Day Trippin' › Alabama › From Birmingham › Best wildlife spots
Our picks for the best wildlife spots within 3 hours of Birmingham: 14 places, 0 under an hour away, 4 between 1 and 2 hours and 10 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 Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, 1 hr 10 min north of Birmingham.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Diliff, CC BY 2.5
#1 · Aquarium · 2 hr 12 min east
One of the largest aquariums in the world, with whale sharks, manta rays, beluga whales and a dolphin show. Easy to pair with other downtown sights.
Heads-up: Buy timed tickets ahead. Dolphin and sea lion show seats are free but must be reserved on the day of your visit.
Photo: Chris Pruitt, CC BY-SA 3.0
#2 · Wildlife · 1 hr 10 min north
A big refuge near Decatur where thousands of sandhill cranes and some rare whooping cranes spend the winter.
Heads-up: Part of the Buckeye-Thorsen unit is closed Nov 15, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region, Public domain
#3 · 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: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain
#4 · Zoo · 1 hr 26 min south
A large zoo with animals from five continents, a train ride and the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum included with entry.
Heads-up: Admission includes the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum.
Photo: benuski from Richmond, VA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
#5 · 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: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided, Public domain
#6 · Zoo · 2 hr 6 min northwest
Bison herd and other animals on a big park in Tupelo, with tours.
Heads-up: Weather can affect hours. Tours extra.
Photo: Diliff, CC BY 2.5
#7 · Zoo · 2 hr 14 min east
A walkable city zoo in Grant Park with gorillas, elephants, giant pandas history and a kids' farm area.
Heads-up: Fall hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last entry 3:30 p.m. (checked Nov 2026). Rides cost extra.
Photo: Grant Gould, CC BY 3.0
#8 · Zoo · 2 hr 38 min east
A drive-thru safari park in Pine Mountain with a walkabout zoo.
Heads-up: Animals may lick car windows.
Photo: David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
#9 · State park · 2 hr 49 min southeast
A park on 45,000-acre Lake Eufaula known for bass fishing, boating, birding and swimming.
Heads-up: Marina 8 am-4 pm; picnic areas 8 am-6:30 pm.
Photo: muffinn from Worcester, UK, CC BY 2.0
#10 · Wildlife · 2 hr 31 min east
Riverside boardwalks, rescued birds of prey and gentle trails in Roswell.
Heads-up: Pets not allowed. Holiday lights need separate tickets.
#11 · State park · 2 hr 1 min southwest
A small, quiet Black Belt park near Gallion with picnic pavilions and good birding during migration.
Heads-up: Hunting areas are nearby, so wear bright colors in season.
#12 · Wildlife · 2 hr 51 min southeast
An 11,000-acre refuge along the Chattahoochee River north of Eufaula with great winter waterfowl and wading birds.
Heads-up: Hunting seasons apply in some areas. Trails and drives.
#13 · Wildlife · 2 hr 54 min northwest
Audubon nature center near Holly Springs with trails through fields and woods.
Heads-up: Check hours before visiting.
#14 · Wildlife · 1 hr 41 min south
A drive-thru safari south of Montgomery where giraffes, zebras and other animals walk right up to your car.
Heads-up: Last car admitted about an hour before close.
Our top picks are Georgia Aquarium (2 hr 12 min), Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge (1 hr 10 min), Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge (2 hr 37 min), Montgomery Zoo (1 hr 26 min) and Lake Guntersville State Park (1 hr 38 min). The page lists 14 places in all.
14: 0 under an hour away, 4 between 1 and 2 hours and 10 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 35203.
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, about 1 hr 10 min north of Birmingham.
2 need no pass or fee, including Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge and Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge. Fees change, so check each place.
10 of the 14 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.