Welcome to Alabama

If there’s a lifeblood to the Heart of Dixie, it’s the heaping doses of Southern hospitality that course—slow as molasses, no less—through the veins of every nook and cranny in the state. Some might call it down-to-earth charm, but in Sweet Home Alabama, it’s just the way the tide rolls in—University of Alabama football team (known as The Crimson Tide) and all.

Highlights for first-time visitors include the Yellowhammer State’s diverse landscapes, rich with fantastic hunting and fishing spots, and its old antebellum manors, which dot the countryside.

If you’re traveling with children, you’ll want to set aside time for either the Montgomery Zoo, which features safari-like pens for the animals to roam more naturally, or the Birmingham Zoo, which is home to live lion training demonstrations.

Other family-friendly highlights include the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, where a real Saturn V moon rocket sits on display, pointed to the clouds. At the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, guests can explore a decommissioned World War II warship.

Adventure

Lovers of the great outdoors will find themselves overwhelmed with choices in Alabama. From the sun-soaked and windswept beaches of the Gulf Coast to the rocky cliffs and lush forests of the Appalachian Mountains, the Yellowhammer state has it all.

Lake Guntersville State Park in the forested north and Cheaha State Park—located in the east-central region and home to the highest point in the state—boast miles of incredible trails snaking through lush woodlands, making each spot a popular destination for hikers and mountain bikers. Down around Mobile, Alabama’s Gulf Coast scene bursts with ribbons of white sandy beaches that serve as a springboard to the sparkling Gulf of Mexico.

If you’re a golfer, you won’t want to miss the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Named after a legendary course architect, this unparalleled collection of 26 public golf courses is spread across the entire state, comprising 468 championship holes.

Entertainment

If you’re visiting southern Alabama in February, you may find yourself swept up in the oldest annual Mardi Gras festival in the country. The rich melting pot of cultures that make up in the Gulf Coast means Mobile’s Mardi Gras carnival is suffused with traditions found in French, Spanish, British, African and Creole