National Parks – Get Stamped
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
Freedom Riders National Monument
Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
Little River Canyon National Preserve
Natchez Trace National Parkway – 444 miles through Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee
Russell Cave National Monument
Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site
Other National Sites
NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS
(Not mapped)
Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area – covering the 6 counties of Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone & Morgan — of the Tennessee River basin.
NATIONAL TRAILS AND BYWAYS
(not mapped)
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
There are over 1,300 Historic places in Alabama, some open to the public others not. Below you will find two links to aid you in researching them.
NPS’s National Register of Historic Places
Alabama’s Historical Commission National Register of Historic Places
Tip: Try googling Historic Places in _insert name here_ when visiting a particular town or county.
NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS
Not a complete list, all sights listed below are open to the public, check here for additional sites or updates. All sights listed below are open to public viewing.
USS Alabama (Spanish Fort) – tour a battleship, located in the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park.
Bottle Creek Site (Baldwin County) (Not Mapped, for more information click link or visit Historic Blakeley Park)
Bottle Creek is one of the most important prehistoric Native American sites in Alabama, second only to Moundville. Tours offered seasonally.
City Hall (Mobile) – Currently houses the History Museum of Mobile.
USS Drum (Spanish Fort) – Tour a submarine, located in the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. Be sure to ask about Stateside, the crew’s pet dog who served aboard the submarine.
First White House of the Confederacy (Montgomery) – travel through time as you walk through this fully furnished 1834 Italianized home. Was the executive residence of Confederate president Jefferson Davis and his family from February to May 1861, when Montgomery was the capital of the Confederacy. The Federal-style house was built by William Sayre, a lawyer and ancestor of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald. In the 1850s, owner Col. Edmond Harrison remodeled the home in the Italianate fashion that was then sweeping Alabama; it was he who leased the home to the Confederate government. After Alabama seceded from the Union on January 11, 1861, representatives from the other seceding states met in Montgomery to form a new government. The delegates to the constitutional convention named Jefferson Davis provisional president on February 9, and he was inaugurated on the portico of the Capitol on February 18, 1861. On February 21, the Provisional Congress authorized the lease of an executive mansion, furnished and staffed, for $5,000 a year. Davis’s wife, Varina Anne Howell, approved the house, and the couple entertained many important people at the house. After Fort Sumter was fired upon on April 12 and Virginia seceded on April 17, the Confederate government moved to Richmond, Virginia, on May 20 and remained there until the end of the Civil War.
Fort Mitchell (Russell County) – First established in the year 1812, near a horse path that allowed early white settlers to cross over Creek Land. These early settlers that traveled from Georgia to the Mississippi Territory had to travel this route, and this Fort was very active until the year 1840, when it was abounded. It was dedicated a National Historic Landmark in 1990 and has been reconstructed. The trail that it was located on become known as the Federal Road, and was named after the former Governor of Georgia. There are several exhibits for the visitor to see, in addition to the historic fort. Be sure to visit Chattahoochee Indian Heritage Center!
Fort Morgan: (Gulf Shores) – located on opposite sides of the Mobile Channel from Fort Gaines. These forts were built in the early 1800’s to protect the coastline, but during the Civil War they were used by the Confederate Army. They were used again in both World War I and World War II to protect our coastline, and are both preserved now as historic sites. They were both built as part of the Third System of Fortifications, which were built in the aftermath of the War of 1812
Foster Auditorium (Tuscaloosa) – Located on the University of Alabama campus. May not be able to see the inside but you can see the outside. Also on campus is the Alabama Museum of Natural History and a few other museums.
Gainswood Mansion (Demopolis) – constructed over an 18 year period (1843-1861). Owner and architect Nathan Bryan Whitfield produced a series of elaborate interior suites with domed ceilings. He adopted many details from popular architectural pattern books by Minard Lafever and others. A cotton planter, Whitfield is described as a Renaissance man. His family’s antebellum furnishings and remarkable decorative arts fill the Greek revival structure. was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1974.
Ivy Green (Tuscumbia) – The birthplace of Helen Keller.
Old Monroe County Courthouse (Monroe)
Montgomery Snagboat (Pickensville) – One of the last steam-powered sternwheelers to ply Southern rivers. Served U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, from 1926-1982. Restored to former operating appearance. Contains interpretive exhibits.
Moundville Site – contains the remains of one of the largest prehistoric Native American settlements in the United States. Once a thriving ceremonial and political center of Mississippian culture, the prehistoric Moundville site was occupied for more than three centuries until it was abandoned in the sixteenth century. The present-day park encompasses the original site, with its large earthen mounds arranged around an open plaza, the Jones Archaeological Museum with interpretive displays of artifacts, an archaeological research center, a nature trail, and camping facilities. Administered by the University of Alabama (UA) Museums.
Edmund Pettus Bridge (Selma) – Famous bridge, named after Edmund Winston Pettus, a former Confederate brigadier general and U.S. senator. Civil rights marches crossed this bridge and is on the Salma to Montgomery National Historic Trail.
Sloss Furnaces (Birmingham) – interpretive museum of industry and hosts a nationally recognized metal arts program. National Historic Landmark.
Swayne Hall, Talladega College (Talladega) -the oldest structure on the campus of Talladega College in Talladega. Completed in 1857 with the use of slave labor, the building originally housed a Baptist academy. Following the Civil War the Freedmen’s Bureau purchased the hall and it is named for Gen. Wager Swayne, the bureau’s assistant commissioner at the time..
