Alabama
Discover Alabama
Alabama is a state in the Southern United States. Alabama is known for its civil rights history and scenic beauty, and has a lot to offer those who enjoy the great outdoors, from Gulf Coast beaches to 40 National and stare parks. Alabama, along with the South in general, has a reputation for "Southern hospitality." The people of this state are generally genial and helpful and often go out of their way to help a stranger.
Taste of Alabama...
Mobile has some of the best fried seafood east of the Mississippi River. Don't forget to try local oyster bars, and the shrimp is superb. Ask locals for recommendations that are off the beaten path and area favorites. Alabama barbecue is outstanding and comes in many forms, but pork is always most popular. There are several award-winning barbecue "joints" in Alabama, and their claim to fame is typically "pulled pork", but they will offer ribs, too. For dessert, look for pecan pie. During the summer, fresh peaches and blackberries are available. Fruit pies abound, and if you want something a little different, look for cobblers. Home-style peach ice cream is a particular treat.
Festivals & Events
Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of Alabama.
Home to what is considered one of the top rivalries in sports, the state of Alabama revolves around college football. Each weekend of the fall, hundreds of thousands of fans around the state pack stadiums to cheer for their respective teams. Alabama has some decent hiking options. One of the best areas is the Sipsey Wilderness, which features old-growth forest and dozens of waterfalls. Other areas include the trails and scenic overlooks in Mount Cheaha State Park. The Pinhoti National Recreation Trail runs for approximately 171 miles (280 km) through the hilly forests of eastern Alabama, offering multiple sites for overnight camping. Chief Ladiga Trail rail trail in eastern Alabama that stretches for 33 miles (53 km) from Anniston to the Alabama-Georgia state line, where it joins Georgia's Silver Comet Trail. Mobile has some of the best fried seafood east of the Mississippi River. Don't forget to try local oyster bars, and the shrimp is superb.
Climate
Due to its location in the Deep South, Alabama has a humid subtropical/continental climate. Summers are hot and humid, winters are cool to cold, and fall and spring offer pleasant temperatures. Many (though certainly not all) Alabamians speak with thick local accents so non-native English speakers may have difficulty understanding them. Visitors to North Alabama (Birmingham and north) will experience accents that are more "country" in nature (Senator Richard Shelby is one example) while visitors to South Alabama (south of Birmingham) will experience accents that are more closely reminiscent of those from the 1939 film Gone With the Wind and the 1994 film Forrest Gump, which takes place in Southern Alabama. Former governor Fob James is a textbook example of someone who speaks like this.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsAlabama is accessible by five interstate highways: Interstate 10 (I-10) crosses the state from east to west near Mobile in the south; I-20 enters Alabama from the east, traverses Birmingham, and joins I-59 as it traverses Tuscaloosa and exits the state in a southwesterly direction; I-59 enters northeastern Alabama, continues southwest through Birmingham, and exits the state toward the southwest; I-22 enters Alabama from the northwest and ends in Birmingham; I-65 enters Alabama from the north, traverses Birmingham, and ends in Mobile; I-85 enters the state in the east and ends in Montgomery. Greyhound Lines offers bus transportation to cities and towns throughout Alabama. Greyhound bus stops are found in Anniston, Athens, