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Alabama is only the 30th largest US state. Still, with 135,765 square kilometers, the Heart of Dixie is more extensive than many sovereign states. It has great diversity ranging from coastal plains, Gulf coast, and mountainous parts to Appalachians’ southern part.
Illustrious history, diverse landscape, and natural wonders offer plenty of attractions to explore for weeks. You can find a lush forest and incredible caves in Alabama. It’s a perfect place to learn something about the civil rights movement, American aviation, and football.
Foreign visitors who want to explore the Deep South will need travel authorization. A convenient way to get visitors to permit is ESTA for people from countries in the Visa Waiver program. You’ll need to fulfill the usa esta form and wait a couple of days for the American administration to process the application. After you get ESTA, you can visit the US for up to 90 days.
Alabama attractions for families
One of the best-known attractions in Alabama is Cathedral Caverns, State Park. Former Bet Cave will welcome you with a spectacular grand entrance. Countless stalactites, stalagmites, and other cave rock formations form stunning views, and there are several daily tours with special gemstone mining programs for kids.
All kids love planes and helicopters. Fort Rucker Army base hosts Army Aviation Museum. More than fifty displayed historic aircraft ranging from Wright Model B from World War One to some of the world’s most giant helicopters.
Alabama Safari Park is a vast 350-acre park with large breed animals like zebtras, deer, giraffe, and numerous colofrul birds from around the world flying freely throughout the park.
DeSoto Caverns are another famous cave in Alabama. Located in the Appalachian Mountains, they have significant historical value. Indigenous people use them in prehistoric times, Confederate soldiers in the Civil war, and smugglers in times of prohibition.
Fun places for kids in Alabama
Birmingham is the most populous town in Alabama, with plenty of attractions like museums, bars, and historical landmarks. Its also home to the largest zoo in the state, with more than 230 species on 120 acres of the park. There are themed guided tours for kids, or you can go and explore the big zoo yourself.
Children’s Museum of the Shoals In Florence has numerous interactive exhibits like navigation on the Tennessee River. Imagination Place Children’s Museum is for smaller kids up to 10 years. The main attraction is KidsTown USA, with exhibits like a train station, hospital, and grocery store. . If you want, you can have a detour and know what to do in Nashville TN.
Experience Alabama river life, dress up in the 19th-century wardrobe or explore some of the other interactive exhibits in the EarlyWorks Children’s Museum in Huntsville.
Another incredible attraction is Gulf Coast Ducks, a somewhat different type of experience with a vehicle that will drive you from Fort of Colonial Mobile down to the Mobile River, where it will continue on the water. Once in the water, you will see American Navy warships and many other attractions.
More than 100 planes and other aircraft await you in the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham. You can see B-25 bombers or Vietnam War Helicopters. There is a unique homage to Tuskegee Airmen, and it is an excellent opportunity to spend the whole day exploring planes.
Family fun in Alabama
There are numerous outdoor fun opportunities for the entire family, from Alabama’s continental parts on the foothill of Appalachian to the beaches on the Gulf of Mexico shores. Gulf Shores Public Beach stretches from miles. Sand and clear sea attract thousands of visitors. You will have signals for the safety of the water. The green means you can swim, while double red will get you fined if you enter the water.
Close to the Gulf Shores is Adventure Island at Orange Beach. You can find fun things like go-karts, bumper boats, or erupting volcanoes on several stories.
Alabama has plenty to offer, but also some parts you should probably avoid. Birmingham is among the most dangerous cities in alabama. The whole state has a lower median income, and that reflects negatively on the crime issues. Most populous Alabama town has as much as 112% bigger crime rate than the national average.
Some smaller towns have a low reputation. With a $36,000 median income, Fairfield is among the state’s most impoverished places, with many locals living under the poverty line. Although the town has golf courses, waterparks, and outdoor activities to offer, there is a high rate of violent crimes.
Other towns that are less safe include Anniston, Lannet, and Tarrant.
Bottom line
Alabama is in the Deep South with historic places celebrating the Civil Rights movement like Rosa Parks house. It’s also a very diverse state with beaches on the south, numerous rivers inland, and Appalachian foothills to the north. There is plenty to explore for the whole family, both in specialized museums, outdoor parks, and general attractions.