U.S. Post Office and Courthouse – Frank M. Johnson Jr. Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse (Montgomery) – Civil rights decisions made by Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. in this Montgomery federal courthouse, seven blocks from the state Capitol, had significant impact on the segregationist South in the 1950s and 1960s. Johnson set standards in the region, and often the nation, that addressed voting rights, employment discrimination and affirmative action. He was instrumental in clearing the way for blacks to register to vote and outlawed poll taxes, rejected state laws barring women and blacks from jury service, and issued the country’s first court order for legislative reapportionment, anticipating the Supreme Court’s one-man, one-vote rule. After the arrest of Rosa Parks in 1955, Johnson struck down Montgomery’s bus-segregation law as unconstitutional. In 1965, he allowed Martin Luther King Jr. to lead a march from Selma to Montgomery to protest the denial of black voting rights. Local architect Frank Lockwood designed the five-story Italian Renaissance style building that bears Johnson’s name with a post office on the ground floor and federal courts upstairs. The most significant interior space, with its stenciled wood ceiling, is the second-floor U.S. District Courtroom where Johnson presided. The Government Services Administration added a radial annex to the south end and named the complex for the noted jurist.”
Wilson Dam (Colbert & Lauderdale Counties)- was originally constructed to provide hydroelectric power for the production of nitrates during World War I. It also made the river more navigable, provided energy for regional development, and created numerous recreational activities. Wilson Dam is the largest conventional hydroelectric power-generating facility in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) system.
National Natural Landmarks
Last updated 11/05/2021, only landmarks open accessible to general public are listed, for additional park info or updates check here.
Beaverdam Creek Swamp (near Belle Mina) – located within Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, is a prime tupelo gum swamp. Beaverdam Swamp Boardwalk trail crosses a swamp filled with some of the state’s largest water tupelo trees. Various species of frogs, turtles, small fish, snakes, and other reptiles and amphibians are often visible along the trail. Songbirds are common in the canopy as well. The one mile trail can be accessed from a Frontage Road located just off exit 7 on 1-565 traveling east towards Huntsville.
Cathedral Caverns ( Woodville) – located inside Cathedral Caverns State Park. The first feature most people notice about Cathedral Caverns is its massive entrance. The huge opening measures 126 feet wide and 25 feet high, a possible world record for commercial caves. The grand entrance is only the beginning. Inside the cavern are some of the most beautiful formations Mother Nature has ever created including “Goliath”- one of the largest stalagmites in the world measuring 45 feet tall and 243 feet in circumference. Cathedral Caverns features many amazing sites: a “caveman” perched atop a flowstone wall, a “frozen” waterfall, a large stalagmite forest and a most improbable stone formation – a stalagmite that is 27 feet tall and 3 inches wide!
Dismals (Phil Cambell) – Dismals are bioluminescent creatures we call Dismalites. These “glowworms” require a select habitat to survive and are unique to only a few places on Earth. They are “close cousins” of the rare glowworms found in Australia and New Zealand. Dismals can be found at night on the canyon floor of Dismals Canyon, a privately owned and operated nature preserve. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the sandstone gorge features two waterfalls and six natural bridges. A 1.5 mile hike along the creek will take you through the canyon floor. During the day the canyon offers beautiful scenery and past twilight the canyon lights up with Dismalites. Guided Night Tours allow visitors to see these unique insects. During the day you can take a self-guided tour of the canyon. A few campsites are available on sight, but they go quick. MUST MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR TOURS AND CAMPING! NPS pass not honored. TIP – Take redlight flashlight for night tour. Can DIY with cellophane and a rubber band.
Mobile-Tensaw River Bottomlands (Baldwin County, Mobile County and Washington County) – One of the most important wetlands in the nation. The site contains a variety of habitats, including mesic floodplains, freshwater swamps and brackish water marshes, and supports several rare and endangered species.
Red Mountain Expressway Cut – is 210-foot-deep, 1,640-foot-long highway cut created in a section of Red Mountain in the 1960s to form an expressway to spur suburban growth towards the south of Birmingham. The cut exposed an unusual combination of stratigraphic and structural features that record the geological development of this part of the Southern Appalachian fold belt during Paleozoic time. In one location, because the strata are tilted, exposed rocks represent a 150 million-year geological record along a distance of only 650 feet. Additionally, the exposed rocks contain a rare Silurian trilobite species. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1987 and is owned by the Alabama Department of Transportation. At one time there was a museum and a walkway, but both have since closed. Today the only way to view this landmark without tresspassing is by driving U.S. 31 south/U.S. 280 east approaching 21st Avenue and Vulcan Park. ( 33°29′46″N 86°47′17″W)
National Park Service Links
NPS Curiosity Kits – Curiosity Kits inspire exploration and learning of history through place. These multi-piece resources include articles that explore historic places and provide educational activities for life-long learners. Intended for use in informal settings, by families at home, interpreters in the field, or by curious armchair explorers, these kits provide interactive ways to engage with the past whether at home or in place.
NPS Stores
Military Bases & Rec Areas
(Military ID Required)
Aviation Training Center – USCG (Mobile) – Unknown
Anniston – USA (Bynum) – May or may not have exchange, no commissary but does have a shoppette. Many websites list info/reviews for
Desoto RV Park but no official info.
Fort Rucker – USA (Dale) – Commissary, Exchange, ITT, Army Aviation Museum, and Lake Tholocco Campground and RV Park (Golden Age Passport accepted= half price.
Lake Martin Recreation Area (Dadville) – RV sites, boat rental and cabins.
Maxwell/Gunter – USAF (Montgomery) – Commissary-Maxwell, Commissary-Gunter, Exchange, ITT and FamCamp
Redstone Arsenal (Huntsville) – Commissary, Exchange, IT&T, Easter Posey Campground plus a new RV Park.
