Day Trippin' › Alabama
101 places worth the drive, from Gulf Shores and Mobile to the civil rights trail, the Birmingham hills and the canyons and caves of the north, region by region, plus places to eat, stay and catch a movie. Want to know what's within 2 hours of home?
Enter your ZIPWildlife · Baldwin County
The former 5 Rivers center on the Causeway reopened in 2026 under the Alabama Wildlife Federation. A gateway to the Mobile-Tensaw Delta with exhibits and delta access.
Museum · Mobile County
Home of Clotilda: The Exhibition, telling the story of the last known slave ship to reach the U.S. and the community its survivors founded.
Aquarium · Mobile County
A hands-on aquarium about Mobile Bay, the delta and the Gulf, with a touch pool and a boardwalk. Run by the state's marine science lab.
Zoo · Baldwin County
A friendly coastal zoo with big cats, bears, primates and close-up animal encounters. A good fit for younger kids.
Garden · Mobile County
A 1930s estate on the Fowl River with big formal gardens, azaleas in spring and a famous holiday lights show. The historic home is open for tours.
Wildlife · Baldwin County
Wild dunes, pine woods and quiet beach on the Fort Morgan peninsula with several short trails. A calm break from the busy beaches.
Island · Mobile County
A laid-back barrier island at the mouth of Mobile Bay with public beaches, a historic fort, great birding and fresh seafood. Reached by bridge or the Mobile Bay ferry.
Wildlife · Mobile County
A 164-acre maritime forest, marsh and dune preserve with trails and a boardwalk to Gaillard Lake. One of the best spots in the state for spring bird migration.
Museum · Mobile County
Hands-on science exhibits and a digital dome theater in downtown Mobile. A strong rainy-day pick for kids.
Small town · Baldwin County
A walkable bayside town full of shops, flowers and cafes, with a municipal pier, rose garden and beach park at the end of Fairhope Avenue.
Historic site · Mobile County
A Civil War era fort on the east end of Dauphin Island with cannons, a blacksmith shop and views across the mouth of Mobile Bay.
Historic site · Baldwin County
A brick star fort at the tip of the Fort Morgan peninsula where the 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay played out. Tunnels, gun ramparts and a small museum.
Beach · Baldwin County
The main public beach at Gulf Place where Highway 59 ends, with white sand, lifeguard season and restaurants steps away.
State park · Baldwin County
Two miles of quiet Gulf beach plus Lake Shelby, a fishing and education pier, a nature center and a swimming pool. It is the big outdoor hub of the Alabama coast.
Historic site · Baldwin County
Civil War earthworks, giant live oaks and river trails on the site of the 1865 Battle of Fort Blakeley. Boat cruises and reenactments run some weekends.
Museum · Mobile County
Three centuries of Mobile history in the old Southern Market building downtown. Free on the first Sunday of each month.
Bike trail · Baldwin County
About 28 miles of paved trail winding through nine coastal habitats in Gulf State Park and on toward Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Great for an easy family bike ride.
State park · Baldwin County
A small park on the Mobile-Tensaw Delta with a long fishing pier and a boardwalk over the wetlands. Great sunset views over the bay.
Garden · Mobile County
Camellias, azaleas and a longleaf pine forest spread over a large garden in west Mobile. Quiet and shady.
Museum · Mobile County
Costumes, crowns and floats tell the story of Mobile's Mardi Gras, which is older than New Orleans'. Bright, fun and quick.
Theme park · Baldwin County
A resort park in Foley with family rides, a downtown of shops and food, and Tropic Falls, a big indoor water park with a retractable roof plus an outdoor wave pool.
Family fun · Baldwin County
A waterfront shopping and dining district in Orange Beach with a tall Ferris wheel, marina and summer concerts.
Museum · Mobile County
Walk the decks of a World War II battleship, climb into the submarine USS Drum and see aircraft in the pavilion. A top family stop on Mobile Bay.
Wildlife · Baldwin County
A free nature center with live animals and boardwalks through marsh, forest and a pitcher plant bog where Fish River meets Weeks Bay.
Wildlife · Montgomery County
A drive-thru safari south of Montgomery where giraffes, zebras and other animals walk right up to your car.
Historic site · Montgomery County
The 1851 Greek Revival capitol where the Confederacy was formed and the Selma to Montgomery march ended. Restored rooms and a grand rotunda.
State park · Choctaw County
A tiny, out-of-the-way park on the site of an old 1800s mineral spa, with walking trails and Black Belt birding.
State park · Marengo County
A small, quiet Black Belt park near Gallion with picnic pavilions and good birding during migration.
Historic site · Montgomery County
The home where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived while leading the Montgomery Bus Boycott, near the church where he preached.
