If you read Monk and kahfess’s reviews of Alabama, there is wonderful information there about Birmingham and Montgomery that anyone thinking of traveling through Alabama would find useful. I’m not going to write about Birmingham and Montgomery in my review because they’ve already covered both cities. Instead I will comment about some other areas.
Mountains and Caves and other Natural Beauties
I’ve lived in Alabama pretty much all my life and I can’t see living anywhere else. I travel about 3 hours north east of my home and be in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, and Lookout Mountain. I can visit Russell Cave National Monument, Sequoyah Caverns, Cathedral Caverns, DeSoto Caverns, Rickwood Caverns. There is also Noccalula Falls Park and Cloudmont Ski Resort.
In the northwest corner, we’ve got a place called Dismals Canyon (they’ve got a web site that tells all about it). It’s worth the trip, trust me. It’s a beautiful place, and an interesting natural phenomenon. It seems there is this tiny little glow worm that makes its home in the canyon, and if I’m not mistaken, it doesn’t live anywhere else in the world. During certain months of the year, as darkness falls, these tiny little worms begin to glow, and they light up the canyon walls! It’s amazingly beautiful and awe inspiring.
There is also Rock Bridge Canyon, another natural beauty in the northern part of Alabama.
There are a number of wonderful parks and forestland, including Oak Mountain State Park, which has an outdoor amphitheatre for concerts and a beach for swimming among other activities. There is Smith Lake, Lake Guntersville, Lake Martin, Weiss Lake, Lay Lake, Lake Tuscaloosa, and the Black Warrior River for the fisherman looking for variety.
Sports and other attractions
Alabama has had it’s share of ups and downs regarding pro sports teams and the like, but our two biggest universities have one of the longest and biggest football rivalries ever. The University of Alabama (Rolllll Tide!) and Auburn University are fierce in their rivalry in our state, and when football season hits, look out. You MUST take sides. Nothing less is allowed. (Well, OK, it’s allowed, but we don’t like it much! just kidding). Not only that, we’ve got the Birmingham Barons, we have a pro hockey team. And we have NASCAR. Talladega Superspeedway is the best! Even if you never attend a race there, you must go to the Racing Hall of Fame and Museum there. It’s great fun, especially if you have kids traveling with you.
In Bessemer, there is the water and amusement park, Visionland. Although Visionland is struggling financially at this time, the water park is great if you’re in the area and need a refreshing cooling off and a bit of fun. They also have the Rampage, a wooden roller coaster that I promise will take your breath! Also in the northern part of the state (Huntsville) is the Space and Rocket Center and another water park.
Tannehill State Park in McCalla has a monthly outdoor flea market along with many other activities. They have camping areas and amenities for parking your motor home or travel trailer.
There are many, many other attractions and tons of historical sites, civil war and otherwise. There Tuscumbia, is the birthplace of Helen Keller, The Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery, Horseshoe Bend National Military Park in Alexander City, Moundville Archaeological Park near Tuscaloosa, and so many small towns full of hidden treasures.
My favorite place, however, is the coast. Miles and miles of pristine sugary white beaches and beautiful emerald water. There are several old forts for the history buff, there is the Mobile Battleship park for the ’’guys’’, there is Bellingrath Gardens, the outlet mall in Foley, Gulf Shores, the Estuary on Dauphin Island.. so much more.
I love my state, and you would too, if you visited.