Canoeing down the Cahaba River in Helena, Alabama. JRainesWDE/iStock
Alabama is easily misunderstood. But its complex and fraught history shouldn’t obfuscate what this underrated state has become today, and its surprising diversity of landscapes, warm welcome and distinct culture make this an eye-opening adventure.
The rolling Appalachians piercing Alabama’s northeast form majestic hiking opportunities, while down south, the Gulf Coast is one of America’s most biodiverse corners.
Start with the Civil Rights Trail in Birmingham, but don’t forget to celebrate Mardi Gras in Mobile, watch football in Tuscaloosa, sample barbecue in Decatur, learn about space in Huntsville, go kayaking along the 5 Rivers Delta or follow one of the country’s least known wine trails.
There’s much to discover, so here’s a first-time guide to Alabama.
When should I go to Alabama?
Like much of the South, Alabama’s summers are sticky and humid with temperatures reaching into the 100s. If the humidity isn't your preference, try to avoid July and August and stick instead to the shoulder seasons, when the air is mercifully drier and the tourist crowds are smaller.
Spring and fall are both lovely. Fall – especially October for the most pleasant weather – has the added bonus of the passion of college football season and quieter white-sand beaches on Gulf Shores. Up north, this is also a good time for hiking in the Appalachians, and the fall colors are beautiful.
How much time should I spend in Alabama?
Alabama stretches 330 miles from north to south, and such is the diversity that you might want to consider ten days to two weeks here to soak up all of it. The major cities here aren’t particularly populous (Huntsville is the largest at 215,000), so you don’t need to dedicate huge amounts of time to them.
Instead, spend a day or two in each city or region before moving on. Or split up the trip and do Appalachian Alabama in one jaunt and come back later for Mobile and Gulf Shores at a separate time.
Is it easy to get in and around Alabama?
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is the state’s biggest airport, and its central location makes Birmingham a good place to begin a trip. If direct flights aren’t available, then you’ll probably need to connect via Atlanta, Nashville or Charlotte.
Amtrak’s daily Crescent route between New York and New Orleans stops in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, while the Mardi Gras Service route between New Orleans and Mobile opens in summer 2025.
Aside from the Appalachian northeast, Alabama’s landscape is fairly flat and easy to drive if you decide to rent a car. Huntsville and Mobile have compact walkable downtowns, though Birmingham is a little more spread out; however, taxis and rideshares are widespread and easily available. The Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) offers fixed route fares of $1.50 for adults, while the Airport Shuttle is $5.
Top things to do in Alabama
Follow the Civil Rights Trail
It’s impossible to understand modern Alabama, or America, without following the Civil Rights Trail.
Start at Kelly Ingram Park in Birmingham, where its poignant statues honor those who fought constantly against segregation and oppression. The Civil Rights Institute’s striking exhibitions don’t hold back, and its original segregation artifacts like separate sinks and cross-sections of buses are shocking in their visceral nature. Across the street, the 16th St Baptist Church is significant as the site of a bombing that killed four young girls in 1963. For a deeper understanding, take a walking tour with local historian and fountain of knowledge Barry McNealy.
Beyond Birmingham, the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma and the Rosa Parks Museum in the state capital Montgomery are equally significant sites. But don't miss fascinating smaller sites like the Freedom Riders National Monument in Anniston or the Scottsboro Boys Museum in Scottsboro.
Sample an underrated BBQ scene
It’s not as well-known as Texas or the Carolinas, but Alabama loves barbecue and even has its own distinct white sauce. Developed at the rustic Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur in 1925, its tangy peppery taste and vinegar-like texture can be drizzled to wonderful effect over pork and poultry.
Since opening in 1958, Dreamland Bar-B-Que has expanded to 10 locations across Alabama, and their iconic ribs, white bread and barbecue sauce are still cooking over 60 years later. Though well known for his epic Friday Fish Fry in Bessemer, Dwayne “Big Daddy” Thompson’s citrus-infused barbecue sauce is perfect for taking a taste of Alabama back home.
Attend the original Mardi Gras
Everyone knows about the rowdy New Orleans celebrations, but Mobile is the birthplace of America's Mardi Gras, which began in 1703. And over 300 years later, Mobile’s Mardi Gras continues to delight every February with a parade of live marching bands, kooky and colorful floats, and plenty of sweet king cake.
If you’re not in the city during parade season, then head over to the Mobile Carnival Museum, where you can learn about the history of Mobile’s Mardi Gras, discover the art of costume design and even try on a few bizarre hats and masks.
Soak up some serious sporting passion
You can spot emblems of Alabama’s football teams everywhere, from lower leg tattoos to car bumper stickers. And forget the NFL – college football is everything here. Whether you’re rooting for the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa or the Auburn Tigers in Auburn, a college game day in the fall – especially the Iron Bowl, when the Tide and the Tigers go head to head – is a huge celebration of a deeply Southern and localized love of gridiron.
But football isn’t the only sport in town. Motorsport is a huge deal, too, with weekends at the Tallageda Superspeedway a boisterous affair as NASCAR cars thunder around its 2.6-mile asphalt track. Check out the International Motorsports Hall of Fame for a closer look at the most iconic cars and drivers, including the slightly macabre “crash corner” which features tangled wrecks of crashed cars (that the drivers miraculously survived).
