Things to do in Alabama, United States: The Best Nature & Parks

Alabama's largest impoundment of 69,000 acres with more than 900 miles of shoreline. Noted as an excellent bass lake and resort area. Stretches from Scottsboro to Guntersville.

The deepest canyon east of the Mississippi is surrounded by the scenic beauty of Lookout Mountain.

The Estuarium is an exciting educational public aquarium highlighting the four key habitats of coastal Alabama: the Mobile Tensaw River Delta, Mobile Bay, the Barrier Islands and the Northern Gulf of Mexico. It includes the 10,000 square foot Exhibit Hall, a 7,000-gallon stingray touch pool, and the Living Marsh Boardwalk. This facility has 31 aquariums totaling over 30,000 gallons with more than 100 species on display. The Estuarium showcases the plants, animals, and other natural resources found in the Estuary and its surrounding marine habitats. Through beautiful visual exhibits and engaging interactive exhibits, the Estuarium will leave you with a broader understanding of the interactions that take place in Mobile Bay, the fourth largest estuary system in the United States. Due to COVID-19 tickets are available online at: https://disl.yapsody.com/ All visitors are required to wear a mask when touring the Aquarium. The CDC recommendation is for 2 years old and up to wear a mask.

Gulf State Park's two miles of beaches greet you with plenty of white sun-kissed sand, surging surf, seagulls and sea shells, but there is more than sand and surf to sink your toes into. Inside Gulf State Park there is a brand new Gulf Front lodge and Conference Center, beach pavilion, National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World Cottages, tennis courts, camp sites, 28 miles of paved/enhance trails and a fishing pier that is 20-feet wide and extends 1,512 feet into the Gulf. This and much more make Gulf State Park the perfect in-state vacation or out-of-state adventure.

This section of Bankhead Forest contains 25 miles of trails for hiking.

This popular family destination, spread over 40 acres, is home to over 700 animals from five continents, including the famous Bengal tiger. A train ride around the park provides an overview of the site and a chance to determine where you want to go later for a closer look.

Large park featuring waterfalls.

The 112-acre Huntsville Botanical Garden is open year-round and contains a diverse ecosystem of meadows, upland and bottomland forest, and wetlands, as well as a variety of specialty gardens and native plant collections. The Mathews Nature Trail contains the largest accredited trillium collection in the U.S. and the Anderson Education Center is home to the nation’s largest open-air butterfly house. The Native Plants Teaching Garden is a public space that highlights the way local plants, soil, pollinators, and birds create distinct communities and how they interact to form a diverse, sustainable, and attractive landscape. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Garden is a member of the American Public Gardens Association, the North American Plant Collections Consortium, and the American Horticultural Society, as well as an ArbNet-accredited arboretum.

Fun and learning never end at McWane Science Center, a nonprofit, hands-on museum and IMAX(R) Dome Theater. Four floors of interactive exhibits celebrate science and wonder - from an amazing collection of dinosaurs to innovative environmental showcases, imaginative early childhood playgrounds, and an awe-inspiring aquarium. The energy and excitement of discovery spring to life through an extensive lineup of science demonstrations performed daily by talented educators. The adventure intensifies in the IMAX(R) Dome Theater, where wide-eyed visitors experience the sights and sounds of breathtaking films on a 5-story-tall screen surrounded by 3 tons of high-intensity speakers.