Top Things to do in Alabama
Top Hotels in Alabama
- 1. Best Western Premier The Tides
- 2. The Lodge at Gulf State Park, a Hilton Hotel
- 3. Perdido Beach Resort
- 4. Drury Inn & Suites Huntsville at the Space & Rocket Center
- 5. Best Western On The Beach
- 6. Drury Inn & Suites Birmingham Grandview
- 7. Hotel Capstone
- 8. Hyatt Regency Birmingham - The Wynfrey Hotel
- 9. Hampton Inn & Suites Birmingham-Downtown-Tutwiler
- 10. Drury Inn Mobile
10 Nature & Wildlife Areas in Alabama That You Shouldn't Miss
If you head for the hills in the state you’ll end up in the northern sector where the inspiring mountains and attractions like the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, the Blue & Gray Museum in Decatur and the Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman represent the diversity of experiences available in the area. In the middle of the state you’ll find Birmingham, an urban center with great attractions and museums, and Tuscaloosa, the quintessential college town and home to the University of Alabama. For beach lovers, sandy destinations like Dauphin Island near Mobile, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach offer beautiful beaches, superb golf, fantastic seafood restaurants and heaping helpings of Southern hospitality.
For those who love to chase the white dimpled ball, Alabama offers one of the best golf values anywhere. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, a collection of 468 holes at 11 different sites across the state, features top-notch, championship style courses at affordable rates.
Restaurants in Alabama
1. Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 51 reviews
Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve is a 700-acre, privately owned, scenic, natural area in the Little Mountain region of southern Colbert County. Open year-round to the public. There are more than 15 miles of maintained hiking trails. Hours: Open year round. Call to ensure gate is unlocked. Maps available on site. Free.
Reviewed By sunnyskier - Vail, United States
We enjoyed this beautiful property that the owners so graciously share for free! The waterfalls and the clear water in the streams make us Coloradans jealous! Bring a picnic and there are several places to stop at tables and enjoy your lunch! They have even put outhouses along the trails! Better yet if you live in the area, become a volunteer and help them keep this place going!!!
2. Southeastern Raptor Center
3. Monte Sano Nature Preserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 23 reviews
Reviewed By df917 - Huntsville, United States
was a planned visit to do some geocaching ,did manage to close a few in area . there are so many more to go . if you not tried GEOCACHING give a try.
4. Gulf State Park Nature Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By Lkn4me - Knoxville, United States
We stumbled upon this gem while visiting Orange Beach this month. The kids loved seeing turtles,hawks, and owls. Seeing two baby alligators was an added bonus! The staff was very friendly! Would highly recommend a stop in if you're in the area.
5. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 270 reviews
A 6,000-acre nature preserve with a number of endangered species.
Reviewed By 607jayb - Fairhope, United States
Bon Secour NWR is one of the best kept secrets on the entire Alabama Gulf Coast. The Refuge is located a few miles down the Fort Morgan Peninsula Highway 180 (aka Fort Morgan Road) from Gulf Shores. The Refuge consists of a really nice Nature Center and two great hiking trails. The Jeff Friend Trail is the shorter trail and runs partially along Little Lagoon and also features a kayak/canoe launch. The Pine Beach Trail is the longer trail and is very diverse including deep woods, Little Lagoon and even the Gulf beach area. BSNWR is fantastic for hiking, birding or just enjoying the great outdoors. Whether you are a local or a visitor, invest some time here if you are looking for some diverse outdoor activity away from the crowded beaches and attractions. This would be a great option for spending at least part of a day doing something a bit different from typical "beach vacation" fare. NOTE: As an added bonus, admission is entirely FREE! Also be aware the only public restrooms are at the Nature Center and part of the way down the Pine Beach Trail. There are no restrooms at the Jeff Friend Trail.
6. Weeks Bay Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 73 reviews
A government protected wildlife reserve.