Back in Birmingham, the multi-floored Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum is the world’s largest motorcycle museum, and it backs onto a real track where riders often practice or race. The “Magic City” is also home to Rickwood Field, America’s oldest baseball park (opened in 1910). It has a small on-site museum telling the story of its days in the Negro Leagues, hosting the likes of Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays. Today, the Minor League Birmingham Barons draw crowds every spring and summer at Regions Field.
Check out a space program
Soaring toward the sky and visible for miles, the Saturn V rocket at Huntsville’s US Space & Rocket Center is perhaps emblematic of the popular city’s rise. (Huntsville is often cited as one of the best places to live in America.)
The city has had a space program since the 1960s, and with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center nearby, the Space & Rocket Center is full of fascinating permanent and revolving exhibitions on space travel (including one on how space food is prepared and eaten). The live performers in the planetarium and the gaudy full-size rockets outside (including a space shuttle with its boosters) make this a great family experience.
Watch wildlife on the Gulf
The pristine beaches of Gulf Shores in Alabama’s coastal south are seductive, but this is also one of the most biodiverse regions in the United States. With its meandering trails and serene lakes across 6000 acres, Gulf State Park is full of wildlife, including white-tailed deer, foxes, snapping turtles, alligators, ribbon snakes, tree frogs, otters and many more creatures.
If you look up, you might see pelicans gliding overhead in neat V formations or the harder-to-spot flame-red cardinals – 450 of America’s 1000 bird species either live or pass through Alabama. Dauphin Island is a particularly good spot on the Gulf Coast for birdwatching during spring migration, though you’ll need to catch a ferry from Fort Morgan (or make a very long round trip via Mobile).
Follow a fun-loving wine trail
Sitting within 75 miles of each other at the base of the southern Appalachians, Alabama’s friendly wineries are still in their infancy compared to famous regions like Napa and Sonoma. They’re even youthful compared to newer scenes like Virginia and Washington. But these stops don't fall short on fun.
The muscadine table wines and sweet fruit wines found at the likes of Jules J Berta Vineyards, Sipsey Vineyard and Winery, Wills Creek Winery and the Fruithurst Winery Co are all perfect for a warm weekend afternoon. Follow the official wine trail map to plan the best route.
Hike the Appalachians
Appalachian Alabama is a world away from the state’s vibrant cities and alluring southern shores.
Cheaha State Park is home to Cheaha Mountain, Alabama’s highest natural point at 2413ft (735m). Just over an hour east of Birmingham, there are plenty of trails to hike, from the simple Bald Rock Trail to the steeper and more challenging Lake Trail. And on the forested drive along the Skyway Motorway (State Route 281), make sure to stop at the Cheaha Scenic Lookout, where its multilayered widescreen scene really showcases the rugged beauty of this corner of Alabama.
Stop by a crazy store
Ever wondered what happens to uncollected lost luggage on an airline flight? Anything not claimed after 90 days ends up in arguably America’s strangest department store. Located on the outskirts of tiny Scottsboro, the Unclaimed Baggage Center is a smorgasbord of former belongings at cut prices.
There’s everything here from leather jackets and wedding dresses to cell phones and speaker systems. There’s even a small museum documenting some of the more bizarre items they’ve collected over the years, including a live rattlesnake and a replica suit of medieval armor.
My favorite thing to do in Alabama
Despite its dead eyes and seaweed-green snout poking menacingly above the still water, I wasn't too bothered about the presence of a nearby alligator hanging beneath the banks of southern Alabama's lazy river bayous. Maybe it was the motionlessness. Or possibly the evocative, biodiverse scene gliding by. I don't know. But the submerged statue of the 'gator only added to this seldom-visited landscape's mystique and charm.
The 5 Rivers Delta is 250,000 acres of scenic waterways, woods and wetlands, and kayaking its glassy surface was an unforgettable experience. Even better was heading to the rustic Bluegill Restaurant afterward, overlooking part of the delta. And although sampling their famous (and delicious) flaming oysters made me feel like something of a philistine, when in Rome as they say…
How much money do I need for Alabama?
Hostel room: $40
Basic room for two: $120
Coffee: $3.50
Sandwich: $5
Dinner for two: $70
Beer/pint at the bar: $7
Price of gas: around $2.80 per gallon
Where should I stay in Alabama?
You won’t find big-brand luxury hotels here, but then again, that would just feel weird. Huntsville’s 106 Jefferson and Mobile’s Battle House Renaissance are both examples of elegant boutique hotels whose understated luxury form arguably the finest offerings at either end of the state. And if you’re starting your trip in Birmingham, then the Elyton is an ornately decorated option that’s also conveniently near the Amtrak station.
Lake Guntersville is a picturesque corner of Alabama and any of the hotels near the waterside City Harbor development are great rural options. (Home2 Suites by Hilton Guntersville is an especially good budget choice.)
Gulf Shores on the coast is unsurprisingly more resort-oriented, and The Lodge at Gulf State Park is a fine spot for wildlife spotting and beach access.