Historic site · Dallas County
The bridge in Selma where marchers were beaten on Bloody Sunday in 1965. Walking across it is a moving experience.
Museum · Montgomery County
The old Greyhound station where the Freedom Riders were attacked in 1961, now a small museum with outdoor panels you can read any time.
Historic site · Marengo County
An ornate 1800s Greek Revival mansion in Demopolis, one of the finest in the South.
Museum · Montgomery County
Costumes, records and the 1952 Cadillac tied to country music legend Hank Williams, in his hometown.
Museum · Montgomery County
A free art museum set in Blount Cultural Park, with American art, a hands-on kids gallery and lakeside grounds.
Zoo · Montgomery County
A large zoo with animals from five continents, a train ride and the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum included with entry.
Historic site · Montgomery County
An outdoor memorial honoring thousands of victims of racial terror lynchings. Quiet, moving and unforgettable.
Historic site · Montgomery County
A collection of restored 1800s homes, shops, a schoolhouse and a tavern in downtown Montgomery. Walk through daily life of the past.
Historic site · Dallas County
The ghost town site of Alabama's first state capital, with ruins, old streets and river views where two rivers meet.
State park · Dallas County
A quiet park near Selma built around a 100-acre lake for fishing, paddling and swimming.
State park · Wilcox County
A lakeside park near Camden on Dannelly Reservoir, known for fishing and as a certified dark sky spot for stargazing.
Museum · Montgomery County
Troy University's museum at the spot where Rosa Parks was arrested in 1955, with a children's wing about the bus boycott.
Historic site · Lowndes County
The route of the 1965 voting rights march, with National Park Service centers in Selma and Lowndes County.
Museum · Montgomery County
A powerful museum on the history of slavery, lynching, segregation and mass incarceration in America, built on a site where enslaved people were once held.
Historic site · Macon County
Moton Field, where the first Black military pilots trained in World War II, with restored hangars and vintage planes.
Historic site · Macon County
The George Washington Carver Museum and The Oaks, home of Booker T. Washington, on the campus of Tuskegee University.
State park · Tallapoosa County
A big park on Lake Martin with a swim area, marina, boat rentals, trails and a zipline canopy tour.
Museum · Jefferson County
The world's largest motorcycle collection, stacked on five glass floors beside a racetrack. Amazing even if you don't ride.
Garden · Jefferson County
Sixty-plus acres of themed gardens including a Japanese garden and a big conservatory. A local favorite.
Museum · Jefferson County
A moving museum on the Birmingham civil rights campaign, across from 16th Street Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park.
Historic site · Jefferson County
National Park Service sites in the Civil Rights District, including the A.G. Gaston Motel and 16th Street Baptist Church.
Museum · Jefferson County
A large art museum downtown with collections from around the world and a sculpture garden.
Zoo · Jefferson County
A large zoo with a children's zoo, carousel and animals from around the world. Glow Wild lights run in the holiday season.
State park · Tuscaloosa County
A 250-acre lake near Tuscaloosa with a swim beach and more than 23 miles of hiking and biking trails.
Museum · Jefferson County
Four floors of hands-on science, an aquarium area and a giant screen theater downtown.
Historic site · Hale County
Giant earthen mounds built by a Mississippian city about 800 years ago, with a museum of artifacts.
State park · Shelby County
Alabama's largest state park, with over 100 miles of trails, Peavine Falls, two swim beaches, a wildlife center and famous mountain biking.
Family fun · Jefferson County
A 19-acre green space downtown with lawns, ponds, trails and free events. A good spot for a picnic.
Hike · Jefferson County
A huge city park on the old iron ore mines of Red Mountain, with miles of trails, mine ruins and ropes and zipline adventures.
Cave · Blount County
Guided tours through a living cave about a mile long, plus a big pool fed by cave water.
Hike · Jefferson County
One of the largest urban nature preserves in the U.S., with forested trails, quarry views and a nature center.
Historic site · Jefferson County
A giant old iron-making plant turned into a museum, with towering furnaces and pipes you can walk among.
Historic site · Tuscaloosa County
Old stone iron furnaces, pioneer cabins, an iron museum and creek trails in the woods near McCalla.
Swimming · Jefferson County
A Pinson preserve with creek trails and a popular summer swimming hole at the falls.
Viewpoint · Jefferson County
The giant iron Vulcan statue on Red Mountain, with an observation tower and a museum on Birmingham's iron past. The best city view around.
Museum · Colbert County
Exhibits on Alabama music stars from country to soul to rock, in the music-rich Shoals.
Historic site · Madison County
A 1930s mansion, historic farm buildings, barnyard animals and trails on Monte Sano with big views.
