[601halfdozen0theother]

I'm planning a road trip next Fall that will include several Southern states, including Alabama. I'll be coming into AL from TN, and leaving it going west into LA.

I'd love to hear what all of you think are the top ten things I MUST stop and see and do in AL!

Not much interested in cars or space or guns or barbecue. Very interested in history, architecture, and beautiful natural places. Enjoy camping and fun weird things. Will be taking my time, so not much interested in places on the interstates but very interested in places on the back roads.

Looking forward to your suggestions!

[clevergirl67]

Check out Athens AL and stay in a cabin on the lake or river. Muscle Shoals is nearby.

[RocketDawg]

1. Visit the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. It's about 15 miles west of I-65 on I-565. It's well worth the visit. Also could just drive around downtown and see Twickenham, an area of antebellum homes near downtown.

2. Lots of things to see in the Birmingham area.

3. Montgomery has some interesting sites - the Hank Williams museum; the Shakespeare facility on the west side of Montgomery.

4. Then on down to Mobile. There's a battleship that's pretty neat to see, and Bellingrath Gardens is really a beatiful place. Not sure when the azaleas bloom down there, but that's a good time to go. Mobile also has a decent art museum.

Leaving Mobile, take I-10 west through coastal Mississippi to Louisiana. If interested, there are casinos around the Biloxi, Mississippi area.

I'm sure there are plenty of other things that others can mention.

[EscAlaMike]

Originally Posted by 601halfdozen0theother

I'm planning a road trip next Fall that will include several Southern states, including Alabama. I'll be coming into AL from TN, and leaving it going west into LA.

I'd love to hear what all of you think are the top ten things I MUST stop and see and do in AL!

Not much interested in cars or space or guns or barbecue. Very interested in history, architecture, and beautiful natural places. Enjoy camping and fun weird things. Will be taking my time, so not much interested in places on the interstates but very interested in places on the back roads.

Looking forward to your suggestions!

Since you'll be becoming from TN, I'll start in the north:

For "fun weird things" check out Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman.

Bankhead National Forest just west of Cullman is a great place to camp and hike. It's particularly known for its waterfalls.

Birmingham has the civil rights history sites everyone knows about. Lesser known places worth a visit would include the Botanical Gardens and the stunning St. Paul's Cathedral.

If you have time (it's a little off the beaten path), Cheaha State Park is worth a visit. It's home to the highest elevation point in the state and has some great views.

I'll post some more later on...

[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by clevergirl67

Check out Athens AL and stay in a cabin on the lake or river. Muscle Shoals is nearby.

Muscle shoals Sound Studios. there is also a documentory out on it https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2492916/

[Threestep2]

Depending on how late in fall you are on the road you may want to consider Montgomery-Selma-Meridian. It is off the beaten path (old mercantile in Selma), sugar cane, prison farms, realistic plantation homes (some cared for, some ruins). A winding quit road with room for lots of reflection. We took it in a convertible and on bikes.
Check local radio stations all the way:>) You never know what you find from cattle auctions to divorce announcements.
Most important - have a good time!

[clevergirl67]

Originally Posted by Threestep2

Muscle shoals Sound Studios. there is also a documentory out on it https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2492916/

Yep! My husband used to live in Killen.

[MinivanDriver]

Birmingham? In addition to what's already been mentioned, the world's largest collection of motorcycle at the Barber Motorsports Museum. Even if you're not a gearhead, it's awe-inspiring.



Sloss Furnace is a national landmark, a great depiction of industrial history. And Vulcan up on the mountain.

[clevergirl67]

I second a trip to Sloss Furnaces if you make it out that way. A night tour is creepy as hell!

[EscAlaMike]

Originally Posted by EscAlaMike

I'll post some more later on...

Continuing southward from the Birmingham area, another "fun, weird" thing is in the pleasant college town of Montevallo, there's a city park called Orr Park in which a talented coal miner years ago carved whimsical faces and designs into a bunch of trees throughout the park. It's worth a stop to stretch your legs.

Montgomery has lots of historical sites including the First White House of the Confederacy, Dexter Ave. Baptist Church where MLK, Jr. served as pastor, the Rosa Parks Museum, etc. It's also home to the historic Oakwood Cemetery where Hank Williams is buried and inspired the country song "Midnight in Montgomery" by Alan Jackson. There's also a Hank Williams Museum. Goat Haus is a really unique place to grab an adult beverage if you're so inclined, but they host a lot of private events so it may or may not be open for walk-ins whenever you're there. You can also check out Old Alabama Town right in the heart of Montgomery which is a whole "village" of preserved 19th century buildings and homes. Montgomery has some great architecture all around, particularly down Commerce St. and the Riverwalk.

If you decide to venture east of Montgomery, there's Tuskegee with its famous institute and sites associated with Booker T. Washington and the Tuskegee Airmen. If you visit Auburn, I'd recommend the Davis Arboretum on AU's campus and the iconic Samford Hall which is a gorgeous building.

If you decide to go west of Montgomery, Selma has the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge and other civil rights-related sites. South of Selma is Old Cahawba Archaeological Park which is the ghost town of Alabama's first state capital.

Heading south out of the Montgomery area, I'd recommend checking out this site which lists dozens of historic and significant sites in Southwest Alabama between Montgomery and Mobile and see if any pique your interest: Rural SW Alabama.

For architecture in particular, Belleville Ave. in Brewton has a long row of fantastic turn-of-the-century homes built with timber money.

I'll list some places of note in Baldwin and Mobile counties in my next post...