Day Trips

Cloudmont Ski Resort in Mentone

Cloudmont Ski Resort in Mentone

 
 

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

There are plenty of nearby adventures for Huntsville and Madison, AL residents. Nashville, just 90 minutes away, offers highlights like Music Row, the Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Theatre, and Opryland, with Downtown Franklin en route. Birmingham, about the same distance away, features traditional Southern culture and cuisine, and attractions such as the Civil Rights Institute, Zoo and Botanical Gardens, McWane Science Center, and Alabama Theatre.

While we’re working on getting information for you on these better-known attractions, for now we’ve prioritized some lesser-known worthwhile sights and destinations. You probably wouldn’t even know to look for these if someone didn’t tell you about them. We think you’ll be glad someone did.

Ft. Payne, Little River Canyon, Desoto State Park, and Mentone

View of Little River Canyon From One of the Many Overlooks at Little River Canyon Rim Parkway

View of Little River Canyon From One of the Many Overlooks at Little River Canyon Rim Parkway

An hour-and-a-half from Huntsville is DeKalb County in the northeast corner of the state. It is home to Lookout Mountain and some of the finest natural beauty in Alabama. (This is the same Lookout Mountain that attracts many to Chattanooga.)

Little River Canyon National Preserve [MAP] is one of the deepest canyon systems east of the Mississippi. This Preserve is part of the National Parks Service. There are hiking opportunities galore, and you can take in breathtaking views from your car. Inside the Park are Lookout Mountain Parkway [M], Little River Falls [M], and Little River Canyon Rim Parkway [M], full of scenic overlooks.

The adjacent Desoto State Park [M] is known for its waterfalls and much more. You can make a weekend of it by staying in one of the cabins or BNBs in nearby Mentone [M], atop Lookout Mountain.

You’ll drive through or near Ft. Payne, Alabama [M], nestled at the foot of Lookout Mountain. Historic downtown provides get-out-of-the-car-and-walk shopping with a scenic backdrop. And if you’re a country music fan visit the Alabama Fan Club and Museum [M].

Check out these sites for more things to do in the area:

 

The Shoals

Before it even existed, Muscle Shoals [M] was a 75-mile-long planned city with one-million workers to be employed by Henry Ford. It was to be developed as a utopia of sorts for farmers and factory workers with “a loose spread of factories and urban areas separated by … farm homes.” What is left of some of the streets and sidewalks from this abandoned project still exist today.

Today “the Shoals” is a term used to describe the area of NW Alabama that includes the towns of Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. While most Americans are unaware, this regions has had a major impact on American music, largely through the The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, aka the “Swampers.” Their signature sound shaped hits for artists like The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, The Grateful Dead, and many more from the 1960s to the 1980s. Notably, Sam Phillips (“Father of Rock and Roll”) and W.C. Handy (“Father of the Blues”) were born here. Bono narrates the documentary Muscle Shoals about the area’s musical legacy.

You can tour Fame Studios [M] where it all started, or the nearby Alabama Music Hall of Fame [M], where you can see memorabilia from many of Alabama’s famous musicians. Or make a day of it and follow this “Music Tour of the Shoals” from visitflorenceal.com.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Rosenbaum House [M] is but one example of how Florence bats well above average for a small town. The beautifully restored downtown is the perfect spot to sample local favorites like Ricatoni’s, Odette, and Trowbridge’s [M], making it a food lover’s paradise. Florence also boasts the W.C. Handy Museum [M] and hosts the annual Music Festival, where you can easily stroll between lively downtown stages. And what would an artsy town be without a vibrant theatre scene? Florence wouldn’t know because the Shoals Community Theatre scratches that itch very well.

Ivy Green [M] in Tuscumbia is the birthplace of Helen Keller. Here you can see a play reenacting her incredible life during certain times of the year. Helen Keller is one of the most famous Alabamians of all time. She was a humanitarian, an advocate for the disadvantaged, an Academy Award winner, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the first deafblind person ever to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.

If you’re venturing to Tuscumbia, don’t miss the one-of-a-kind Rattlesnake Saloon [M]. Nestled beneath a massive rock, this quirky venue offers a truly memorable setting. It’s not a former speakeasy, but its cave-like atmosphere makes it a place you won’t soon forget.

Check out these other helpful sites:

 

Scottsboro and Surrounding Areas

Weathington Park Overlooks Lake Guntersville from Sand Mountain near Scottsboro

Weathington Park Overlooks Lake Guntersville from Sand Mountain near Scottsboro

Unclaimed Baggage [M] is the nation’s only retailer of lost luggage and one of the state’s top tourist attractions. But there’s so much more to Scottsboro. Thecrazytourist.com points out so many worthwhile attractions that it is difficult to add to, except that it doesn’t list Weathington Park [M] in Section, just a short drive up Sand Mountain from Scottsboro. Weathington Park offers a breathtaking view of Lake Guntersville.

Thecrazytrouist.com tells of many other natural attractions near Scottsboro such as waterfalls, caves, and one of the most photographed sinkholes in the country.

 

Chattanooga

View from Rock City atop Lookout Mountain

View from Rock City atop Lookout Mountain

Less than two hours from Huntsville is Chattanooga, TN [M]. Some of its more famous attractions are The Tennessee Aquarium, Rock City, Ruby Falls, and Lookout Mountain. Trip Advisor and visitchattanooga.com list many attractions that make this a worthy day drip or even better, a weekend retreat. Combine your trip with white water rafting or kayaking on the Ocoee River [M] for a real adventure!