Alabama State Parks
(Last updated 11/9/2021)
Bladon Springs State Park (Bladon Springs) – Managed by Choctaw County
Opened as a private spa in 1838, visitors traveled from all over the country for the “curing” properties of the park’s four mineral wells. In 1846, a large Greek Revival hotel was built. This health resort was once called the “Saratoga of the South” and remained open through the Civil War. The State of Alabama purchased the property in 1934 and converted the location to a state park. Offers limited camping, trails, playground.
Historic Blakeley State Park (Spanish Fork) – Managed by Historic Blakely Authority
3,800 acres along the Tensaw River. It is the largest site on the National Register of Historic Places east of the Mississippi River and preserves acreage that was important in Alabama’s Native American and Civil War history. The Park contains the majority of both the Confederate and Union lines that figured in the Battle of Fort Blakeley, making it one of the best preserved Civil War battlefields in the nation. It is one of only two “Class A” battlefields in Alabama, as designated by the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission, meaning the fighting that took place there played a decisive role in the determining the outcome of a major strategic objective of the war. Offers tent camping, rv sites, camping shelters, cabins, hiking, designated bike trail, tours and more. In partnership with 5 Rivers offer economical boat tours leaving the 5 Rivers Bartram Landing docks. Boat tours should be reserved in advance, check website for upcoming tours and more information.
Blue Springs State Park (Clio) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Fed by a crystal-clear underground spring, pumping 3,600 gallons of water per minute, the park’s dual octagonal sandy-bottomed pools are the center of attention in this 103-acre park . Primitive and modern camping, cabins, fishing, birding, pedal boats, playground, swimming, volleyball, trails and more.
Buck’s Pocket State Park (Grove Oak) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Located on Sand Mountain the park occupies 2,000 acres surrounding natural pocket of the Appalachian Mountain chain along South Sauty Creek. Known for the sweeping views of its rugged, untouched landscape provided from the heights of Point Rock. Offers primitive camping, rv sites, fishing, scenic overlook, trails, flora and fauna, birding and more.
Cathedral Caverns State Park (Woodville) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
The cave named because of its cathedral-like appearance. Massive entrance measures 126 feet wide and 25 feet high. Inside the cavern are some of the most beautiful formations Mother Nature has ever created including “Goliath”- one of the largest stalagmites in the world measuring 45 feet tall and 243 feet in circumference. Cathedral Caverns features many amazing sites: a “caveman” perched atop a flowstone wall, a “frozen” waterfall, a large stalagmite forest and a most improbable stone formation – a stalagmite that is 27 feet tall and 3 inches wide! Offers back country camping, primitive camping, rv sites, cabins, cave tour, gem mining, trails and more.
Cheaha State Park (Delta) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Located on the southernmost tip of the Appalachian mountain chain, Cheaha is the oldest state park in Alabama. Imagine 2,799 acres of quartzite boulders and ancient wind-warped trees at 2,407 feet above sea level, often above the clouds, surrounded by 392,567 acres of the Talladega National Forest including 7,245 acres of wilderness. The highest point in Alabama with breath taking views, surreal sunsets, waterfalls and more. Offers primitive camping, rv sites, cabins, hotel, dog park, driving tour, interpretive center, museums, playgrounds, restaurant, hiking, biking and more.
Chewacla State Park (Auburn) –Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Mountain Biking and Fishing Paradise! Mountain biking trails built by the Central Alabama Mountain Peddlers (CAMP). Visitors are likely to see squirrels, chipmunks, red fox, deer and turkeys; as well as unique rock formations and a variety of native flora and fauna. Offers primitive camping, rv sites, cabins, geocaching, mountain bike trails, multi-use trails and more.
Chickasaw State Park (Gallion) – Managed by Marengo County
520-acre roadside park perfect for family gatherings. Mostly a day use park but does offer 3 Primitive camping sites and 3 modern campsites to the public.
DeSoto State Park (Fort Payne) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Developed in the late 1930s, the hard-working and dedicated men of the CCC made many natural enhancements to the park which is nestled atop beautiful Lookout Mountain in scenic Northeast Alabama and accented by many rushing waterfalls, including DeSoto Falls, and fragrant wildflowers that will simply take your breath away. Offers backpacking campsites, primitive campsites, rv sites, cabins, motel, mountain chalets, fly fishing, geocaching, kayaking, yoga, mountain bike trails, hiking trails, museum and more.
Frank Jackson State Park (Opp) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Fishing is the main attraction at this park. Boat launch ramps and a grassy beach provide water access for boaters, paddlers and swimmers. Offers primitive camping, rv sites, camper cabins, fishing, playground, trails and more.
Gulf State Park (Gulf Shores) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Two miles of white sand beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. Offers primitive camping, RV sites, cottages, lodge, activity building, amphitheater, education building, learning campus, hiking, biking trails, birding and more.
Joe Wheeler State Park (Rogersville) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
A 2,550-acre resort park located on the shores of Wheeler Lake featuring waterfront lodge with restaurant, convention facilities, championship 18-hole golf course and clubhouse and a full service marina. Offers campground (???), lodge, cabin, cottages, golf, boat rentals, disc golf, fishing, sandy beach, tours, hiking trails, bike trail and more.
Lake Guntersville State Park (Guntersville) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
6,000 acres of natural woodlands located along the banks of the Tennessee River in Northeast Alabama. Offers tent camping, rv sites, cabins, chalets, lodge and rooms, RRM camper cabins, beach, boat rentals, fishing, golf, horse back riding, zip line, dinning, multi-use trails, store, fishing center and more.
