all the world knows. Martin Luther King. Rosa Parks. Gatsby and his greatness.

What’s even more remarkable is how close together these places are. And that they represent but a drop in the wider Montgomery ocean.

Historic Hot Dogs

Start with a slice of history by walking in the footsteps of Elvis, Martin Luther King and all the governors of Alabama at the historic, humble… Chris’ Hot Dogs store.  Founded in 1917, this low-lit, low nonsense eatery serves up a vintage idea of America, through hot dogs and hot sauce, snug booths and retro fonts and the mountains and mountains of napkins. (Trust me, you’ll need them all…)

From there, it’s a sprint up the hill to the Dexter Avenue Memorial Church, a red brick building overshadowed at first, by the view up the hill of the white dome and columns of Alabama’s State Capitol Building.

And here’s where we need a quick trip to the history books.

What You Need to Know About Alabama’s State Capitol Building

In 1861, Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as the first president of the Confederacy on the very steps of the capitol building. For us non-Americans, the Confederates were the side that fought against Abraham Lincoln’s northern Union states. Some say it was a fight against overtaxation and northern tyranny. More say it was a fight to keep slavery as the bedrock of the economy.

Fast forward to 1955 and a time when Alabama was among one of the most segregated states in America. A 42 year old woman, Rosa Parks, refused to give up her seat for a white man, resulting in arrest, protests, the Montgomery bus boycott and the rise to prominence of a truly great spokesman, one Martin Luther King.

He was also a preacher at the Dexter Avenue Memorial Church.

Martin Luther King’s Church

Today, the place has a modified name. The Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church. Painted footprints mark the spot outside, symbolising the thousands who marched from Selma to Montgomery to campaign for fair voting rights. At the time, Governor George Wallace refused to accept the petition, vowing to extend segregation forever. At the 50 year anniversary, led by then President Barack Obama, Martin Luther King’s daughter walked up the steps to the Capitol and was received by the governor with tears and open arms. The original governor, Wallace, attended the church to beg forgiveness.

Wanda, a force of nature and our guide to the church, greets us there and invites us to stand on the tarmac. To walk in the footsteps of giants. And it’s from this point on that my professional interest melts into a blend of personal hope and shame.

African-American history is so brutal, so recent and so far from over. Yet progress came through campaign after campaign of powerful non-violence. And information in Montgomery arrives with a tsunami of human connection, hope and warm southern hospitality. It’s jarring and blurring and, for me, I would say, life changing. Forgive me, dear readers, for not expanding fully here. I need another article to do the subject justice. Subscribe or simply come back and watch this space.

That the church sits so close to the main government building seems a strange quirk of fate. So, too, the proximity of the Rosa Parks Museum near the stop where she boarded and the Freedom Riders Museum, in the original bus station attacked by a mob.

Hanging out with the costumes from the Great Gatsby at the Fitz Museum in Montgomery

Another Side of Montgomery

Away from the concrete and columns of Downtown Montgomery, the Cloverdale neighbourhood houses gardens galore. In one picturesque spot lives the Fitz Museum, marking the home of Zelda and F. Scott. Fitzgerald who lived here for a stint between 1931 and 1932.

It’s also guest house, with period Zelda and Scott suites upstairs, while manuscripts, photographs, cigarette holders and perfume bottles fill the rooms on the ground floor.

Further out again, surrounded by greenery, you’ll find the Alabama Shakespeare Festival housed in the Carolyn Blount Theatre. We caught a child-friendly performance of Cinderella but the theatre hosts a wide range of performances throughout the rest of the year.

Practical Tips for Montgomery

Bring plenty of tissues! Honestly, the stories and emotions that surround the monuments and people you will meet need time and space to sink in and breathe.

Beyond that, the Capitol Building, Chris’ Hot Dogs, and Dexter Avenue Church are in easy walking distance of one another. So, too are the Rosa Parks Museum and Freedom Riders Museum.

You will need to drive out to both the Fitz Museum and Alabama Shakespeare Festival so leave yourself plenty of time for those.

Oh, yes. And accept the mountains of napkins you will be given at Chris’s Hot Dogs. Believe me.

From Mobile to Montgomery, it’s a straightforward 2.5 hours on the road.

• Springhill Suites in Downtown Montgomery may win the prize for being the hotel I have spent the least actual time in, with our late night and early start. As with the other Springhill Suites, you’ll find parking, a grab and go breakfast buffet, shared laundry facilities and a convenient location.

Definitely more than one! Montgomery is a powerful, powerful place with many stories to tell. I believe you’d benefit from more time to put things into context and reflect, spacing out the time in each place mentioned. You could also consider visiting the new Legacy Museum: From Slavery to Incarceration and National Memorial for Peace and Justice.  This came highly recommended for adults but with question marks about its suitability for very young children.

• Chris’s Hot Dogs  – founded in 1917, this is the oldest family run restaurant in Alabama and has dished up hot dogs to Martin Luther King, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Elvis Presley, Hank Williams and every Alabama governor since it opened.
• Dreamland BBQ  – this Alabama franchise began life in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1958, after Big Daddy Bishop received a visitation from God. Try out their signature BBQ sauce and hickory-fired ribs.
• The Alabama State Capitol Building – where so many poignant events took place.
• The Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church – where Dr Martin Luther King Jr preached, just steps from the State Capitol Building.
• The Rosa Parks Museum and the section of road where she was arrested.
• The Freedom Riders Museum – in the bus station where people continued non violent protest against segregation.
• The Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum – former home to the author of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott. Fitzgerald.
• The Alabama Shakespeare Festival – impressive and active theatre amid great greenery and grounds
• Check out the events schedule at the Freedom Riders Museum. People who took part in the civil rights struggle at the time sometimes attend to speak about their experiences.

Why is Alabama Called the Heart of Dixie?

So, there are a few layers to this. Alabama sits at the heart of a number of southern States who go (or used to go) by the name of Dixie. This dates back to the time when Louisiana printed bank notes with the French word for ten: dix. Dix (pronounced deece) became dixie as a general term for the southern states and an active PR campaign in the 1940s and 50s sought to make it Alabama’s official nickname.

So, what’s the problem? Well, those southern States largely formed the Confederacy, the losing side of the American Civil War, and the side that fought to continue the slave trade. Plus, the term Dixie was made popular through blackface minstrel shows.

As a result, it’s a term that some feel evokes a romantic idea of an era in which racism and slavery were celebrated.

Not everyone feels this way but it’s good to be aware of the controversy before you go.

Walking in Little River Canyon in the Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains

Nothing takes you right back to the present like nature. And somehow, she also manages to spirt you to the past and future as well.

The Appalachian Mountains may start life as far north as Newfoundland in Canada, but they tumble into Alabama with a soothing rise and fall that undulates with deep green in the summer and orange needled tapestries in autumn.

The Trail of Tears

But for all the beauty, there’s heartache to find here too. Look out for a series of landmarks that commemorate the lives lost between 1830 – 1850 when the US government forcibly removed Native Americans from Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee to land west of the Mississippi in Oklahoma. Thousands died through starvation and exposure along the route which the Cherokee refer to as “the trail of tears.”

Little River Canyon National Preserve sits on the aptly named Lookout Mountain near the quirky town of Fort Payne and DeSoto State Park. It’s so hard to imagine today, but in 1838, US soldiers and local militia rounded up approximately 1100 Cherokee men, women and children, placed them in stockades and then marched them for 798 miles without adequate food and supplies.

Look out for the small plaques which invite you to reflect on this history.

Hiking & Driving Little River Canyon

In today’s world, though, friendly Park Rangers and a well stocked visitor’s centre make it an easy outdoor space to explore. Walking trails pass by landmarks like Little River Falls and, if you have the nerve, the skill and the right weather conditions, you can take to the rapids yourself.

A beautiful drive wiggles and weaves along the rim of the canyon , or so I’m reliably told. We arrived amid the twilight mist so rather than elegant hiking and staring out to the flame edged horizon, I yelped in and out of the car at each lookout point in a race against the darkness clouding the sky. Crow point overlook. Wolf creek overlook. I stood on each point in the shadows, wondering what lay below. Go, voyage during daylight and let me know what I missed!

Cathedral Caverns: one of the biggest cave systems in the world

Cathedral Caverns

Under normal circumstances, I’m not much of a cave person. Too many bad experiences with too much darkness and too many banged heads (or is that one head banged several times – Ed?)

But Cathedral Caverns really did live up to its name. It’s cavernous, possibly the third largest cave of its kind in the world, and the melting, melding display of stalactites and stalagmites in one section of the cavern really does resemble a cathedral (and in another beautiful moment, our tour guide was called Kavan. Seriously. Say it out loud…)

And for the first time in forever, as they say in Disney, it recalibrated my discomfort with darkness. Forty minutes into the cavern on well lit pathways and our Kavan switched off the lights. Complete, total darkness. Darkness I’ve not found anywhere else. At first fear, panic, dizziness, and a primitive need to protect baby Lab. Then, a kind of peace, a requirement to relinquish control, to stand in the moment, to trust a virtual stranger that everything would be fine.

When studded fairy lights punctured the darkness, the display was honestly magical.

Practical Tips for Exploring the Appalachian Mountains in Alabama

First of all, check out hiking checklist here.

Second of all, make a stop into one of the visitor centres or arrange to meet up with a Park Ranger. These are American parks so, in general, paths are well maintained and well signposted but they can still be dangerous.

Never assume that it’s safe to swim or dive in the water and learn about what to do if you see a bear.

You’ll find the small towns, like Mentone and Fort Payne, reasonably well stocked and beautifully quirky places to visit but if you need any specialist equipment or medication, make sure you have it before you set off.

In Little River Canyon, the walk past Little River Falls and back in a loop is easily manageable with young children. Enjoy!

Montgomery to Fort Payne is three hours but this can easily be longer. In good weather, you’ll likely want to stop and take photos through the scenic drive in Talladega National Forest. In bad weather, visibility will be lower and you’ll need to go slow on the fairly winding roads.

• Winston Place B&B l ooks like a museum from Gone with the Wind, set in an antebellum neoclassical mansion in the small town of Mentone. It’s no surprise that it’s on the National Register of Historic Places, with its white columns, spacious verandah and grand lawn out front. Inside, rooms keep the historic ambiance, with fireplaces, floral furniture, lace edged tablecloths and more. Yet you get all the modern comforts you’d expect, plus access to a washing machine. Breakfast is a full southern experience, with everything from pancakes to grits with fresh coffee.

If the weather is good and you love to hike, then you could spend days on end here. If you would just like a taste of the place and are likely to hit bad weather, then one night will work nicely.

• Vintage 1889 in Fort Payne – lunch on raspberry chicken and flatbread tomato pie in this quirky 125 year old historic Big Mill. Kids will love the life size fire engine that sticks out of the wall. Adults will love the antique trinkets, posters and memorabilia.
• Elevation Bistro in Mentone – chic and candlelit, Elevation Bistro serves top quality fare with locally sourced ingredients taking on far off dishes like French onion soup and sundried tomato and mozzarella balls.
• Hiking through forests and waterfalls in Little River Canyon.
• Touring one of the largest underground cave systems in the world at Cathedral Caverns State Park.
• Pausing at the Trail of Tears in remembrance of the Native Americans forced from this land.
• Driving along the edge of a canyon and perching on rocky outcrops on part of the Lookout Mountain Parkway.

Look out for Park Rangers in the beautiful State Parks. They are on duty to help out and are incredibly knowledgable about the local area. Look out for Kaleb, in particular, say hi from this article and check that he took the chair back to Winston Place B&B. He’ll know what it means ;-)

Looking at rockets in the Huntsville Space Center

Huntsville: Rocket City

Rocket City wants you to have a blast. Yes, it’s the city of dad jokes and home to the largest space museum on earth. If driving along Clinton Avenue and seeing the tip of a 36 storey Saturn V moon rocket rising into the sky like a spire doesn’t shiver your space timbers, then it’s quite possible that you have timbers that cannot be shivered.

As the site of America’s first ever satellite launch, Huntsville has quite the reputation as the tech powerhouse of Alabama. The city itself is expanding faster than expected and you’ll find over 100 different languages and dialects within the city limits.

Yet Huntsville also has time to slow down and play. Its 112 acres of Botanical Gardens offer nature’s answer to tech: transformed over Christmas into a Galaxy of Lights.

And if you haven’t yet had your fill of neoclassical southern mansions yet, then a ride through Huntsville’s historical district will give another glimpse into the architecture of another age.

Most of all, though, make sure you leave enough time to fully explore the space museum. Even if a tip like that is not really rocket science (boom!) it is out of this world (double boom!)

Practical Tips for Huntsville

Around a third of the exhibits at the space museum are outside, and some of the rides will be awkward if you’re wearing a skirt. Plan for that with your packing and when you get dressed in the morning!

From Mentone in the Appalachian Mountains to Huntsville is around one hour and a half, one of the shortest drives on this trip.

• The Springhill Suites from Marriott in Downtown Huntsville form a convenient base for catching your breath in between the Space Center and the next stop in Birmingham. Parking is on site, breakfast is a quick grab and go and you’ll find a self-operated laundry to catch up with what you need to do on your road trip.

Space enthusiasts should leave a whole day to explore US Space and Rocket Center, meaning that you need two nights if you want to see anything else.

• Rhythm on Monroe – a fun place to pick up a Honky Tonk Whiskey Woman cocktail, some stylish shrimp & grits or biscuits and gravy and a grilled cheese sandwich for the little ones.
• Stovehouse – a former factory now converted into a cool urban leisure area, with outdoor dining from a range of eateries, a children’s play area and music drifting into the night. Follow the sign that says no firearms and only moderate, not excessive, horsejackery.
• The US Space and Rocket Center with its moondust, real relics, interactive exhibits and gravity defying rides.
• Historic Huntsville – stroll or drive through this beautiful neighbourhood of period properties or else attend an event run by the Historic Huntsville Foundation.
• Huntsville Botanical Gardens   – 112 acres of earth education and greenery. We were in town for the festive extravaganza, the Galaxy of Lights night show.
• Leave yourself plenty of time for the US Space and Rocket Center. It’s the largest place of its kind on earth, and you’ll need at least half a day if not more.

Pit Stop in Decatur: Natural History and Big Bob’s BBQ

For another taste of life in Albama, make a stop in Decatur, just south of Huntsville.

A Local Landmark: Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ

Where to Eat: Big Bob’s

Big Bob Gibson’s is the only name in town, with a big smokehouse out back ready to barbecue just about any kind of meat. We arrived at lunchtime, amid a working, check-shirted crowd, with barely a table free.

Big Bob’s is famous for a number of things, most notably their white barbecue sauce, a mayonnaise based tangy sauce with paprika, mustard and a dash of garlic.

What to See: Alabama’s Biodiversity

The Cook Museum of Natural Science is an absolute must see for the kids but if you’re new to Alabama, I’d recommend a visit for adults as well. Through fresh and imaginative interactive exhibits, you can not only get up to speed with tides, gemstones and the latest on the solar system, but you get an appreciation of Alabama’s biodiversity as well.

For, somewhat surprisingly, Alabama is America’s Amazon , an area with more species than anywhere else in the country.

Get up close with turtles and alligators, learn more about Alabama’s complex cave systems and stand eye to eye with the local black bears (yes, bears!)

Finally, leave inspired by both the story and the mission of the place. The Cook began life as a collection of bugs in a pest control company. The owner used his collection to train new recruits. Over time, staff brought their children to see the collections and from there, the spark of an idea for a museum was born.

The museum has an ethos as well: life is amazing. The first gallery prompts you to “look closer” and it’s another way for Alabama to invite you to think a little deeper, reach higher and get more out of each and every single day.

Don’t miss the pecan pie at Big Bob’s.

Birmingham by name, Birmingham by nature. Unlike so many cities in the world, Birmingham was built by design and built without basing itself around a river. Instead, in the mid 19th century, a group of industrialists decided to create an industrial city in the middle of Alabama, using the railroad instead of the waterways to connect it to the world. And so they did.

The Vulcan Centre, high on a vertiginous plain that overlooks the city, offers an appropriately severe introduction to the city. First, there is the giant himself, Vulcan. Bare bottomed and wielding tools that use fire to bend metal, his presence is a cross between a threat and a welcome to residents and visitors alike.

Then, there is the Vulcan Center, an introduction to the place as much as the man, charting the arrival of workers, from the recently emancipated plantation workers to Italian and Jewish immigrants desperate to start a new life. The museum covers the construction of this behemoth sculpture (the foot stands taller than a man) and the uniting force of Baseball.

But it is for civil rights that most people know the name Birmingham, Alabama, and not, it is fair to say, for all the best reasons.

Birmingham Civil Rights Monuments

Clustered together, just half a mile from the historic Tutwiler hotel, lie a trinity of core Civil Rights landmarks. The erudite Birmingham Civil Rights Institute , the evocative Kelly Ingram Park and the heartbreaking story of the 16th Street Baptist Church.

It was within these walls on 15th September 1963 when four girls were preparing for Sunday school, that Ku Klux Klan terrorists bombed the church and stole their lives. The scripture they were studying at the time was this:

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Matthew 5:44.

Practical Tips for Birmingham

In practical terms, Birmingham is an emotionally tough though important place to visit. The three core places are close together so it is just about possible to visit all three in one morning, as we did, but I would recommend you leave yourself more time.

The tour through the 16th Street Baptist church is incredibly powerful and it feels rude to rush it. The BCRI is self-guided and the amount of time you will need depends on how much of the history you already know.

While in theory, you can walk around the Kelly Ingram park in minutes, the reality is that I needed time with those sculptures to try to sift through my heavy thoughts and emotions. It’s not a place to rush through, any more than a war or holocaust memorial.

On that note, look out for graphic depictions of lynchings in the BCRI and a graphic description of the bombing in the 16th Street Baptist Church. It’s a personal parental choice but I feel that both could be absolutely terrifying for very young children. I distracted Rosa through the audiovisual parts so that she has an overview of that history but doesn’t suffer from nightmares from something she cannot unsee.

As with so many parts of this Alabama road trip itinerary, I will be writing more about these topics in separate articles. Stay tuned and watch this space.

It’s another short drive of only around 90 minutes from Huntsville to Birmingham, a little longer if you take the detour to Decatur.

• A designated National Historic Landmark, the grand Tutwiler Hotel is now owned and run as part of the Hampton Inn & Suites under the Hilton umbrella. It’s only a 4 minute drive from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and has valet parking on site. It also has a waffle maker on the breakfast buffet options…

One is possible, two is ideal, since you won’t want to rush through the 16th Street Baptist Church and BCRI.

• Blueprint on 3rd – absolutely gorgeous Brasserie with historical Sloss Furnaces as a backdrop, industrial Art Deco decor and a fabulous fresh cocktail list.
• Pizitz Food Hall – something of a local landmark within reach of the BCRI with black and white floor tiles and a range of modern global food stalls.
• The Vulcan Statue that towers over the city and the museum that tells its story.
• The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute – an interpretive museum and research centre.
• Kelly Ingram Park – an outdoor park on the Civil Rights Trail with emotive sculptures.
• 16th Street Baptist Church – the site of an attack by the KKK which killed four young girls at Sunday school.

Try to time your visit to the Vulcan Center to align with sunset. It’s mesmerising to watch all the lights flicker into life across this impressive industrial city.

Monroe County Museum in Alabama

Monroeville and the Mockingbird

Between Birmingham and the coast lies a beautiful small town that seems somehow familiar. The layout of the streets. The shape of the courthouse. The song of the mockingbird?

Could this, could this just be Maycomb, Alabama, the fictional town from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird?

Why yes, Miss Maudie, it is.

Welcome to Monroeville, a small village and home to childhood friends Harper Lee and Truman Capote. And you can visit Monroe County Museum to learn more about them both.