Reviewed By InspiredSailor - Pleasant Lake, United States
We have been here several times and enjoy the rather short walk, on a boardwalk, through a low marshy bog. If you go here in February there will be no Pitcher Plants but you will see last seasons skeletons. Towards the middle to end of March things start to happen if the weather is warm. April should be a great time to visit. We saw Orchids, White Pitcher Plants and Pink ones too by 28 March. I would call this a must see bog and takes 30 minutes unless you want to tarry. The juncture of CR17/US98 to the west and up over the bridge leads you to a bigger Weeks Bay Reserve area. This could keep you occupied for hours. We call this a must see area. Jesse's in Magnolia Springs and Papa Daves's BBQ on 98 are good places to try.
7. Alabama Coastal Birding Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 37 reviews
Reviewed By 607jayb - Fairhope, United States
As a fairly experienced birder, I have so enjoyed the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail (ACBT). Note that the ACBT consists of over 50 sites in Baldwin County (Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are in Baldwin County) and Mobile County. Several great ACBT sites are in the Orange Beach/Gulf Shores/Gulf State Park areas. I have birded them all and have found it to be some of the best, most diverse birding anywhere in the world. Even if you are not a "birder", a tour of the ACBT will take you to some really beautiful, quiet places where you can relax and enjoy God's gifts of nature to us.
8. Walls of Jericho
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 60 reviews
Reviewed By bethk708 - Grapevine, United States
This hike is beautiful. If you are in the area it is worth your time!!! It is about 7.2 miles round trip up and down hills. It is a little slippery the last 1/2 mile but amazing surprise at the end. Beautiful waterfall and blue pool. Make sure you go all the way or you will miss the waterfall and limestone rock walls. Take a water bottle and snacks. Wear hiking shoes if possible and take a camera. Enjoy. I would rate it difficult but fun.
9. Ruffner Mountain
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 113 reviews
Ruffner Mountain is a 1,038 acre urban nature preserve in the heart of Birmingham, Alabama providing science and nature education programming, 14 miles of trails, and a protected area for thousands of species of native flora and fauna. It is a site for Citizen Science programs and an array of scientist conducted research projects, including native bat and amphibian surveys, research into the causes of American Chestnut Blight, and groves of new-growth long leaf pine. Each year, through nature education and EcoArts programming, it impacts the lives of countless students and scores of schools and universities across the state.
Reviewed By alexisrachelletx - Nashville, United States
We had a great time exploring Ruffner Mountain this morning and afternoon during our weekend visit to Birmingham! The park is really pretty - and it has numerous trails that you can combine to create hikes of various lengths and difficulties! We hiked the Quarry Trail (1.2 miles) to the Possum Loop Trail (1.8 miles) to the Overlook Trail (0.4 miles) to the Ridge & Valley Trail (1.7 miles) for quite a good hike! All of the trails were ranked moderate difficulty except for the Ridge & Valley Trail, which was ranked difficult. That was pretty accurate - the Ridge & Valley Trail was definitely more challenging than the others we hiked! The trails were well marked and well taken care of (we were there in early February and there were a lot of leaves on the ground which could hide some tree roots, but we didn't have any problems). It was clearly a popular place to hike! We arrived around 10 a.m. on a Sunday, and the parking lot by the Nature Center was about half full; when we left around 1 p.m., the parking lot was full and people were parking on the street that led up to the parking lot! We saw a lot of people hiking - from families with small children to hikers with some pretty serious gear. The park seemed to have hikes/options for everyone! We really enjoyed our hike - great exercise, a great view of downtown Birmingham, and views of the old quarry! Definitely check it out and go exploring!
10. Alligator Alley
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 510 reviews
Reviewed By escape2az - Sun Prairie, United States
From feeding the juveniles, watching the owner feed the big boys, holding a little alligator and seeing numerous other animals is fun for all ages. Our girls loved the experience, holding the little alligator alike. The feeding show is not just a few pieces of chicken; you will be able to hear the bones of the formerly wild boar being crushed in the jaws of a Fat Albert or another large alligator. Safe, but fun. Even and paved walkways to the show areas and a boardwalk through swamp land to see alligators in both penned locations and a more natural environment. Glad we did this while visiting Orange Beach. Don't expect to see a lot of billboards like most attractions; the entrance sign is not super visible either. Check it out with the whole family.
