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Alabama

History suffuses Alabama, a description that could be true of many states. But there are few places where the perception of said history is so emotionally fraught. The Mississippian Native American culture built great mound cities here, and Mobile is dotted with Franco-Caribbean architecture. But for many, the word Alabama is synonymous with the American Civil Rights movement.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Sloss Furnaces
Birmingham
The Sloss Furnaces constitutes one of Birmingham's can't-miss sites. From 1882 to 1971, this was a pig iron–producing blast furnace and a cornerstone of…
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Birmingham
A maze of moving audio, video and photography exhibits tell the story of racial segregation and the Civil Rights movement, with a focus on activities in…
National Memorial for Peace & Justice
Alabama
Stark and harrowing in its simplicity, this memorial stands in honor of 4400 African American victims of lynching. Great rectangular steel slabs, each the…
Splinter Hill Bog
Alabama
Blankets of white-topped pitcher plants can be found here, a 2100 acre plot of land owned and protected by the non-profit Nature Conservancy. Walk into…
US Space & Rocket Center
Alabama
If you ever entertained dreams of playing Major Tom to someone's ground control, head here. This Smithsonian-affiliated museum boasts one of the world's…
Dismals Canyon Conservatory
Alabama
In many other states, Dismals would be a headlining tourist attraction. In North Alabama, it quietly persists as just an amazing place to visit. This…
Dexter Avenue Parsonage
Alabama
The home of Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King has been frozen in time, a snapshot of a mid-century home complete with Mad Men–era furniture,…
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
Alabama
Centuries ago, salt-lashed oak forest, inundated coastal prairie and great quilts of sawgrass covered the Gulf Coast. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge…