A land of rich history and natural beauty, Alabama is a destination loved by many. Known also as “Heart of Dixie”, this fascinating state with so many thought-provoking stories to tell charms visitors from all over the world. Whether they come here for the history, culture, music or the outdoors, they all fall in love with Alabama. And they have so many reasons to feel this way!
Once the heart of the American Civil Rights Movement and home to the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, the native land of music legends, like Nat King Cole and Hank Williams, and home to fabulous beaches on the Gulf of Mexico and rugged mountains and calm lakes, Alabama is the perfect family destination. The sights, landmarks and outdoor adventures will keep everyone entertained and happy with no time to get bored or complain, while the delicious Southern fare with slow-cooked hunks of barbecued meat and fresh crab will assure their complete satisfaction.
Dynamic Birmingham
It seems that all the cities in Alabama, even Birmingham, the largest of them all, have that small-town vibe created by friendly people, historical landmarks, and enchanting beauty. Birmingham is a dynamic city founded by bankers, railroad developers, and planters, with a booming economy and a variety of things to see and do. The city is home to 99 historic neighborhoods, ready to be explored.
However, the destination that attracts most tourists is undoubtedly the Barber Vintage Motorsports Park & Museum. More than 1,200 vintage and modern motorcycles and racing cars have found a home here, the oldest of them dating back to 1904. Outside awaits the 3.7-kilometer road course that hosts the Indy Grand Prix and several motorcycle races.
Legendary Montgomery
Montgomery is the Alabama city visitors love the most. This place has won the hearts of many people because this is where Martin Luther King Jr. made history. Flanked by rivers and lakes, the capital of Alabama is an attractive city, especially due to its past. Once the capital of the Confederacy and home to the first White House, Montgomery became the heart of the Civil Rights Movement.
Many landmarks remind visitors about its colossal importance in American history. Walk across the bridge where the Selma-to-Montgomery march began and visit King’s home to better understand this history page. The city is also home to the sixth largest Shakespeare Festival in the world and the Old Alabama Town that illustrates the city life back in the 1900s.
Lovely Huntsville
Past and present intertwine harmoniously in Huntsville. Beautiful antebellum architecture awaits to be admired on the city streets, while the museums abound in fascinating stories about time and space. The Redstone Rocket was developed in Huntsville back in the 1950s, and the city continues to have an important role in the space, technology and defense industries of today.
The lovely natural areas in the city are ideal for moments of relaxation, the Huntsville Botanical Garden delighting the public with a faerie of fields of flowers and dogwood lanes. The garden is home to a 9,000-square-foot nature center and the largest open-air butterfly house in the country.
Charming Mobile
If you want to go where it all started, visit Mobile, home to the first white settlement in what is now Alabama. Fort Condé was founded in 1711 by the French and, for eight years, it was the capital of the French colonial empire. Today we know it as Mobile, a Port City and the birthplace of the famous celebration of Mardi Gras. Charming visitors with tree-lined boulevards and beautiful historic architecture, Mobile is a vibrant city with a rich cultural scene.
Set along the Gulf of Mexico, this city houses the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, as well as lovely historic districts and homes, interesting museums and the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center. If you drive along the Mobile Bay, you’ll discover picturesque small towns that emanate the authentic Alabama charm.
Glorious beach life
Thirty-two miles of beaches await south of Mobile, across the bay. Gulf Shores is protected by several preserves and state parks and for good reasons. The white, sugar-sand beaches are idyllic destinations for long days spent in the sun while the beach resorts in the area await guests with pampering SPA treatments and body and mind relaxation packages.
For surreal sunsets and delicious seafood served at waterfront restaurants head to Fairhope, a town situated on the bluffs of the eastern shore of the bay. Perfect for outdoor activities, like biking, tennis, golfing and fishing, this destination is often a great base for many tourists who visit Alabama. Near Fairhope, you’ll find the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, where a variety of fish and crustaceans have found a home.
There are indeed many lovely beaches in Mobile Bay, but also numerous fascinating sights, like the Dauphin Island bird sanctuary, Fort Gaines, a very important location in the Civil War, and Fort Morgan on Pleasure Island that can be reached by ferry.
Alabama is alive and vibrant, relaxing and fun, interesting and intriguing. And this is an irresistible blend for any traveler!
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