The museum itself contains Capote’s blue glass souvenirs and crazy quilt coat, as well as a 1930s lawyer’s office, a home for Atticus Finch. But it’s the courtroom that stands out, as the original inspiration for both the book and the 1962 movie with Gregory Peck.

Practical Tips for Monroeville

The museum is small and you can easily zip in and out in between Birmingham and Gulf Shores on this Alabama Road Trip itinerary. But I really wish we’d stayed at least overnight.

Monroeville Main Street oozes with small town southern charm and you can follow a Mockingbird trail to piece together the likely Boo Radley house and school.

It’s a great place to visit with young children to introduce the concept of the justice system and with older ones to help them gain a deeper appreciation of the Mockingbird text.

• Read more about the town that inspired Maycomb here.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach bring a sense of lightness and hope to this Alabama Road Trip itinerary. Not just becuase days seem better at the beach and sunshine makes everyone feel better.

But because the place has managed to turn an environmental disaster into a success.

From Oil Disaster to Eco Success

In 2010, the largest marine oil spill in history took place as Deepwater Horizon slicked five million barrels of oil along the Gulf Coast after 11 people lost their lives on the rig. Traced back to reckless conduct on behalf of BP, the courts ordered the company to pay compensation to the tune of around 20 billion dollars.

When a slice of those funds arrived in Gulf Shores, a decision had to be made. Rebuild as normal? Or use the funds to truly rebuild better?

Landmark Eco Development

Gulf Shores decided to be bold and the result is one of the most genuinely eco-friendly resorts in the world. The Lodge by Hilton may not look as eco-pretty as you might expect but the credentials are sound. LEED Gold, SITES Platinum and FORTIFIED Commercial TM certification put the paperwork in order, making it the first building in the world to achieve that status.

Beyond that, the resort generates 110% of its electricity, meaning that it sells some back to the grid. It reuses water from air conditioning units, installed solar panels for power, made its windows bird strike friendly and developed amber lights that don’t disturb turtles. And more. The ins and outs of how this has been achieved deserves an article in its own right and believe me, I’ll be writing more about this.

Looking at Lake Shelby

Eco Pretty Eagle Cottages

And if you do want eco pretty, then Gulf Shores has that for you as well. We stayed in the stunning Eagle Cottages in Gulf State Park, overlooking the lapping shores of Lake Shelby. You’ll still see high rises if you lean forward and crane your neck. But sit back or cycle along the path and you could be miles from anywhere.

Eagle Cottages also have sustainability at the forefront of their mission, partnering with National Geographic’s Unique Lodges of the World initiative when it was in operation. From the cottages, you can attend lectures in the Learning Center and join a sustainability tour, as well as the more conventional hiking trips to learn about local plants and berries and track down bald eagles nesting.

Family friendly nature activities in Gulf State Park

Practical Tips for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach

When we visited in December, it was easy to get around and warm enough to eat outside or stroll around on the dunes without jackets. However, no one was in the sea and you wouldn’t want to lie around sunbathing.

On the flip side, apparently when the sunshine comes, so do the crowds and then you need to plan a little more strategically.

The Wharf in Orange Beach is a good place for restaurants and shops, while Gulf State Park is a great place to connect with nature.

From Birmingham to Gulf Shores is five hours on the road, longer if you take the detour to Monroeville for To Kill a Mockingbird. The drive is beautiful by day but tougher going by night, with risks of deer collisions as well. Consider yourself advised!

• The gorgeous Eagle Cottages in Gulf State Park. These stand-alone villas have views across the water, bicycles to ride around the park and a delicious welcoming basket of cheese, cured meats and honey. They’re part of a bigger eco project in Gulf Shores and provide a sense of getting away from it all. More about them later!

With white sand beaches and the lapping shores of Lake Shelby from Eagle Cottages, you could easily spend a week here to relax and recharge. Sit on the verandah for bird watching. Cycle through Gulf Shores State Park. Scrunch your toes on the sand and swim if it’s warm enough… But if you only have time for one night, then don’t skip this place. Head there and embrace the time you have!

• Villaggio Grille on The Wharf in Orange Beach brings a quality touch to modern dining, with a range of Italian dishes.
• Foodcraft at The Lodge in Gulf State Park features traditional American dishes like shrimp & grits with locally sourced ingredients and a calming sea and sand view.
• The white sand, sea views and dolphins at sunset.
• Lake Shelby views from Eagle Cottages.
• Bald eagles nesting in Gulf State Park.
• Forward thinking eco credentials.
• Leisure activities at The Wharf, Orange Beach.
• Take a nature trail from Eagle Cottages and look out for nesting bald eagles.

Self-drive and DIY or use a tour operator?

To be honest, either would work when planning a road trip through Alabama. The roads are easy, the language is easy, the booking systems are easy. You can definitely plan the components by yourself based on this itinerary and take care of the whole thing.

That said, tour operators do offer certain advantages. First of all, they can access cheaper deals, particularly with flights and car hire. And second of all, they keep up to date with the travel news while you are away.

