Named after the Native American tribe who once inhabited the area, Alabama is a Southern state that is synonymous with the United States’ Civil Rights Movement. Its cities are dotted with museums and monuments that stand as a tribute to those who fought for change, including names such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Things to do

Whether you want to delve into Alabama’s cultural heritage or discover its scenic beauty, this welcoming state has plenty to offer.

Visit the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Located in Huntsville, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center boasts one of the most extensive collections of space artefacts in the world. Learn about Huntsville’s role in developing rockets while browsing the capsule trainers and International Space Station design modules, then experience an immersive astronomy show at the Intuitive Planetarium.

Explore the Birmingham Civil Rights District. Discover Birmingham’s role in the fight for desegregation in the Civil Rights District, which is home to the excellent Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and Kelly Ingram Park. It’s also here that you’ll find the 16th Street Baptist Church, a 1960s protest headquarters that now serves as a museum showcasing Birmingham’s Civil Rights story.

Discover the museums Montgomery. Serving as the capital of Alabama, Montgomery boasts several notable museums dedicated to prominent residents who have shaped history. See artefacts from the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott at the Rosa Parks Museum and visit Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church before learning about those who sacrificed their lives at the Civil Rights Memorial Center.

Escape to Cheaha State Park. Encompassing 1,130 hectares at the highest point in Alabama, Cheaha State Park takes its name from the Muskogee word for “high place”. It features picturesque waterfalls and spectacular mountain views from its hiking trails, as well as opportunities to fish and swim in the waters of Cheaha Lake.

Getting there

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is the main gateway to Alabama, with smaller airports serving Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery. Greyhound bus services travel throughout the state while Amtrak’s Crescent train line stops in Anniston, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.