Lake Lurleen State Park (Coker) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
The main attraction at the park is fishing! Features a Nature Center, paddleboats, swimming, hiking and bike trails. Offers primitive camping, RV sites, boat rental, fishing, swimming, nature center, multi-use trails and more. (This park is located 12.2 miles from University of Alabama and sells football packages in advance)
Lakepoint State Park (Eufaula) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
On the banks of the 45,000-acre Lake Eufaula, also known as “The Bass Capital of the World.” Features a full-service restaurant and lounge, marina, hiking trails, swimming complex, tennis courts and playgrounds and improved campsites.
Meaher State Park (Spanish Fort) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
1,327-acre park located in the wetlands of north Mobile Bay, with a boat ramp and fishing pier. A self-guided walk on boardwalk will give you an up-close view of the beautiful Mobile-Tensaw Delta. Offers tent camping, RV camping and cabins.
Monte Sano State Park (Huntsville) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
In Spanish, Monte Sano means “Mountain of Health.” In the late 1800s, visitors from across the United States came for “the season” to experience and enjoy Monte Sano’s fresh air, spectacular views and mineral springs. In the spring native azaleas bloom along hiking and biking trails. Features CCC Museum and Memorial, Japanese Garden, Planetarium and more. Park offers primitive camping, RV sites, cabins, disc golf course, playground and more.
Oak Mountain State Park (Phelham) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Alabama’s largest state park with stunning landscape. Mountain biking and hiking are two of the most popular activities at the park. The Park features a pump track and BMX course, cable skiing, boat rentals, basketball courts, an 18-hole golf course and driving range, beach and swimming area, fishing lakes, demonstration farm, horseback riding facilities, awesome wildlife viewing and much more. The Oak Mountain Interpretive Center, is a 2,500 square foot interactive exhibit space and teaching laboratory. Home to Peavine Falls. Offers primitive camping, RV sites, cabins and more.
Paul M. Grist State Park (Selma) – Managed by Dallas County
The centerpiece of this beautiful 1,080-acre park is a 100-acre lake which offers fishing, paddling, swimming. 15-20 miles of hiking trails. A featured site on the Alabama Black Belt Birding Trail. Park offers tent camping, RV sites, boat rentals, fishing, swimming, hiking trails and more.
Rickwood Caverns State Park (Warrior) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Park features a massive cave that contains 260-million-year-old formations that were created by water and reveal evidence that the cave was carved from an ocean bed. In addition to guided cave tours the park offers, gemstone mining, and hiking the Fossil Mountain Hiking Trail, which got its name from the leaf and seashell imprints visible in some of the rocks. The park features an Olympic-size swimming pool, fed by chilly waters from the cave. There’s also a kiddie pool. Park offers primitive camping, RV sites, swimming, hiking trails, cave tour and more.
Roland Cooper State Park (Camden) – Managed by a private contractor
A featured stop on Alabama’s Black Belt Birding Trail is a birder’s paradise. Various raptors, waterfowl and songbirds are common. Bald eagles and osprey are present most of the year. Offers some of the best fishing in southwest Alabama. Park offers primitive camping, RV sites, boat and kayak rentals, fishing and more.
Tannehill Iron Works Historic State Park (McCalla) – Managed by The Alabama Historic Ironworks Commission
MUST SEE!!! Rich with ironworking history! Historical cabins, buildings, landmarks, and more! Offers primitive camping($20) and RV sites electric/water ($25) and electric/water/sewer($30), 3 bathhouses and dump stations.
Wind Creek State Park (Alexander City) – Managed by Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
1,444 scenic acres hug the shoreline of beautiful Lake Martin making the park an angler’s paradise. If you have access to a boat be sure to journey to the iconic “Chimney Rock”. Wind Creek is also a stop on Alabama’s Piedmont Plateau Birding Trail. All trails offer a variety of waterfowl, raptors and songbirds that are common in the park. Bald eagle and osprey can be seen throughout the year. Offers a variety of RV sites, camping cabins, bathhouse, playground and more.
Historic Sites
(Not a complete list, last updated 11/7/2021)
Alabama Music Hall of Fame (Tuscumbia) – Think Nat “King” Cole, Hank Williams, W.C. Handy, Dinah Washington, Alabama, Commodores, Lionel Richie, Temptations and more.
Arab Historic Village (Arab) – The City of Arab and the Arab Historical Society developed this historic village as a tribute to the pioneering people who settled and built in the area. Currently includes eight buildings that have been completed and are furnished with items from 1880 through 1940’s: 1935 Old Hunt School, 1912 Rice Church, Smith’s Country store, Elvin Light Museum, Grist Mill, Blacksmith Shop and club demonstration home. The Society invites you to visit the Village. During some special events, visitors interact with volunteers performing some of the tasks required of persons of the 1880-1940’s era such as quilting, making corn meal in the gristmill and working with iron in the blacksmith shop. Singings and weddings can be held in the Rice Church.
Alabama’s Women’s Hall of Fame (Marion)- Visitors will have the chance to meet women from the past–some well-known and some who have been overlooked in the history books. Stories of Helen Adams Keller, Julia Strudwick Tutwiler, Amelia Gayle Gorgas, Tallulah Bankhead, Mildred Westervelt Warner and others are told through portraits, photographs, letters, and bronze plaques.
The American Village (Montevallo) – Situated on over 200 acres, it is an educational complex that was built to teach about the foundation of our country in the Revolutionary War era. It has classrooms, a theatre, as well as museums that provide educational experiences for the visitor. Staffed with both educational as well as historical interpreters. The American Village educational mission is to strengthen and renew the foundations of American liberty and self-government.
