Alabama SunsetAlabama enjoys a sub-tropical climate with long hot summers and mild shorter winters. It
is bordered by Georgia in the east and Mississippi to the west. Tennessee is to
the north, while Florida and the Gulf of Mexico lie to the south. Despite the
fact that Mobile is the state's only seaport, Alabama still has one of the
finest water-based networks in the United States.
The Alabama landscape varies from low-lying rolling grassland and agricultural
areas in the south to dense pine forests and hills in the north. The Mobile-Delta
region adjacent to the beaches is characterized by swamplands and shallow
channels of slow-moving water. Around it lie stunning beaches.
Today cotton plantations no longer underpin the state's economy, having been largely
replaced by corn, soybeans, peanuts, melons, and some livestock. Alabama with
its rich deposits of iron ore, coal, and limestone has also emerged as an
industrial heartland with rivers for flood control and the generation of hydroelectric
power. Almost a quarter of the workforce is employed in the construction and
manufacturing sectors and the state benefits from a prosperous textile industry
and around twenty million acres of commercial forests.
US Space and Rocket Center
There is a great deal to see and do in Alabama and everybody will find things that
interest them.
United States Space and Rocket Center
Alabama has played a major role in America's
space industry being host to Redstone Arsenal, Marshall Flight Center, and the
United States Space and Rocket Center. The Space and Rocket Center is open to
the public and has a large collection of spacecraft and space rockets on
display. It also provides opportunities for hands-on experience at the
astronaut training exhibits.
Children in particular, will finds lots to do in Alabama, so
charge your camera and take a family day out at one of these great
destinations:
Montgomery Zoo
The Montgomery Zoo in Birmingham is a must for every family with over
seven hundred animals roaming free in their natural environments throughout a
beautiful forty acre setting. You will see exotic creatures including giant anteaters,
giraffes, bison, tropical birds, poisonous snakes, lions, and zebras, to
mention but a few. There is a miniature train ride that is fun and great for
tiny tots and older folk.
Mooseum
The Mooseum also in Montgomery is an interactive children environment dedicated
to the history of beef and ranching from the 1500's to the present. Slim's
Buckaroo Cattle Club has exhibits depicting the life of cattlemen, while the
Rodeo area offers excitement for all.
McWane Science CenterMcWane Science Center
Birmingham hosts the McWane Science Center that is bursting with exciting kid's
stuff like building roller coasters, taking part in a Space Mission, and lying
on a Bed of Nails. Everything is beautifully presented and educational too –
bring walking shoes as the area is vast.
Birmingham Children's Theater
While in Birmingham don't forget the Birmingham Children's
Theater which has fun performances and lots of other things to do as you
discover the wonderful world of dramatics, like making props and costumes.
DeSoto Caverns Park
The DeSoto Caverns Park in Childersburg has many great rides and
other attractions and also provides open space where the kids can play while
the adults chill out.
Wildlife Expeditions
Wildlife Expeditions in Creole provides swamp boat tours through
breathtaking scenery where you will see wild alligators as well as ospreys, other
birds, and a whole lot more.
Alabama Beach
Many famous people have lived and worked in the State and are
recalled in a variety of museums and other exhibits. They include Martin Luther
King Junior, Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat in a bus, George
Washington Carver who discovered many new uses for peanuts and sweet potatoes,
and Helen Keller, the famous lecturer and author who proved that blind and deaf
people are still capable of great achievements. Areas of special interest
include:
King Center
The King Center established in 1968 is the official
living memorial to Doctor Martin Luther King Junior. It is visited by over a
million visitors a year from across the world and contains thought provoking
exhibits illustrating the great man's life and teachings.
Rosa Parks Museum and Library
The Rosa Parks Museum and Library in
Montgomery provides great opportunities for research into the struggles for
equality in the State of Alabama.
The Gulf Coast shoreline of Alabama has many tourist attractions
that capitalize on the freely available sun and sandy beaches. Special attractions
include:
Orange Beach
Orange Beach features pure white sand and sparkling
water and offers many family attractions and championship golf courses for dad.
Fort MorganFort Morgan
Fort Morgan is the site of the Battle of Mobile Bay
and today offers an interactive and informative museum.
Perdido Key Beach
Perdido Key Beach includes a national park and boating
and swimming areas. Attractions include excursions, restaurants, and an active nightlife.
National Shrimp Festival
The National Shrimp Festival in Gulf
Shores is a yearly beach party with live entertainment, food, crafts, and much
more.
Alabama has even more to offer, including:
Bellingrath Gardens and Home
Bellingrath Gardens and Home in
Theodore was developed by the president of Mobile’s Coca-Cola bottling plant and
today showcases a classically-styled residence set in a huge expanse of
manicured gardens.
Alabama's State Parks
Alabama's State Parks feature many
attractions such as DeSoto, Cheaha, Lake Guntersville, Joe Wheeler, and Oak
Mountain.
USS AlabamaBattleship Memorial Park
At the Battleship Memorial Park you can
literally walk the decks of the perfectly preserved USS Alabama, climb down
into an American World War II submarine, view cockpits of combat aircraft,
climb into a tank, and view a North Vietnam River Patrol Boat.
Alabama offers a lot to its visitors, from fun filled family days to sober memories
of times gone by. Do not put off your trip – you will be glad you stopped by in
the Land of Dixie.
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