Museum · Morgan County
A modern natural history museum in Decatur with live animals, coral, a climbing tree and a cafe.
Hike · Franklin County
A deep, mossy sandstone canyon with waterfalls and old hemlocks, famous for glowing Dismalites on night tours.
Garden · Madison County
A big garden with a butterfly house, children's garden and holiday lights, open all year.
Historic site · Colbert County
The birthplace of Helen Keller in Tuscumbia, with the famous water pump and an outdoor play of The Miracle Worker each summer.
State park · Lauderdale County
A resort park on Wheeler Lake near Rogersville with fishing, boating, trails and golf.
State park · Madison County
A mountaintop park above Huntsville with about 20 miles of hiking, 14 miles of biking, CCC cabins, a Japanese garden and fall views.
Historic site · Colbert County
The studio where the Rolling Stones and many soul and rock legends recorded. Guided tours share the stories.
Scenic drive · Colbert County
A 444-mile scenic parkway with no billboards. The Alabama stretch near the Shoals has quiet woods and river crossings.
Historic site · Lauderdale County
The only Frank Lloyd Wright house in Alabama, kept with its original furniture in Florence.
Museum · Madison County
NASA's official visitor center for the Marshall Space Flight Center, with a real Saturn V rocket, about 1,100 artifacts and a planetarium.
Wildlife · Morgan County
A big refuge near Decatur where thousands of sandhill cranes and some rare whooping cranes spend the winter.
State park · Marshall County
A hidden canyon on Sand Mountain with a big overlook, Point Rock views and over 15 miles of trails.
Cave · Marshall County
A cave with one of the widest entrances in the world and Goliath, a stalagmite about 45 feet tall. It stays about 60 degrees all year.
State park · Cleburne County
The highest point in Alabama at 2,407 feet, with rock overlooks, a lake, CCC history and access to the Pinhoti Trail.
Bike trail · Calhoun County
A paved rail trail from the Anniston area through Jacksonville and Piedmont toward Georgia, where it links to the Silver Comet.
State park · DeKalb County
Waterfalls, rock shelters and more than 35 miles of trails on Lookout Mountain, including 104-foot DeSoto Falls and an accessible boardwalk.
Museum · Talladega County
Race cars and racing history next to Talladega Superspeedway. A self-guided tour takes about an hour.
State park · Marshall County
A mountaintop park above Alabama's largest lake with 36 miles of trails, a beach, a zipline and winter eagle programs.
National park · DeKalb County
A deep canyon on top of Lookout Mountain with a scenic rim drive, overlooks, Little River Falls and spots for paddling and climbing.
Waterfall · Etowah County
A 90-foot waterfall in Gadsden with a gorge trail, a mini train and a pioneer village.
Hike · Coosa County
A long-distance trail through the Talladega National Forest that passes near Cheaha. Great day hikes along rocky ridges.
Historic site · Jackson County
A huge cave shelter used by people for over 10,000 years, with a museum and a boardwalk to the cave mouth.
Family fun · Jackson County
A huge store in Scottsboro that sells lost airline luggage and its contents. A quirky treasure hunt.
Springs · Barbour County
Two sandy-bottom pools fed by a clear spring that stays at 68 degrees all year. A classic Wiregrass summer swim.
State park · Lee County
A wooded park in Auburn with a small lake swim area, creeks, CCC stonework, and hiking and mountain bike trails.
Garden · Houston County
Fifty acres of themed gardens and woods on the north side of Dothan.
Wildlife · Barbour County
An 11,000-acre refuge along the Chattahoochee River north of Eufaula with great winter waterfowl and wading birds.
State park · Covington County
A park in Opp on 1,000-acre Lake Jackson with a boardwalk out to an island and more than 3 miles of walking trails.
Historic site · Tallapoosa County
The site of the 1814 battle that ended the Creek War, with a tour road, river views and trails.
Museum · Lee County
Auburn University's free art museum, with gardens and a lake on the grounds.
State park · Barbour County
A park on 45,000-acre Lake Eufaula known for bass fishing, boating, birding and swimming.
Historic site · Houston County
A 150-acre park in Dothan with an 1890s living history farm, a nature trail and an elevated boardwalk.
Historic site · Barbour County
A grand 1900s mansion in Eufaula, the centerpiece of a town full of historic homes and the spring Eufaula Pilgrimage.
Museum · Dale County
One of the largest collections of military helicopters in the world, on the Army's aviation post.
Museum · Houston County
A free art museum in downtown Dothan with rotating shows and a hands-on gallery for kids.
Southern · Auburn
A chef-driven Auburn restaurant that cooks with local Alabama farm food.
