Day Trippin' › Alabama › From Birmingham › Best beaches and lakes
Our picks for the best beaches and lakes within 3 hours of Birmingham: 32 places, 1 under an hour away, 10 between 1 and 2 hours and 21 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 35203.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, 27 min northeast of Birmingham.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Richard A. Weaver, CC BY-SA 4.0
#1 · National park · 1 hr 56 min northeast
A deep canyon on top of Lookout Mountain with a scenic rim drive, overlooks, Little River Falls and spots for paddling and climbing.
Heads-up: Pets on a 6-foot leash. Swift water and cliffs; swimming can be dangerous.
Photo: Thomsonmg2000, CC0
#2 · Garden · 2 hr 38 min east
A big garden resort with a butterfly house, a lake beach, a chapel and a 10-mile bike trail.
Heads-up: Beach open in summer only. No strollers in the butterfly center.
Photo: Ryan Cragun, Public domain
#3 · State park · 1 hr 26 min east
The highest point in Alabama at 2,407 feet, with rock overlooks, a lake, CCC history and access to the Pinhoti Trail.
Heads-up: The old hotel was torn down; a new one is planned. Dog park on site.
Photo: Ralph Daily from Birmingham, United States, CC BY 2.0
#4 · Museum · 1 hr 33 min southeast
A free art museum set in Blount Cultural Park, with American art, a hands-on kids gallery and lakeside grounds.
Heads-up: Guided tours are not included in free entry. Park grounds open dawn to dusk.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region, Public domain
#5 · Wildlife · 2 hr 37 min west
Big refuge near Starkville spread over three counties, with lakes and hiking trails.
Heads-up: Hunting seasons apply in parts of the refuge.
Photo: Drmies, CC BY-SA 4.0
#6 · Springs · 2 hr 53 min southeast
Two sandy-bottom pools fed by a clear spring that stays at 68 degrees all year. A classic Wiregrass summer swim.
Heads-up: Gate closes one hour before the park. Summer is the busiest time.
Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 4.0
#7 · State park · 2 hr 53 min northwest
Lake park near Holly Springs with camping.
Heads-up: Check MDWFP for current conditions.
Photo: Mike Kachline, CC BY-SA 3.0
#8 · State park · 3 hr southwest
CCC-built park on Shadow Lake by Bienville National Forest, with kayak rentals, a pool slide and a scenic overlook.
Heads-up: Newly renovated in 2025. Pool and slide are seasonal.
Photo: Eric in SF, CC BY-SA 3.0
#9 · Swimming · 27 min northeast
A Pinson preserve with creek trails and a popular summer swimming hole at the falls.
Heads-up: Run by Jefferson County Greenways. Swim rules and crowd limits.
Photo: AJ4TBama, CC BY-SA 3.0
#10 · State park · 1 hr 17 min west
A 250-acre lake near Tuscaloosa with a swim beach and more than 23 miles of hiking and biking trails.
Heads-up: Swim beach season.
Photo: Milt Reynolds, CC BY-SA 4.0
#11 · State park · 1 hr 24 min southeast
A big park on Lake Martin with a swim area, marina, boat rentals, trails and a zipline canopy tour.
Heads-up: Summer weekends get busy. Zipline costs extra.
Photo: benuski from Richmond, VA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
#12 · State park · 1 hr 38 min northeast
A mountaintop park above Alabama's largest lake with 36 miles of trails, a beach, a zipline and winter eagle programs.
Heads-up: Lodge and restaurant on site. Zipline costs extra.
Photo: Robert Nunnally from Allen, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0
#13 · State park · 1 hr 54 min north
A resort park on Wheeler Lake near Rogersville with fishing, boating, trails and golf.
Heads-up: Fees.
Photo: Josh Hallett from Winter Haven, FL, USA, CC BY 2.0
#14 · Museum · 1 hr 55 min southeast
Auburn University's free art museum, with gardens and a lake on the grounds.
Heads-up: Hours vary by day.
Photo: Knizzle17 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
#15 · State park · 1 hr 59 min southeast
A wooded park in Auburn with a small lake swim area, creeks, CCC stonework, and hiking and mountain bike trails.
Heads-up: Swim season. Trails get busy on football weekends.
Paul Grist State Park (1 hr 34 min), Tombigbee State Park (2 hr 3 min), Lake Lowndes State Park (2 hr 4 min), Bonita Lakes Park (2 hr 7 min), Clarkco State Park (2 hr 28 min), Red Top Mountain State Park (2 hr 29 min), Stone Mountain Park (2 hr 33 min), Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (2 hr 35 min), J.P. Coleman State Park (2 hr 35 min), Roland Cooper State Park (2 hr 36 min), F.D. Roosevelt State Park (2 hr 40 min), Lakepoint State Park (2 hr 49 min), Florence Marina State Park (2 hr 56 min), Frank Jackson State Park (2 hr 56 min), High Falls State Park (2 hr 58 min), Lake Lanier Islands (2 hr 58 min), Hard Labor Creek State Park (2 hr 59 min)
Our top picks are Little River Canyon National Preserve (1 hr 56 min), Callaway Gardens (2 hr 38 min), Cheaha State Park (1 hr 26 min), Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts (1 hr 33 min) and Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge (2 hr 37 min). The page lists 32 places in all.
32: 1 under an hour away, 10 between 1 and 2 hours and 21 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 35203.
Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, about 27 min northeast of Birmingham.
3 need no pass or fee, including Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art and Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge. Fees change, so check each place.
28 of the 32 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.