The Yellowhammer state has many things to see and do. Northern Alabama offers hills and forests for hiking and climbing and a long string of lakes for water sports. Cheaha and DeSoto state parks showcase the state's highest point and deepest gorge, respectively, and camping and hiking are popular activities in these forested areas. Guntersville and Wheeler lakes are prime recreational waterways where swimming, fishing, boating, and water skiing are enjoyed almost year-round. Catch a glimpse into the future at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville; or visit some of Alabama's historic past at the W. C. Handy Home and Museum in Florence or at Ivy Green, the birthplace of Helen Keller, in Tuscumbia. Big-city life can be enjoyed in Birmingham, the state's largest city and home of the famous Vulcan statue.
Area attractions include the famous Ave Maria Grotto the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament golf courses parks and several antique shops. Several well-known restaurants are located within the Hampton Circle and are within walking distance including Cracker Barrel and Ruby Tuesday's.
Prospecting for gold is something that just about everyone has wanted to try at least once.
As a hobby, prospecting offers a special excitement. There is a constant hope that the next pan will hold that bonanza you've been dreaming about.
On your next trip to Alabama's Gulf Coast, join us for a comfortable stay at La Quinta® by Wyndham Mobile - Tillman's Corner.
We're conveniently located off I-10 near the Cloverleaf Plaza Shopping Center with a short drive to downtown Mobile and the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley.
Red Roof PLUS+ & Suites Birmingham - Bessemer is one of the best 100% smoke free budget hotels in Bessemer, AL that is conveniently located right off of I-20 with easy access to I-459.
Located in the city of Gulf Shores on the coast of Alabama, white sun-kissed beaches, a surging surf, seagulls and seashells are here to greet you at Gulf State Park.
Heading south, the hills and forests give way to the rich plains of central Alabama, otherwise known as the Cradle of the Confederacy. Great cotton plantations sprang up here in the 19th century, and several can still be toured. The First White House of the Confederacy is in Montgomery, and ruins of the state's first capital city are at Cahawba, just west of Selma. Nearby in Tuskegee is the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site. Here, among student-made brick buildings, are reminders of the impact made on Black history by such persons as Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver.
Spanish moss, meandering rivers, and white-sand beaches are the setting in south Alabama. Gulf State Park, in Gulf Shores, offers miles of beaches along with fine lodging facilities. Fun-loving Mobile is the host-city for the oldest Mardi Gras celebration in the country and an annual azalea festival. Just south of Mobile is Bellingrath Gardens and Home, one of the premier landscaped gardens in the country. It is a must-see for lovers of flora and fauna.