Alabama: See the historic cities that shaped national history

Don’t visit Sweet Home Alabama without checking out the amazing history of its major metropolitan centers. This trio of big ’Bama cities will open your eyes to key events in the nation’s history.

Drive 191.6 miles, 3 hours, 19 minutes

1. Montgomery

Starting Point

From the Civil War to the Civil Rights struggle, Montgomery has had a big impact on our country’s culture. Stand on the steps of the Alabama State Capital, where Confederate President Jefferson Davis was inaugurated, then pay a visit to the First White House of the Confederacy, where Davis led Dixie for a scant three months before the capital was moved to Richmond, Virginia, in 1861. The Civil Rights Memorial honors the achievements of those who fought for equality. Visit the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached his message of peace.

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2. Birmingham

91 miles, 1 hour, 36

The Birmingham History Center takes an in-depth look at the roles played by slavery and the Civil Rights Movement in the city’s fascinating history. Walk in the footsteps of activists in the Birmingham Civil Rights District, home to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, where visitors experience the era of segregation and the struggle for human rights. Pay your respects at the 16th Street Baptist Church, the infamous site where the Ku Klux Klan killed four young girls in a racially motivated bombing in 1963.

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3. Huntsville

100.6 miles, 1 hour, 43 minutes

At the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, you can marvel at the technology that brought astronauts to the moon and back. See an authentic Saturn V moon rocket, learn about the evolution of the Space Shuttle program, buckle up for exciting space travel simulators, scale the Mars Climbing Wall and discover how Huntsville became “America’s Space Capital.” Then take a seat on a bus for the Marshall Space Flight Center Tour and visit one of the largest NASA centers in the country.