Alabama

Spanning the state’s 16 northernmost counties is North Alabama. From the streets of Huntsville, home of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center to the historic covered bridges of Blount County and the music of Muscle Shoals and the “singing” Tennessee River, the past and present are side-by-side here and offer so much for every traveler to enjoy, even during the winter months.

Alabama Civil Rights Trail

Embark on an unparalleled journey through the heart of America’s Civil Rights saga with the Alabama Civil Rights Trail app, your essential companion for iPhone and Android. This official, free app brings the powerful story of the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama to life, offering an immersive experience unlike any other. Don’t just learn history—Experience it with the Civil Rights Trail App. See our article on the Civil Rights District in Birmingham.

The Shoals Area

Fame Recording Studio

For music lovers, your musical journey begins in the northwest Alabama towns of Florence, Tuscumbia, Sheffield and Muscles Shoals, located just two hours southeast of Elvis’s Graceland home in Memphis. The “Father of the Blues,” W.C. Handy was born in Florence where the annual Handy Music Festival is held each summer. Sam Phillips, another native son, discovered Elvis. The Elvis contract between Sam Phillips and RCA is located in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in nearby Tuscumbia. FAME Studios is just one of the recording studios located in these small Alabama cities where international superstars like Aretha Franklin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Otis Redding and the Rolling Stones came to record in the 60s at music venues in The Shoals Area.

Mardis Gras

Did you know the first Mardi Gras celebration was actually in Mobile instead of New Orleans and took place in 1703, when Mobile was the capital of French Louisiana. The celebration was started by Frenchman Nicholas Langlois. The first parade took place on Dauphin Street in 1711, featuring a papier-mâché bull. Visit the Mobile Carnival Museum to learn more about the history of Mardi Gras in Mobile. Check out our article on Mobile. 

For History Fans 

Old Alabama Town, located in  Montgomery, shows how early Alabamians lived in 19th and early 20th century homes and buildings that have been saved from demolition, carefully restored, and reopened to the public as a history museum. Step back in time to a one-room schoolhouse, a grist mill, a slave dwelling, and Lucas Tavern, oldest surviving building in the county. Guided tours are available and the best way to learn the history of each stop while viewing. Author Kathleen Walls shares her story at https://extendedweekendgetaways.com/destination/alabama/old-alabama-town/