Wedged between Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, with a little thumb poking into the Gulf of Mexico, Alabama has an unexpected and diverse geography. Mountains and hills dominate northern Alabama; the center is rich with rolling hills and fertile farmland; and the southern Gulf Coast is steamy and wet. The state has a diverse history as well. It's here that Jefferson Davis gave the call to start the Civil War, from his Confederate presidency in Montgomery. Nearly a hundred years later, this is where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus, thereby accelerating a movement that would forever change the rules about American Civil Rights. For all its heated, rebellious and segregationist past, Alabama today is mostly composed of quiet towns and friendly people. Racism still exists, but rather than turn their backs on the important events of the past, Alabama cities have done an impeccable job at preserving it, which is evidenced by the wealth of museums and memorials.
Must See
- #1 Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
- #2 U.S. Space and Rocket Center
- #3 Alabama Shakespeare Festival
- #4 Rosa Parks Museum
- #5 Mobile's Mardi Gras
Skip It
- #1 Little is overrated
- #2 Unless you're a car racing fanatic, avoid Talladega in summer
- #3 Or, bring really good earplugs to drown out the rumbling engines from the Talladega Speedway