Army Aviation Museum (Fort Rucker Army Base) – offers a fascinating insight into the evolution of aviation technology used in the country’s armed forces over the years. The expansive facility boasts of an extensive collection of army air-crafts; the Army Aviation Hall of Fame as well as replicas of such prominent air-crafts as the Wright Brothers’ Model B.
Ave Maria Grotto (Cullman, AL) – Located on the grounds of St. Bernard Abbey, the only Benedictine monastery of men in the State of Alabama. A four-acre park providing a natural setting for 125 miniature reproductions of historic buildings and shrines created by a Benedictine monk of the St. Bernard Abbey in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Baldwin County Heritage Museum (Elberta) The museum displays historically significant buildings, documents, and artifacts that typify community life in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The facility consists of a 20,000-square-foot main building and five acres of grounds and features a church founded in 1909, a blacksmith shop, vintage farm implements, and a schoolhouse.
Brierfield Ironworks (Brierfield) – The park was established in 1976 by the Bibb County Commission at the urging of the Bibb County Heritage Association.
Burritt On The Mountain (Huntsville) – Owned by the city of Huntsville, the park features Burritt’s eclectic mansion plus a historic park with restored nineteenth-century houses, old school, farm yard and more. One of the cabins is the oldest standing cabins in Alabama dating back to 1855.
Confederate Memorial Pak (Marbury, AL) – Ran by the Alabama Historical Commission this park incorporates the site of Alabama’s only Confederate veterans’ home (1902-1939). Museum offers exhibits on the life of an Alabama Confederate veterans from recruitment to old age, hundreds of artifacts from the Civil War and the Soldiers’ Home, interactive media stations, and a Confederate reference library. Driving and walking tours include two cemeteries containing the graves of 298 veterans and a nature trail through an Alabama Treasure Forest that contains the original hand-dug spring and 86,000-gallon reservoir. Also included are reproduction soldiers’ barracks, a guard house, officer quarters, commissary, and the Mountain Creek Post Office (circa 1900) and the Marbury Methodist Church (circa 1885), both of which were moved to the site.
The Confederate Monument on Capitol Hill (Montgomery, AL) – located on Capitol Hill, 88 foot tall structure commemorates the 120,000 plus Alabamians the fought for the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
Florence Indian Mound and Museum (Florence) – a part of the Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail (not mapped). Largest domiciliary mound in the Tennessee Valley. Museum houses American Indian relics found in the area, with chronological displays and explanations of artifacts from Paleo Historic periods.
Fort Conde (Mobile) – Operated by the History Museum of Mobile. The original Fort Condé was built in 1723 by French explorers. Under various colonial powers, it went by different names, including Fort Louis, Fort Charlotte, and Fuerta Carlota. The extant remnants of the original fort, discovered during the construction of the Wallace Tunnel in 1966, may be seen in Mardi Gras Park, facing Church Street. The replica fort was opened in 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial celebration. About one-third of the Fort was reconstructed, and at a four-fifths scale.
Fort Gaines (Dauphin Island) – ran by the Dauphin Island Park & Beach Board. Located on opposite sides of the Mobile Channel from Fort Morgan. Built in the early 1800s, to protect the coastline, but during the Civil War they were used by the Confederate Army. They were used again in both World War I and World War II.
Governor’s Mansion (Montgomery) – located in the Garden District neighborhood. This mansion has been the home for the chief executive since 1951. Call 334-834-3022 to book a tour. Gift Shop (temporarily locatated at 401 Adams Ave, Suite 170) is located at 30 Finley Avenue offers eclectic treasure trove of distinctive art, culinary articles, decorative items, and unique Alabama souvenirs.
Gulf Quest National Maritime Museum (Mobile) – Ran by the city of Mobile, interactive maritime museum dedicated to the maritime heritage and culture of the Gulf of Mexico. The 120,000 square foot museum, located on the riverfront in downtown Mobile, Alabama, is designed to look as if it were a ship headed into Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The museum features 90 interactive exhibits, simulators, theaters and artifact displays, complemented by artifacts and memorabilia displayed throughout “multiple decks” inside a full-sized replica of a container ship, displayed as if dockside. GulfQuest also features a museum store, a museum café and several event spaces.
Kymulga Grist Mill, Park, and Covered Bridge (Childersburg) – Ran by the Childersburg Historical Preservation Commission. Kymulga Grist Mill, Park, and Covered Bridge is a historic complex. The park interprets nineteenth-century life and small-scale industry in Alabama. The property, which includes the mill and associated wooden dam, a covered bridge, and nature trails. Offers camping and canoe rentals.
Landmark Park (Dothan) – Owned by Dothan Landmarks Foundation is an 1890’s living history farm, old time drug store with operating soda fountain and display of drugstore items such as old medicines, tonics and health care products. Learn about the night sky by visiting the planetarium. The Alabama Museum of Agriculture is located at Landmark Park.
Oakville Indian Mounds Education Center (Danville) – a part of the Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail. Features a historical museum and education center established to preserve and interpret the Native American mound complex. The park and the museum house and preserve artifacts that date back as far as the Paleoindian Period, some 12,000 years before the present, and also preserves ancient geological evidence of settlement in the region. The park encompasses approximately 83 acres.
Old Alabama Town (Montgomery) – operated by the Landmarks Foundation of Montgomery. An outdoor museum that stretches along six downtown blocks that focuses on life in central Alabama during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Offers visitors a living-history experience and is home to more than 50 historic buildings. The Lucas Tavern serves as the visitor and information center and was formerly located in Waugh along the Federal Road, General Lafayette stayed the night at the tavern on way to Montgomery.