Diner · Auburn
The corner drugstore by Toomer's Corner, famous for fresh lemonade.
BBQ · Bessemer
A family-run Bessemer barbecue house famous for its hickory pork.
BBQ · Birmingham
Southside location of the famous rib joint.
Southern · Birmingham
A classic meat-and-three cafeteria line full of fresh vegetables.
Soul food · Birmingham
A small Avondale spot for pork and greens, fried chicken and smoked meats.
Southern · Florence
Elevated American food with Southern roots in downtown Florence.
Southern · Foley
Home of the throwed rolls, tossed across the room to your table, with big Southern plates.
Steakhouse · Fort Payne
Burgers and steaks in an old downtown Fort Payne building.
Seafood · Gulf Shores
A big, playful waterfront restaurant on the Intracoastal with a sand play area for kids and live music.
Seafood · Gulf Shores
A longtime Gulf Shores seafood house on the boardwalk by the bayou.
Southern · Guntersville
The lodge restaurant at Lake Guntersville State Park with big lake views.
Southern · Huntsville
Upscale Southern cooking on the courthouse square in an old cotton exchange building.
BBQ · Mobile
Mobile outpost of the famous Tuscaloosa rib house.
Breakfast · Mobile
A cozy downtown brunch spot across from Cathedral Square.
Seafood · Mobile
The original Dauphin Street oyster house, serving oysters fried, stewed or nude since the 1930s.
Diner · Montgomery
A downtown hot dog counter open since 1917, known for its chili sauce.
BBQ · Montgomery
Dreamland ribs and white bread near the Montgomery riverfront.
Seafood · Orange Beach
A casual local favorite for fried shrimp and oysters.
BBQ · Tuscaloosa
The original Dreamland, open since 1958. Ribs, sauce and white bread.
Brewery · Birmingham
Birmingham's oldest craft brewery, with a taproom by Regions Field.
Brewery · Gadsden
Gadsden's craft brewery and taproom with food.
Water park · Gulf Shores
A classic beach-town water park and amusement area.
Brewery · Huntsville
An old school campus now full of breweries, bars, food and event spaces.
Market · Huntsville
A huge old textile mill full of artist studios, galleries and shops you can wander.
Food hall · Huntsville
An old stove factory turned into a food garden with several kitchens, a bar and games.
Live music · Mobile
A beloved neighborhood bar and grill since 1946 with live music in the Oakleigh Garden District.
Comedy club · Mobile
A small downtown Mobile venue now hosting comedy, improv and film fests.
Tour · Muscle Shoals
The studio behind the Muscle Shoals sound, where soul legends cut their hits. Tours share the stories.
Movie theater · Birmingham
A 1927 movie palace that still shows classic films with sing-alongs and the Mighty Wurlitzer organ.
Movie theater · Birmingham
An indie cinema in the Pizitz Building run by the Sidewalk Film Festival.
Movie theater · Montgomery
Montgomery's historic art house cinema in Cloverdale.
Typical ticket prices from each theater's own site, with the date we checked; prices and showtimes change, so tap See showtimes for today's.
Hotel · Birmingham
A boutique hotel in the 1909 Empire Building downtown, with two dining spots.
State park cabins · Delta
Stone CCC cabins and A-frame chalets near the highest point in Alabama.
Campground · Eufaula
Camping on the shore of Lake Eufaula, a top bass fishing lake.
Hotel · Florence
Ten music-themed suites in an old downtown Florence building.
Lodge · Fort Payne
A mountain lodge in the woods of Lookout Mountain near the falls and trails.
Campground · Gulf Shores
A large campground near Lake Shelby with easy bike access to the beach.
Hotel · Gulf Shores
A 350-room beachfront Hilton inside Gulf State Park, steps from the trails and pier.
Lodge · Guntersville
A bluff-top lodge where nearly every room looks out over Lake Guntersville.
State park cabins · Huntsville
Rustic stone cabins, many built by the CCC in the 1930s, on top of Monte Sano.
Hotel · Mobile
A restored 1940 hotel downtown, an easy walk to Dauphin Street.
Resort · Montgomery
A casino resort hotel with golf on the east side of Montgomery.
Resort · Orange Beach
A beachfront resort in Orange Beach with several restaurants and a beach chair set per room.
State park cabins · Pelham
Cabins, camping and glamping in Alabama's largest state park, close to Birmingham.
Campground · Rogersville
Lakeside camping on Wheeler Lake with golf and trails nearby.
Hotel · Tuscaloosa
A hotel on the University of Alabama campus near Bryant-Denny Stadium.
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Facts checked against official sites; each spot shows when. Passes and hours change, so check before you go.