13 Best Places to Visit in Alabama

Birmingham is Alabama state's largest city, located in north-central Alabama, and is packed with things to do, whether you're searching for family fun, a taste of history, or some outdoor inspiration.

You can't talk about Birmingham without mentioning its significance in the Civil Rights Movement. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute has a vast collection of oral histories.

The 16th Street Baptist Church and the Bethel Baptist Church, both of which were attacked during the Civil Rights Movement, are also on the Birmingham Civil Rights Trail.

Birmingham has several gems for collectors of well-preserved historical antiquities, like the 1927 Alabama Theatre, which has a Wurlitzer pipe organ. The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum contains the greatest collection of motorbikes in the United States (and probably the world), with over 500 motorcycles on exhibit.

Visit Birmingham's Railroad Park, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, or perhaps the Birmingham Zoo for some fresh air.

You also can be interested in: Top 5 Places Must See in Birmingham, Alabama

The Monte Sano State Park is located in northeastern Alabama, adjacent to the town of Huntsville, and is recognized for its pure air, stunning views, and a wide range of healthful outdoor activities.

There is a big serviced campsite and rustic stone self-catering cottages in addition to the Monte Sano Lodge (11 rustic cabins). People visit Monte Sano to explore the approximately 22 miles of hiking and mountain-biking routes, but there is also a huge children's playground and an 18-hole disc golf course.

When you need a break from nature, you may go to one of Huntsville's excellent museums.

When most people think of holiday activities in Alabama, they think of the Gulf of Mexico and beaches, but the interior areas and their distinct ecosystems are also worth exploring. Cheaha State Park, Alabama's oldest park, is a fantastic site to discover Alabama's hill country.

This almost 2,800-acre region is home to the state's highest peak, Cheaha Mountain (2,407 feet), and is rich in recreational activities. Camping, RVing, hiking, bicycling, and ATVing are all popular activities in the park.

Cheaha State Park also has a plethora of waterfalls just begging to be explored on a hot summer afternoon. The park borders the 392,567-acre Talladega National Forest, and numerous main trails connect the two places.

The park is an excellent weekend retreat from Birmingham or Atlanta. Those who do not want to camp can find lodging in historic lodges, A-frame chalets, and cabins.

Noccalula Falls is a beautiful 90-foot waterfall surrounded by the same-named park. It's one of the state's most frequented natural sites, and it's located near Gadsden, approximately an hour and a half's drive southeast of Huntsville. You can find there not only a wonderful waterfall but also caverns and a leisurely stroll through the Botanical Gardens.

Noccalula, according to folklore, preferred to plunge over the 90-foot falls on her wedding day rather than marry the affluent chief her father desired. At the falls that tumble into the Black Creek ravine, there's a nine-foot-tall monument of her. Following that, her father declared that the waterfall will always be associated with his daughter, and it has.

Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores is a popular destination for both campers and day visitors, with a range of facilities and more than two miles of white, sandy beaches.

Naturalists and rangers lead guided nature walks, wildlife encounters, fishing lessons, and other fun and informative events at the Nature Center. There are volleyball and tennis courts, a swimming pool, bicycle, kayak and paddle-board rentals, and guided Segway tours.

The park also has a championship golf course and 25 miles of paved walking paths that are also available to bicycles.

Tourists visiting Gulf State Park for the day may enjoy all of these attractions for a very modest vehicle admission charge.

Gulf Shores is a famous vacation resort. It's only 54 miles (87 kilometers) from Mobile and a great area to go ocean fishing, golf at two excellent courses, or watch dolphins.

Although the beaches are the major lure for a rising number of holidaymakers, plenty of other things keep the entire family entertained. You may try your hand at a range of water activities such as kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing, and parasailing and learn to scuba dive or surf. Back on land, you may explore several hiking and bike routes, or relive history by following the Mobile Bay Civil War Trail, which takes you to Fort Morgan, Fort Gaines, and other historic sites.

After nightfall, Gulf Shores is known for its nightlife, with various exciting beach bars such as Pink Tony, Tacky Jacks, and Flora-Bama, many of which include live music, some with stages right on the shore.

Dauphin Island, located just off the coast of Mobile, is a sanctuary for migrating birds from South America and one of the state's most underappreciated vacation locations.

This Alabama island is an animal lover's paradise. The Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary includes more than 150 acres of forests with a popular path system that leads walkers past a lake, dunes, marshes, and other natural features. It also lets you see alligators in the marshes and marine woods.

The Dauphin Island Sea Lab offers instructional events and a popular aquarium with estuary species. History aficionados should visit Fort Gaines, which is well-known for its role in the American Civil War Battle of Mobile Bay.

The Bankhead National Forest, which spans more than 181,000 acres in northwest Alabama, contains six recreation zones, each of which offers a distinct experience and a variety of activities.

The forest includes the Sipsey Wilderness, the state's biggest wilderness area, and one of Alabama's top attractions for visitors looking to get away from city life.

The Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River flows through the wilderness; the Sipsey Fork is Alabama's sole designated National Wild and Scenic River.

A plethora of hiking, bicycling, and horseback-riding routes run past waterfalls, gorges, sandstone cliffs, and wildflowers. With so many different settings to explore, it's no surprise that many visitors opt to camp overnight.

Have you known that one of the most interesting things to visit in Alabama is underground? Cathedral Caverns State Park, located in northeast Alabama, began in the 1950s as a tourist attraction known as Bat Cave. The cave is stunning features attract visitors all year.

The guided cave tour, which is approximately 1.5 miles round trip, is a must-do experience in this area. The origin of the caves' present name becomes clear as soon as tourists enter the 126-foot-wide and 25-foot-high entrance. Inside, more astounding figures await, such as Goliath, a 45-foot-tall, 243-foot-wide stalagmite that is one of the world's largest of its kind. The cave maintains a temperature of 60°F all year, allowing you to marvel at nature's amazing wonders in comfort.

Despite its name, the Little River Canyon National Preserve is the 15,288-acre preserve. It is located in northeast Alabama, near the Georgia border, in the Southern Appalachians.

The Little River, which originates in northwest Georgia, is said to be the longest river in the United States to run atop a mountain, in this case, Little Top Mountain.

A visit to Little River Canyon National Preserve would be incomplete without you spending some time watching the local fauna. Anglers may enjoy superb fly-fishing chances in the river, while hunters must be patient while seeking deer and turkeys. Birdwatchers will be in for a treat as well since the preserve is home to 142 different kinds of birds.

Kayaking, hiking, biking, and horseback riding are available in the Little River Canyon National Preserve.

Orange Beach is a popular tourist resort along the Gulf of Mexico's shoreline. Beachgoers may enjoy a 32-mile length of smooth white-sand beaches flanked by the turquoise waters of the Gulf. You can just soak up the sun or participate in water sports. You may go deep-sea fishing, have a romantic sunset cruise, or watch dolphins

At Orange Beach Waterfront Park, the outdoor pleasure continues. This beautiful park on Wolf Bay features paved walking pathways, plenty of picnic shelters, and a playground with swings, slides, and climbing structures. The Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail system consists of seven routes spread across six habitats. The paths snake through marshes and swamps, and visitors with keen eyes may spot deer, bobcats, and alligators.

Lake Martin is one of the largest manmade reservoirs in the United States, located in Tallapoosa. Swimming, fishing, boating, and waterskiing are all popular water sports and pastimes for vacationers. There are also golf and camping options nearby.

Every year, a variety of activities are held on or around the lake, including fishing contests, July 4th fireworks, music festivals, and boat parades.

The lake is studded with various tiny islands, many of which are popular with boaters during the summer. Swimmers, for example, go to Acapulco Rock Island, where they scale various levels of the rock before diving into the ocean. Goat Island, named after its resident goat family, is a popular among children.

Some of Alabama's most magnificent landscapes may be seen in and around DeSoto State Park in eastern Alabama, near Fort Payne. The park is known for its fragrant wildflowers and flowing waterfalls, including the 107-foot-high Desoto Falls, one of the state's largest, and Lodge Falls, Indian Falls, and Laurel Falls.

Little River Falls and Grace's High Falls, located in Little River Canyon National Reserve, are only 10 miles south of the park. Visitors can hire a kayak or canoe and go on a guided tour of the calm, flat-water portion immediately above DeSoto Falls.

With 25 miles of trails, the park is also popular for climbing, biking, and hiking. There are renovated campsites and cottages, chalets, primitive camping, and backcountry trekking sites if you wish to spend the night.