Old State Bank (Decatur) – Ran with guidance from the City of Decatur, the Old State Bank Board of Directors, and the Parks and Recreation Department. The bank was built in 1833 and is now operating as a museum. The building is notable for its Jeffersonian-style architecture featuring a rare five-column design and two sets of double front doors. Believed to be the oldest surviving bank building in the state of Alabama.
Pond Spring (Hillsboro) – Ran by the Alabama Historical Commission. This 50-acre site includes 12 historic buildings, gardens, and archaeological features dating back some 5,000 years. The main structure on the property was the family home of General Joe Wheeler’s wife, Daniella Jones Sherrod, and after her marriage to him, became Wheeler’s residence as well. Wheeler was a Confederate major general, U.S. congressman, and a Spanish-American War general. The site gets its name from the large spring-fed pond located there. Archaeological evidence suggests that Native Americans inhabited the site dating back some 5,000 years.
Rikard’s Mill Historical Park (Beatrice, AL) – Operated by the Monroe County Heritage Museum Board. It has operated as grist mill since the mid 1840’s, and both the mill and the park are open to visitors. Shortly after it was built a flood hit Flat Creek, and totally demolished the original structure. Rebuilt in 1868 and was restored in the year 1999.
Quirky
Alabama Booksmith (Homewood) – Every book in this bookstore is signed by the author.
Gee’s Bend Ferry (outside of Camden – 32°02’34.2″N 87°18’07.7″W) – take the 15 minute Gees Bend Ferry from Camden to Boykin to see the famous Quilters of Gees Bend. The quilters usually gather at the Boykin Nutrition Center by 8:30 a.m. and quilt until 1:30 in the afternoon Monday through Thursday (times may vary). Gees Bend is full of history. From its wonderful quilts to the re-development of the Gees Bend Ferry, fighting a Civil Rights cause forty years after its closing, Gees Bend continues to be a place that fascinates outsiders. Auto Ferry cost $3.00. Adults $1.00 and under 12 are free.
Gravity Hill Road (Oak Grove) – See if you car defies the laws of nature. According to local folklore, Gravity Hill is the site of a Native American burial ground. Numerous individuals believe vehicles roll uphill because the ghosts of these Native Americans push trespassers off their land. (Best way to experience Gravity Hill is to drive to the stop sign on Gravity Hill at the U.S. 280 intersection. Pull up to the stop sign. U.S. 280 should be in front of your car and the rest of Gravity Hill in your rearview mirror. Make sure no one is behind you. Put your car in neutral and take your foot off the brake. Your car should start to roll backward and uphill. Be sure to keep your foot close to the brake pedal, as you will pick up speed as you coast uphill.)
Wilderness Park – 26 acre park, located in Prattville, hidden away is a beautiful bamboo forest that was once used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam era. Many areas of this park have bamboo stalks as tall as 60 feet, and with a trunk diameter of 6 inches. Besides bamboo, several other varieties of plants can be found within the forest, including Alabama’s second largest beech tree.
Tinglewood Carvings at Orr Park (Montevallo) – 40 acre park which features many traditional amenities such as restroom, picnic table, playgrounds and trails is a great place to picnic or take a rest under a shade trade. What makes this park unique is the Tinglewood Carvings, carved out of damaged trees by Tim Tingle. You will find faces, figures, story book characters, dragon and more among the 30+ remarkable carvings.
Rosenbaum House (Florence) – The only Frank Lloyd Wright building in Alabama. Built in 1940, is often considered the purest form of Wright’s Usonian style. In 1948, an addition that included more sleeping arrangements and a Japanese garden was added, making Rosenbaum House the first Usonian to be significantly altered. Although such an interference may alarm some Wright devotees and architectural purists, Wright was thrilled. The fact that the building was flexible enough to be sensibly extended was, to him, a triumph of practicality.
Sallie Howard Memorial Chapel (Mentone) – is a charming one-room country chapel that was constructed around a granite boulder. Chapel is located just outside of DeSoto State Park at the corner of County Roads 165 and 617
Unclaimed Baggage Center (Scottsboro) – One person’s lost luggage is another person’s treasure. Merchandise is 60 percent clothing, while other items include cameras, electronics, jewelry, sporting goods, books, and the luggage itself. UBC has many stories of more unique items, such as a full suit of armor, gemstones, a complete parachute, a guidance system for an F-16 fighter jet, and even a live rattlesnake. The on-site museum is where one can find the more exotic, rare, and valuable items. Among the items on display are a violin dating from the 1700s, Egyptian artifacts, and “Hoggle,” the gnome-like gatekeeper from Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. More than one million people visit the store each year.
Vulcan Statue and Museum – The 56 foot tall Vulcan statue was forged from iron in 1904 and placed on a hill to watch over the city of Birmingham. Vulcan “god of the fire and the forge” represents Birmingham’s history as an industrial lead and steel manufacturer in the twentieth century. At the Vulcan museum, you can learn more about this history, get a view of the city from the observation tower, and explore the adjoining park trail.
