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
Countries
10 History Museums 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. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,251 reviews
This historic museum traces the journey of the civil rights advocates of the 1950s and 60s, who changed the course of American history. The struggle for equality for Black Americans is chronicled here, from the Jim Crow laws in the 1800s to the freedom rides, sit-ins and demonstrations of the 1960s.
Reviewed By vault101_overseer - Newark, United States
The museum had interesting content. The target market seemed to be families with young children or people with less understanding of Jim Crow or the Civil Rights era. It was worthwhile though and the highlight was touching the bars of the jail cell MLK Jr was in and seeing the effects that were donated by Denise McNair's family.
2. U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 341 reviews
Located in Huntsville Alabama, The U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum is one of the premier military museums in the world. The exhibits of memorabilia, artifacts, and military equipment range from the American Revolutionary War to present day. Included in the collection are many rare and important artifacts including the oldest surviving jeep: the Ford Pygmy.
Reviewed By N7085FQjohnm
This museum has so many artifacts from the Revelotionary War era to the modern-day. The volunteers at the museum were very helpful and clearly have a passion to see the history on display in the museum maintained and shared. My family of 5 with 3 kids under 7 thoroughly enjoyed it! The museum would very much benefit from a larger, updated space and some money to upgrade the exhibits. They clearly are doing the best with the money they have. I hope the city or some other group will help this museum, as they have plenty of artifacts to be a world-class museum; they just need some money to take the next steps.
3. Legacy Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 361 reviews
Reviewed By jillg272019 - Cambridge, United Kingdom
the museum and the memorial are stupendous testimonials to the history of African Americans in USA. a moving and memorable experience.
4. Equal Justice Initiative
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 27 reviews
Reviewed By _lmglevin - Denver, United States
This wonderfully designed museum spans the African American experience from the beginnings of the slave trade, through the Civil War, Jim Crow era, the Civil Rights Movement and racism in the criminal "justice" system. Many mediums are utilized to make the history accessible. Such an important museum.
5. Dauphin Island Little Red School House Community Complex
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By rluther8 - Des Moines, United States
My wife and I are educators and loved the history of the schools on the island. There is also a wonderful little library to grab a beach book. And they have a gift shop with painted shells that make for a great souvenir of the island. Definitely worth the stop. The people working that day were awesome to visit with.
6. Alabama State Capitol
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 398 reviews
Built in 1851, the capitol building served as the first capitol for the Confederate States of America.
Reviewed By 199dannyc - Wetumpka, United States
The Alabama State Capital is a Beautiful building and well worth the time to tour it! Wen there a few weeks ago and it was awesome. The wood and marble have look as if they were brand new and of course they are over 150 years old. If you appreciate history and architecture, you will really enjoy your time there.
7. The F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 268 reviews
This historic house honors novelist F. Scott, best known for "The Great Gatsby," and his wife, Zelda, artist and author. The museum operates out of the last surviving home they lived in during their lives together. The structure was saved from demolition in 1986. It is the location where Scott worked on "Tender is the Night", and Zelda on "Save Me the Waltz". You can now stay in the house in either Scott or Zelda Suite. Please see the museum website for Airbnb details and availability.
Reviewed By 171judim - Philadelphia, United States
If you are in Montgomery and want a break from all of the Civil Rights venues, this museum is a good break and place to take your mind off of the horrors of slavery. The small museum is located in a home whee the couple briefly lived. It is filled with artifacts from Zeda, Scott and others. Most interesting to me were the actual letter they wrote to each other. I ws also amazed by the quality of elda's paintings. The museum is a work in progress. It is obvious they need money to restore and update the building. But if you follow F. Scott and love his books, this is a place to visit. And even if you aren't a Fitrzgerald expert it is a great example of what life was like in the early 20th century. Put it on your to do list in Montgomery
8. Berman Museum of World History
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 110 reviews
Reviewed By wwilkinson2018 - Anniston, United States
Great collection of firearms and other weapons. They have paintings and sculptures, ceramics, even books. This is a great learning experience, especially for history buffs.
9. Rosa Parks Library and Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 734 reviews
This tribute to the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement" honors Rosa Parks, the African-American woman who, in 1955, sparked the civil rights movement by refusing to give her bus seat to a white man. The museum helps visitors relive this tumultuous era with a video, artifacts, historical documents, a lifesize statue of Rosa Parks and a replica of the bus in which she sat that day.
Reviewed By docwgk - Mobile, United States
Very effective presentation of an important historical event. An initial video is followed by a re-enactment of the historic bus ride, the beginning of the modern Civil Rights movement.
10. Battleship USS ALABAMA
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,832 reviews
At Mobile’s Battleship Memorial Park, you don’t have to look very far to find heroes. From the Battleship USS ALABAMA to the Submarine USS DRUM and over 25 aircraft, the spirit of military pride is alive and well.Aboard the battleship you will be able to explore 12 decks. Among those, you can climb inside gun turrets, get locked in the Brig, man a 12mm gun and much more.Also at the park, you will be able to go below and explore inside the oldest Submarine on display, Submarine USS DRUM. In the Medal of Honor Aircraft Pavilion as well as in the park, you will be able to view many rare and historic aircraft. A few in our collection include: A-12 Blackbird Spy Plane, OS2U Kingfisher, F-86L Sabre Jet, B-52 Bomber, just to name a few. While in the pavilion, don’t forget to take a ride on the Flight Simulator and experience flight without ever leaving the ground. It’s an unforgettable experience for the entire family. All tours are self guided. Allow approx. 2.5 hours.
Reviewed By bavaria - Staffordshire, United Kingdom
If I had know how much there was to see I would have been there when it opened. There is so much to see, first the USS ALABAMA, there are 3 different self guided tours of the ship taking you from the engine room to almost the top of the ship, you do need to be good on stairs as some are steep, or you can just wonder about. Then there is the Submarine, then there are the plane's, then there are the vehicles and lastly the monuments. To get the best out of your visit allow 5 hour's a day would be better.
