Alabama

The historic Bragg-Mitchell Mansion in Mobile

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Relaxing in the sun on the Gulf coast

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Children smiling in front of 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham

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Live music at Gips Place in Bessemer

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A couple admires the sunset at Little River Canyon National Preserve

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Learning about space flight at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville

Meg McKinney

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A recording booth at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia

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A sign welcoming visitors to Muscle Shoals, known as the ‘Hit Recording Capital of the World’

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Mobile’s Excelsior Band marching during Mardi Gras festivities

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Al fresco dining at Bottega in Birmingham

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Major Airports:

Huntsville (HSV)

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth (BHM)
Nickname:

Sweet Home Alabama

Alabama's beauty, history, culture and adventure

The famed "Sweet Home Alabama" you may have heard is more than a song. This is a land of history, culture, music and adventure from beaches to mountains. Music legends Nat King Cole, W.C. Handy and Hank Williams were born in Alabama, and artists including Aretha Franklin and The Rolling Stones came to Alabama to cement their careers. Here, Gospel is sung in churches and folks dance, while Blues, Country and Jazz set the mood local bars. Locally owned restaurants dish up meals of mouth-watering barbecue and fresh seafood from Alabama’s fishing villages, and museums cover everything from Civil Rights and music history to fast cars and faster spacecraft.

Alabama Tourism Department Statewide Road Trip

Rich Southern History

It was in the river city of Montgomery, under the white dome of the State Capitol, where the breakaway Confederate States of America were born, leading to the U.S. Civil War. Alabama is also famous for its role in the struggle for equality between black and white Americans. It’s here that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., preached, marched and changed history. In Montgomery, Rosa Parks challenged segregation by refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man.

One-of-a-Kind Attractions

Alabama is filled with unique destinations that will thrill the whole family. Tour grand, columned antebellum homes located across the state. Visit space and motor sports museums for a visceral thrill. Head to Phenix City for exciting whitewater rafting. Scenic mountains and waterfalls are found in Mentone, Fort Payne and Gadsden.

Alabama’s top museums include the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and the legendary studios of Muscle Shoals, where famous musicians have recorded since 1959.

Great Food, White Sand, Mardi Gras and More

Alabama is one of the greatest food destinations in the USA. Here, you can sample slow-cooked Southern dishes, elegant fine dining and fresh Gulf of Mexico seafood.

The southern tip of Alabama is best known for Mobile Bay and the Gulf Coast beaches. Mobile is where Mardi Gras got its start in the U.S. During Carnival season, downtown streets are filled with marching bands and brilliantly colored floats.

Along with white-sand beaches, Alabama offers state parks crossed with trails to explore. Each resort town has a large variety of restaurants, bars and nightlife. Play your way through 26 golf courses and 468 holes across the state, including world-class golf on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

Alabama is the physical heart and the cultural soul of the Deep South. Montgomery and Birmingham are a 2.5-hour drive from Atlanta, while Mobile and the beaches of Gulf Shores are about the same distance from New Orleans. The Alabama cities of Florence, Muscle Shoals and Huntsville are only a few hours’ drive from Nashville.

Alabama Tourism Department Statewide Road Trip

Fun Fact

The state nut is the pecan – be sure to try a slice of succulent pie.

Brittany Howard, lead vocalist for Alabama Shakes

Alabama Shakes is a Grammy-winning blues rock band based in Athens, Alabama.

In the 1960s and ’70s, artists including Aretha Franklin and The Rolling Stones came to record in Muscle Shoals, then called the “Hit Capital of the World.”

Must see places

Barber Vintage Motorsports Park & Museum

The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum features more than 1,200 vintage and modern motorcycles and racing cars, dating back to 1904. Outside, the impressive 3.7-kilometer road course hosts Indy Grand Prix and motorcycle races.

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Barber Vintage Festival

Muscle Shoals Region

The roots of American music are embedded deeply in this community. Tour recording studios, visit the home of W.C. Handy, the “Father of the Blues,” and explore the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

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Muscle Shoals Tourism

Plaque commemorating the former home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Montgomery, Alabama

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Montgomery

See where Martin Luther King Jr. made history. Walk across the bridge where the Selma-to-Montgomery march began. See King’s home in Montgomery and the jail cell where he wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”

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Visiting Montgomery

U.S. Space & Rocket Center

Set in Huntsville, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center is a museum showcasing rockets, achievements and artifacts of the U.S. space program. See exhibits about the International Space Station and attend U.S. Space Camp.

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Space Camp

USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park

In Mobile, explore the mighty USS Alabama, winner of nine battle stars in World War II. See a Mach 3 A-12 Blackbird spy plane, the B-52 Stratofortress Calamity Jane, the submarine USS Drum and more.

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Things to Do in Mobile

DeSoto State Park

In DeSoto State Park in Fort Payne, woods, waterfalls and a view from on top of Lookout Mountain await. True Adventure Sports takes visitors canoeing, rock climbing and zip-lining.

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True Adventure Sports

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is a collection of 468 holes at 11 sites. Stretching from Muscle Shoals to Mobile, these courses are a must-visit for golf fans and professionals alike.

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Explore The Trail

Gulf State Park

Stretch out on this park’s 3-kilometer dazzling white-sand beach near the beach communities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, or have some fun elsewhere. The park is bustling with things to do, from golf and tennis to hiking and zip lining.

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Gulf Shores and Orange Beach

Moundville Archaeological Park

Located near Tuscaloosa, Moundville Archaeological Park contains a museum and an archaeological laboratory. Many consider the Moundville Duck Bowl, unearthed here, to be the most beautiful prehistoric artifact ever discovered in the United States.

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Visit Tuscaloosa

Mobile-Tensaw Delta

During wildlife tours in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, search at night for ever-present alligators or enjoy the sunset from a kayak tour. Harbor tours include dolphin watching and views of historical landmarks and cargo ships in the working port.