Things to do in Alabama Mountain Lakes, Alabama Mountain Lakes: The Best Sights & Landmarks

Thousands of people journey to it every year, taking in an atmosphere of peace and serenity that engulf them as they approach the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery. A long white picket fence leads visitors to the gates of the 380-acre property through which they see the Shrine. Mother Angelica, the Foundress and Abbess of the monastery, built the Shrine in the 13th century style, resembling the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy. From the inlaid marble floors to the breathtaking nearly eight-foot monstrance, every detail of the Main Church leads the soul to contemplate the transcendent beauty of God. The Daily Conventual Mass with the Nuns is at 7 a.m., with Priests available to hear Confession after Mass. The Nuns chant the Liturgy of the Hours daily at 6 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 5 p.m. The Shrine includes a permanent display of full-size photographic images of the Shroud of Turin. The images stand eight feet tall in glass cases and are backlit for viewing. They are on display in the entrance of the Shrine’s Lower Crypt Church. Other sites to see on the grounds include: Castle San Miguel, which houses the El Nino Gift Shop, a conference room, dining facility, and hall that displays medieval armor and manuscripts; a year-round indoor nativity scene displaying life-like figures made by Fontanini in Italy; a replica of the Lourdes Grotto that rests alongside the Black Warrior River, which surrounds the Shrine property; and the John Paul II Eucharistic Center that offers tours Monday-Saturday at 10AM and 2PM. If you would like to bring a church, school, or family group on a tour or plan a catholic Pilgrimage, please contact our Pilgrimage Department.

The Huntsville Veterans Memorial, dedicated on Veterans Day, 11.11.11, honors and pays tribute to all veterans for their "Courage", "Sacrifice", and "Duty". The Memorial has become a hallowed place that inspires visitors to reflect, remember and honor veterans. It provides an educational venue to teach visitors about our military past, the cost of war, and sacrifices made to ensure our freedom.

The birthplace of Helen Keller, this site provides tours and information and includes the historic pump that provided the "miracle" breakthrough.

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.