For this trip, America As You Like It managed to find cheaper flights and car hire than I did (and I am a pro at finding deals after a decade of professional travel.) They also followed the changes in Covid restrictions while we were away, which was a huge relief and freed me up from spending hours squinting at my phone and making sure that I was up to date.

So, particularly in Covid times, I would recommend using a tour operator. Check out the Alabama itineraries from America As You Like It here.

Top: Shrimp & Grits. Bottom: Biscuits & Gravy

What to Eat in Alabama

An entire article awaits, but for now, here are the highlights:

• Shrimp & grits
• Beignets in Mobile
• White BBQ Sauce at Big Bob Gibson’s Barbecue
• Biscuits and gravy
• Fried green tomatoes
• Make your own waffles at a breakfast station
• Chicory coffee

Meeting Dorothy from the Freedom Riders Museum. People risked their lives to make travel through Alabama safe… Her message now is to come!

When to Visit Alabama

There’s never a bad time to visit Alabama but as the state has different regions (the tech north, cotton middle and swampy south) the best time of year depends on what you want to do. To help get your bearings, Alabama borders Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida and Mississippi. The highest point is Cheaha Mountain in Cheaha State Park.

The beaches in the south are hottest (and busiest) during June to September but pleasant to visit in December, though outdoor pools and a swim in the sea is pretty much out. The Appalachian mountains can be enjoyed year round with few extremes, but check the details if you wish to go rafting or spot certain wildlife. Lookout mountain looks stunning with autumn foliage.

For the civil rights sightseeing, both spring and autumn work well and winter is possible with a warm coat, hat and gloves.

Flights to Alabama

Alabama has a number of airports but the big international hubs lie just outside the state. We travelled in and out of New Orleans (MSY), driving a loop through the state of Alabama. You can follow the same approach from Atlanta, Georgia (ATL) or Nashville, Tennessee (BNA.)

A fun route for an Alabama Road Trip looks to be from New Orleans to Nashville or vice versa. However, bear in mind that you will have to pay a supplementary fee if you do not return your hire car to the same place you picked it up.

I’d always recommend looking for flights and routes on Skyscanner and also checking with a tour operator as they can sometimes access deals that consumers can’t. In our case, we used America As You Like It as a partner of this project.

Safety While Driving in Alabama

It’s pretty safe to drive in Alabama. Roads are in excellent condition, well signposted and with frequent fuel stations and rest breaks. Parking is easy since most places have their own car parks and even the winding roads in the mountains are missing some of the tight and fright-filled hairpin turns you’ll find in older European villages.

You do have to be careful driving at night away from the main roads, though, as deer can cause considerable damage on impact. We were generally advised to drive by day for this reason.  Plus, it’s more fun to see the landscapes change as you drive on by.

Is Alabama Safe for People of Colour?

Given Alabama’s prominent and painful very recent past, I was asked this question several times both before I set off and while we were on the road. Since the three of us all have pale skin, we can’t answer that question from a personal perspective.

But I did ask people we met along the way, which obviously is a limited sample. Everyone I spoke to, whether Black or White, seemed horrified by the question and confident that people of colour would receive just as warm a welcome as those with white skin.

No one said it was perfect, though. “No different to anywhere else in America,” was the general gist. “We can do better,” was the other.

To get some modern context, Alabama’s population currently stands at around 74% White & 24% Black, with the remaining 1-2% consisting of American Indian and Asian according to the 2010 Alabama census.

If you are worried about this, it may be worth you reading this article from the Yellowhammer news.

You can wear almost anything you like in Alabama…

What to Wear in Alabama

In general, Alabama has a fairly relaxed dress code for its residents and visitors, unless you’re talking about Mardi Gras when costumes matter a lot. The weather varies enormously, though, both throughout the year and throughout the state.

The south is sticky and tropical for most of the year, cooling off a little in December – February. Whereas, Birmingham and further north can get bitingly cold in winter, as can the peaks of the Appalachian Mountains. But you won’t find yourself hemmed in with snow as in Alaska.

Overall, I’d recommend packing a pair of long jeans and trousers, a combination of long and short sleeved tops, a sweater, blazer or jacket, hiking shoes and going out shoes and one or two dresses if that’s your thing.

What to Pack for Alabama

Whenever you travel anywhere, check out our Travel Toolbox © and ultimate travel packing list. And for an Alabama Road Trip, of course it makes sense to consult our list of road trip essentials here.  Beyond that, I’ll highlight the following:

• Reusable water bottle and travel cutlery to cut down on plastic.
• A travel adapter like this if your appliances are not from the US. 
• Sat Nav or an in car phone holder if you plan on using your phone for navigation. 
• Some plastic bags for rubbish. 
• Some road trip snacks (although food is very easy to come by on the road.)
• Comfy shoes for making the most of the important museums, trails and Downtown areas. 
• An open mind. Cheesy but true ;-)
• And, erm, stretchy waistbands. Food is tasty, plentiful and not all that light!

More on Travel in the United States

We love a good road trip through America. It’s such a fascinating country to drive through with so many different landscapes, stories, peoples and cultures.

