Historic site · 50 min west
Edmund Pettus Bridge
The bridge in Selma where marchers were beaten on Bloody Sunday in 1965. Walking across it is a moving experience.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Day Trippin' › Alabama › From Montgomery
Day trips from Montgomery
From Montgomery, the Legacy Museum, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the Rosa Parks Museum and the Capitol are minutes away, the Montgomery Zoo under 10, the Tuskegee Airmen site about 40, and Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge about 50. The best day trips from Montgomery, by drive time.
147 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Montgomery
- Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site 39 min east
- Chewacla State Park 49 min east
- Edmund Pettus Bridge 50 min west
- Birmingham Civil Rights Institute 1 hr 20 min north
- Blue Springs State Park 1 hr 33 min southeast
- Callaway Gardens 1 hr 36 min east
- Providence Canyon State Park 1 hr 59 min east
- Georgia Aquarium 2 hr 26 min northeast
- U.S. Space & Rocket Center 2 hr 45 min north
- Bellingrath Gardens and Home 2 hr 58 min southwest
Within an hour from Montgomery 5 spots
State park · 49 min east
Chewacla State Park
A wooded park in Auburn with a small lake swim area, creeks, CCC stonework, and hiking and mountain bike trails.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- Alabama State Parks fee (check)
Historic site · 39 min east
Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
Moton Field, where the first Black military pilots trained in World War II, with restored hangars and vintage planes.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Wed-Sat 9 am-4:30 pm (check)
- Free
Historic site · 41 min east
Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site
The George Washington Carver Museum and The Oaks, home of Booker T. Washington, on the campus of Tuskegee University.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Carver Museum Mon-Sat 9 am-4:30 pm; The Oaks Tue-Thu (check)
- Free
Museum · 51 min east
Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art
Auburn University's free art museum, with gardens and a lake on the grounds.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round (check hours)
- Free
1 to 2 hours from Montgomery 45 spots
State park · 1 hr 59 min east
Providence Canyon State Park
Colorful eroded canyons with rim and floor trails.
- 2-3 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round
- Georgia State Parks ParkPass $10 per vehicle (checked Nov 2026)
Garden · 1 hr 36 min east
Callaway Gardens
A big garden resort with a butterfly house, a lake beach, a chapel and a 10-mile bike trail.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- General admission (check)
Museum · 1 hr 20 min north
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
A moving museum on the Birmingham civil rights campaign, across from 16th Street Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Closed some days (check hours)
- Adults $15; students, seniors and military $13; 3rd grade and below free (check)
Springs · 1 hr 33 min southeast
Blue Springs State Park
Two sandy-bottom pools fed by a clear spring that stays at 68 degrees all year. A classic Wiregrass summer swim.
- Half day · Easy
- Mar-Sep 9 am-6 pm; Oct-Feb 8 am-4 pm
- $5 ages 12-61; $3 ages 4-11 and 62+
Bike trail · 1 hr 25 min east
Chattahoochee RiverWalk
A long paved river path through Columbus past urban whitewater.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Family fun · 1 hr 20 min north
Railroad Park
A 19-acre green space downtown with lawns, ponds, trails and free events. A good spot for a picnic.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Daily 7 am-11 pm
- Free
Zoo · 1 hr 23 min north
Birmingham Zoo
A large zoo with a children's zoo, carousel and animals from around the world. Glow Wild lights run in the holiday season.
- Half day · Easy
- Daily 9 am-4 pm
- Paid admission (check)
Museum · 1 hr 20 min north
McWane Science Center
Four floors of hands-on science, an aquarium area and a giant screen theater downtown.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Wed-Fri 9 am-5 pm; Sat 10 am-5 pm; Sun noon-5 pm; closed Mon-Tue
- Adults $20.95; kids $16.95
2 to 3 hours from Montgomery 88 spots
Aquarium · 2 hr 26 min northeast
Georgia Aquarium
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.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Timed tickets; pricing varies by date (check)
Museum · 2 hr 45 min north
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
NASA's official visitor center for the Marshall Space Flight Center, with a real Saturn V rocket, about 1,100 artifacts and a planetarium.
- Full day · Easy
- Daily 10 am-4 pm (from Nov 1, 2026)
- Paid admission (check)
Garden · 2 hr 58 min southwest
Bellingrath Gardens and Home
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.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; azaleas Mar-Apr; lights late Nov-early Jan
- Paid admission (check)
Family fun · 2 hr 42 min northeast
Stone Mountain Park
A giant granite dome with a walk-up trail, lake loops and family attractions on the east side of Atlanta. The summit views reach the city skyline.
- Half day · Moderate
- Year-round; attractions run on a seasonal schedule
- Parking fee; attraction tickets extra (check)
State park · 2 hr 8 min north
Cheaha State Park
The highest point in Alabama at 2,407 feet, with rock overlooks, a lake, CCC history and access to the Pinhoti Trail.
- Full day · Moderate
- Year-round; admission ends 30 min before sunset
- $5 ages 12+; $2 ages 4-11 and 62+; veterans free
Small town · 2 hr 34 min west
Meridian
Downtown full of museums, historic theaters, shops and breweries.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
State park · 2 hr 52 min west
Clarkco State Park
Lake park near Quitman.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Mississippi State Parks day-use fee (per person)
Bike trail · 2 hr 26 min northeast
Atlanta BeltLine
A paved rail trail loop project linking city parks, food halls and public art. The Eastside Trail is the busiest stretch.
- 1-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 36104 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.