Educational
(Last Updated 11/8/2021)
5 Rivers Delta Center (Spanish Fort) – Operated by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Located where the Mobile, Spanish, Tensaw, Apalachee and Blakeley rivers flow into Mobile Bay. Apalachee Exhibit Hall acquaints visitors with the Mobile-Tensaw Delta through displays of live animals, taxidermy, local artwork and changing exhibits. The Little Bateau Learning Center has many hands-on activities and live animals on view. Tensaw Theater shows a variety of movies on demand during the week along with scheduled Sunday matinees. Cypress Gift Shop has many unique and locally made items to browse though. Outside the facility you will find nature trails, boat lunches, picnic area and more. Open 7 days a week and free to visit. 5 Rivers also partners with Blakeley Historic Park to offer economical boat tours leaving the 5 Rivers Bartram Landing docks. Boat tours are reserved in advance online at their website. To see a listing of upcoming tours and for more information, visit: Historic Blakeley State Park.
Alabama Museum of Natural History (Tuscaloosa) – Located on the University of Alabama (UA) campus, the Alabama Museum of Natural History is one of the state’s main repositories for fossils, human artifacts, photographs, and biological specimens. It also houses the Hodges meteorite, the only known object from outer space to have ever hit a human being. Founded even before the university opened in 1831, it is the oldest museum in Alabama.
Birmingham Museum of Art (Birmingham)
Birmingham Zoo: (Birmingham)
Cooks Museum of Natural Science (Decatur) – provides a hands-on, immersive experience where kids can explore, interact with, and learn about nature.
Dauphin Island Sea Lab (Dauphin Island) – Marine education and research center that offers the public opportunities to learn about the marine environment and its ecosystems through its aquarium and marine science museum, the Estuarium.
George Washington Carver Interpretive Museum (Dothan) – history museum and science exploration center in Dothan, Houston County, that highlights the achievements of famed agricultural researcher George Washington Carver (ca. 1865-1943). It also honors other African American men and women who have contributed to American society and history through the years. The museum is located in a formerly segregated and now-renovated Greyhound Bus Station in downtown Dothan. The station still has dual entrances and restroom facilities that were previously used for segregation during the Jim Crow era.
Holmes Medical Museum (Foley) – This medical museum is housed in Baldwin County’s first hospital, opened from 1936 until 1958. An actual operating room, patient rooms, X-ray, and pharmacy have been recreated using period medical antiques. Medical quackery devices also are featured. This is a self guided tour with a docent on hand to answer any questions. (Free)
McWane Science Center (Birmingham) Hands-on museum. Located in the historic building of the former Loveman’s department store offers a museum, theater, and aquarium.
Southern Museum of Flight (Birmingham) – Is one of the largest aviation museums in the Southeast, is dedicated to presenting civilian, military, and experimental aircraft and memorabilia from the earliest history of powered flight.
U.S Space and Rocket Center: (Huntsville)
W.A. Gayle Planetarium (Montgomery) – planetary science education center owned by the city of Montgomery and operated by Troy University. Primarily designed to educate students in grades K-12 about astronomy and planetary science, the museum is also open to the wider public with programming in fields as far-ranging as astronomy, archaeology, oceanography, and anatomy through films, lectures, live music, and digital art performances.
Weeks Bay Reserve (Fairhop ) – offers opportunities to learn about coastal habitats through exhibits. Managed by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Kid Loved Sites
Screaming Eagle Aerial Adventures (Lake Guntersville State Park) – Zipline (ages 8 and up)
Screaming Eagle Adventures (Wind Creek State Park) – Zipline (must be 7 years old and weight over 50 lbs)
Screaming Eagle Adventures (Desoto Falls State Park) – Zipline (must be 6 years and weight over 40lbs)
Botanical Gardens
(Last updated 11/8/2021)
Aldridge Botanical Gardens (Hoover) – founded in 2002, ran by City of Hoover, 30 acres, free admission.
Bartram’s Garden (Wetumpka) – Founded in 1984, affiliated with the Alabama Historical Commission, 30 acres, free admission.
Birmingham Botanical Gardens (Birmingham) – founded in 1963, ran by City of Birmingham and Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, free admission.
Donald E. Davis Arboretum (Auburn) – founded in 1977, ran by Auburn University, 14 acres, free admission.
Dothan Area Botanical Gardens (Dothan) – founded in 1990, ran by Dothan Area Botanical Gardens, 50 acres, free admission
Huntsville Botanical Garden (Huntsville) – founded in 1988, ran by Huntsville Botanical Garden Foundation, 112 acres, fee charged.
Mobile Botanical Gardens (Mobile) – founded 1974, ran by City of Mobile, 100 acres, fee charged.
Noccalula Falls Botanical Gardens (Gadsden) – originally known as Black Creek Falls, ran by City of Gadsden, 65 acres, free.
Troy University Arboretum (Troy) – founded in 1988, ran by Troy University, 75 acres, free.
University of Alabama Arboretum (Tuscaloosa) – founded in 1958, ran by University of Alabama, 60 acres, free.
Alabama Byways
Alabama Coastal Connection – Alabama’s southern tip. (130 miles)
Appalachian Highlands Scenic Byway – passes through some of the most scenic areas of the State of Alabama. The natural beauty of the Appalachian Mountains provides a scenic backdrop for travelers on the byway as the route winds along lush vegetation, interesting geologic formations, and quaint historic rural communities. (80 miles)
Barbour County Governors’ Trail – designated by legislative act in 2000 to recognize those from Barbour County who served as Alabama governors. These governors include John Gill Shorter (1861-1863), William Dorsey Jelks (1901-1907), Braxton Bragg Comer (1907-1911), Chauncey M. Sparks (1943-1947), George Corley Wallace (1963-1967, 1971-1979, and 1983-1987), and Lurleen B. Wallace (1967-1968). In addition, Jere Beasley and Charles McDowell also served short terms as acting governors. The roadways designated as the Governors’ Trail are located within one of the most historic counties in Alabama, Barbour County. (36 Miles)
Black Belt Nature and Heritage Trail – named for the rich black soil that grew superior cotton during the 19th century. The collapse of the plantation economy during the Civil War left a legacy of “soul food” cooking, art fashioned from found materials, vast stretches of pristine river bottom land and, most recently, the Civil Rights Movement.