Check out our American road trip itineraries:

• Your two week road trip from New Orleans
• A fly-drive itinerary for the west coast in Florida
• Driving Massachusetts: road trips from Boston
• Your perfect road trip through Alabama

Read more about Alabama here:

• Meet the real Maycomb from Harper Lee’s Mockingbird
• 101 Interesting facts about Alabama
• The beach in Alabama that is changing the world. Seriously.

And our useful prep guides here:

• The Travel Toolbox ©
• The international travel checklist you can print and download
• Your printable road trip checklist  PDF
• Our Road Trip Planner & Toolkit ©

Bookmark this road trip Alabama itinerary on Pinterest for later… 

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Our Fave Weekend Getaway : Foley, Alabama

Alabama Visitors’ Guide

Looking to explore the rich history of Alabama or enjoy a relaxing beach vacation? This Alabama Visitors’ Guide has you covered with everything you need to know about the best places to stay, eat, and play in the Yellowhammer State.

From fascinating museums to exciting Mardi Gras celebrations, there’s something for everyone in beautiful Alabama.

Table of Contents

Alabama’s French and Spanish Heritage

Alabama is a state with a rich French and Spanish heritage. Mobile, the state’s oldest city, was founded by French colonists in 1702. The city was later ruled by Spain for nearly 40 years. Today, Mobile is home to the oldest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States.

French and Spanish influences can also be seen in the architecture of many of Alabama’s historic buildings. The city’s unique history and culture have left their mark on its buildings. From the grandiose Cathedral to the pretty pastel Victorian houses, Alabama has a rich architectural heritage.

Native American Influence

Alabama is also home to a number of Native American tribes, including the Cherokee, Choctaw, and Creek. Visitors can learn about the state’s Native American history at the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission or the Moundville Archaeological Site.

Moundville is home to a number of ancient Native American mounds, and it was once the largest city in North America. Today, visitors can explore the mounds, visit a museum, and take part in educational programs.

Black History

Alabama has a long and rich history of African-American culture. Visitors can learn about this history at a number of sites, including the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site.

The state is also home to a number of famous African-American figures, including civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and musician Nat King Cole. Visitors can learn about their lives and contributions at the various museums and historical sites dedicated to them.

There is also a number of festivals and events that celebrate black culture, including the Alabama Black Heritage Festival, the Gospel Music Workshop of America, and the National Black Arts Festival.

A Vacation Guide to Alabama for Every Type of Traveler

Places to stay:.

When visiting Alabama, there are many great places to stay. In the heart of the state is Montgomery, the capital, which offers a variety of hotels and bed and breakfasts.

For a more laid-back experience, consider staying in one of the state’s coastal towns, such as Gulf Shores or Orange Beach. These towns are known for their beautiful beaches, restaurants, and shops.

If you’re looking for a more rustic experience, there are also several campgrounds located throughout Alabama. 

Places to eat:

In Alabama, be sure to check out these great places to eat!

In Birmingham, you can’t go wrong with the barbecue at Dreamland or the Southern cooking at Miss Myra’s. For a casual bite, try the burgers at Jack Brown’s or the pizzas at Fleetwood’s. And if you’re in the mood for something sweet, don’t miss the pies at Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen.

Down in Mobile, you’ll find excellent seafood at Wintzell’s Oyster House and superb steaks at Spot of Dinner.

On the beautiful Alabama Gulf Coast, be sure to visit The Hangout for lively fun and amazing seafood.

Things to do:

The state has a rich French and Spanish heritage, as well as a long history of Native and African-American culture. You can learn about these cultures at various museums and historical sites throughout the state.

Obviously, we can’t pack everything into this one post! So, pick your city and get to exploring!

Choose a Town or City to Visit:

Whether you’re interested in history, culture, or just a relaxing vacation, Alabama has something to offer everyone. So come on down and experience all that the Yellowhammer State has to offer!

• Downtown Mobile, AL

Have you visited Alabama? What are some of your favorite things to do in this state?

Let us know in the comments below!

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Huntsville/Madison County is a one-of-a-kind place that prides itself on its past and looks ahead to its future. Come visit an area steeped in warm, welcoming Southern hospitality and vibrant, bustling culture. Experience the beauty of Huntsville’s outdoor areas , the thrill of local sports teams , the bustle of Rocket City nightlife , our rich history  and a wide array of exciting art and entertainment  options.

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Plan Your Visit

When scoping out the best places to visit and the best things to do in Montgomery, Alabama, there’s no better resource than our Visitor Information Center. Our friendly team of local experts is here to help you make the most of your visit to our vibrant city. Call (334-262-0013) to get the inside scoop on local attractions, restaurants, lodging spots, and historic sites; learn about deals and discounts.

Our Visitor Information Center is open Monday–Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.  Our phone number is 334.262.0013.

To maximize your time in Montgomery, talk with our staff about your trip—include how long you’ll be visiting, which types of attractions you enjoy, and what your ideal dining experiences are—and we’ll be happy to put together a personalized plan just for you!

If you prefer to chart your own path, our Trip Builder tool is just the ticket! To craft your own customized itinerary, simply “heart”/love the locations and attractions you want to visit, and they’ll save to your list.

However, you choose to plan your adventure, our interactive map is a valuable tool to keep handy as you navigate the city. This cool feature makes it easy to learn more about the different areas in Montgomery and the unique experiences they each offer.

After you speak with our staff some great places to start your Montgomery Experience are, Riverwalk and Riverfront Park  or a ride on the Harriott II riverboat seeing the city from the Alabama River.  

Trip Ideas & Itineraries

Transportation.

8 free (or cheap) ways to entertain Alabama kids this summer

S chool is out and summer is here, which means if you’re a parent, you’ve likely heard two dreaded words — “I’m bored” — from your kids at least once already.

After all, while there are plenty of places to visit and things to see in Alabama that are just as much fun for adults as they are for kids, they aren’t exactly inexpensive.

So with that in mind, here’s a look at a few free or cheap places to visit throughout the state, from museums and carnivals to roadside attractions and more, that will keep your kids entertained all summer long.

Explore the Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Want to get your kids outside and away from their screens for a day? Birmingham Botanical Gardens is exactly where you need to be, as it offers a free place for kids to explore the natural world around them. The gardens consist of 67 acres and feature more than two dozen diverse spaces for families to enjoy together. There are also free programs you can join in on, including a weekly story time the gardens and guided tours. You can even take a self-guided field trip together, complete with a free discovery backpack and treasure map, during your visit.

READ MORE: It was named the “most peaceful attraction” in Alabama

Hop a ride at Kiddie Carnival

If you’ve got a kiddo that loves the rides at the fair, you might need to plan a trip to the Kiddie Carnival in Athens, Ala. The Athens Lions Club Kiddie Carnival, also known as the Kiddie Carnival, is a seasonal attraction open June 22 through July 29 that features rides especially designed for kids between the ages of 2 and 10, including a small Ferris wheel, rocket ships, carousel, train and more. There’s no admission fee, and each ride is 50 cents, making it a fun and inexpensive way for the whole family to spend an afternoon.

Get creative at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts

While the mostly silent halls of an art gallery may not seem like an ideal place to visit with a bunch of restless kids, The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts’ ArtWorks Interactive Gallery is designed to keep kids engaged with a variety of immersive displays, hands-on experiences and more. Be sure to check out the museum’s permanent collection as well, which coincides with the ArtWorks area, and take a walk through its outdoor sculpture garden too during your visit. There are also several free programs, including drop-in art workshops, offered regularly if your family is feeling inspired.

Have a beach day at Gulf State Park

Who doesn’t love a day at the beach? At Gulf State Park , your family can enjoy the sea and sand plus so much more without having to break the bank. In addition to relaxing or catching some waves at the beach, during a visit to Gulf State Park you can take a guided hike, hit the biking trails, drop a fishing line or make a stop at The Nature Center, which is a living museum of plants and animals native to the Gulf Coast region, for $2 per car. There are plenty of summer programs featuring hands-on experiences and more to take part in at the Learning Campus as well. Depending on when you go, The newly-renovated Gulf State Park Pier may also be reopened.

Check out Bamahenge

Alabama is full of unique roadside attractions worth detouring for, but Bamahenge might be the most popular. Located in Elberta, Ala., Bamahenge is an exact, full-size replica of Stonehenge — the prehistoric monument located in Wiltshire, England — making it the perfect way for kids to get some hands-on learning when it comes to history without having to spend a buck or cross any oceans. Bamahenge was made from fiberglass by artist Mark Cline in 2012 and has been attracting plenty of attention ever since despite being off the beaten path.

READ MORE: Where you can see Stonehenge replicas across the South

Find Dinosaurs in the Woods

If you decide on visiting Bamahenge, you might as well as check out a few more of Mark Cline’s creations that now serve as a unique roadside attraction in Elberta, Ala., as well. Located along the road leading to Barber Marina, Dinosaurs in the Woods consists of four fiberglass dinosaurs, a Brontosaurus, T. Rex, Stegosaurus and Triceratops, hidden among the trees. Just think of it as prehistoric scavenger hunt your kids will love, but be warned: the dinosaurs can be surprising tricky to spot — making the moment you do that much more exciting.

Check out the Alabama Department of Archives

Inside the Alabama Department of Archives is the Museum of Alabama, a free way to learn more about our state’s rich history through immersive displays, interactive exhibits and more. In the Hands-On Gallery and Grandma’s Attic section of the museum, kids can play dress up, participate in crafts and other hands-on activities with a wide range of themes, including space, nature and more. Don’t forget to check out the other exhibits at the museum, including “The Land of Alabama” and “Alabama Voices,” as well during your trip.

Head to the theaters

Looking for something to do with the kids that doesn’t involve being out in the heat? Premiere Cinemas, which has several locations in Alabama including a theater in Spanish Fort, Pell City, Gadsden and more, will be offering free screenings through June and July at select times on Wednesdays and Thursdays as part of its Summer Kids Fest . With popular flicks like “Trolls Band Together,” “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie” and “TMNT: Mutant Mayhem” on the roster, there’s bound to be a movie showing your kids won’t mind sitting still for.

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