Black Warrior River Scenic Byway – urban route encircles approximately 12 miles along the Black Warrior River. Three bridges along the route offer breathtaking views of the river and its riverbanks. The route spotlights the boundless natural scenic beauty of the Black Warrior River and exhibits historic ruins, structures and markers including the site of the Alabama State Capitol from 1826 until 1847. Bicycle and pedestrian trails, parks, picnic facilities, fishing piers, boat landings, historic markers, and restaurants as well as sites for new development align the route. Bordering the route are the historic downtown areas of Tuscaloosa and Northport and facilities of academic and athletic renown including the University of Alabama and Stillman College. Enlightening sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places are in abundance nearby and along the route. (12 miles)
Leeds Stagecoach Route – begin as an Indian trail traversing a vast watershed. As a trail, it served as a staging ground for three emerging Alabama cultures. Early Christian Cherokees along with European circuit riders used it to plant Methodist churches. The Christian Indian culture arrived from North Carolina before 1812. Andrew Jackson’s scouts (1812-13) widened the trail as they sought roadways for supply wagons. When Europeans, largely veterans of the Creek Indian War, entered the valley in Leeds (1820), the widened trail became a stagecoach route that lay in its original bed when the first black settlers arrived in the late 1880’s. Studies by John Garst place the legendary John Henry in Leeds at the Oak Tunnel of the C&W Railroad in the 1880’s, and descendants of original Black-American settlers concur with Garst’s conclusion–the Leeds, Alabama, claim that Henry was a real person and that he performed his famous contest with the steam drill in Leeds.
Lookout Mountain Parkway – Northeast Alabama’s Lookout Mountain Parkway Scenic Byway, named by Reader’s Digest as one of America’s Scenic Drives, serves as a gateway to your imagination. Envision a land where real people bring the past alive, with historic town squares, pioneer villages, confederate ironworks, antique shops and Native American folklore and artifacts. Imagine a land of real places burgeoning with untouched natural beauty, with gorges, rivers, lakes, wildlife and scenic waterfalls. Picture a land ripe with recreational and cultural opportunities, from boating, fishing, skiing and hiking along miles of pristine trails to museums, opera houses and art galleries.
Talladega Scenic Drive – explore the Talladega National Forest by automobile. Winds along the backbone of the southern Appalachian mountains and offers spectacular views of the Talladega National Forest. The drive follows State Route 281 near Heflin, climbs to an elevation of 2,407 feet at Alabama’s highest point, Cheaha Mountain, and ends at Adams Gap. (29 miles)
Tensaw Parkway – attractions that both lovers of nature and history can so earnestly embrace.
Notable Towns in Alabama
Bayou La Batre – best known as the “Seafood Capital of Alabama”. Many of the world’s shrimp boats where built here. Great fishing!
Birmingham – Largest city in the state.
Cullman – Mainly known for its rich history surrounding its early German immigrants, Native Americans and the Civil War.
Dothan – peppered with painted peanut statues, a public art project that was originally known as “Peanuts Around Town”. There are now over 60 statues to look for around town. There are public service nuts (fireman, policeman, military), a breast cancer awareness nut, a nut in a bathtub, a doctor nut, a boiled-peanut selling nut, and even a Dalmatian snuggling up against his beloved fire hydrant nut. You can spot many of the peanuts around town on your own, but if you want to find them all the Dothan Visitors Center can help you out with a brochure, pointing you in all the right nutty directions.
Eufaula – has more than 700 historic and architecturally significant structures.
Florence – known for its Native American heritage and historic district.
Huntsville – Second largest city in Alabama.
Magnolia Springs – Voted the most charming town in Alabama. A small town named after mature magnolia trees that create a beautiful canopy along the Magnolia River. The Southern town has a rich history dating back to the 1800s, when it was a settlement for the Spanish. Boasts the only river route for mail delivery in the United States. Bills and junk mail are so much more charming from a mailbox on the water.
Mobile – Only saltwater port in Alabama. Third largest city. In early spring the city is ablaze with azaleas, while in February it hosts the oldest organized Carnival in the United States; their carnival dates back to the early 1700s when it was organized by French Catholic settlers. Mobile is famous for its antebellum architecture, a blend of several styles found throughout nine major historic districts.
Montgomery – Alabama’s capital.
Mooresville – The first town incorporated by the Alabama Territorial Legislature, on November 16, 1818. The entire town is on the National Register of Historic Places. Historic homes and buildings, gracious gardens and tree-shaded streets make a visit to Mooresville seem like a step back in time.
Selma – most famous for the 1960s Selma voting rights movement. Stroll down streets lined with buildings dating back to the 1800s.
Tuscumbia –Alabama Music Hall of Fame, museums, Hellen Keller’s birthplace, Ivy Green.
Tuskegee – known for its rich and diverse black history. Tuskegee Airmen trained here.
Bordering States
Tennessee (North), Georgia (East), Florida (SouthEast), Mississippi (West)
Note From Willow
Be sure to check out my Alabama – Places to Sleep page if you are looking for places to stay in Alabama!
We love hearing from you! If you know of a site that should be added, find an error, have a suggestion or just want to say hello PLEASE use the form below or email me at willow@rnrvan.com
May your Alabama trip be blessed with excellent views, great weather and good vibes!
much love,
Willow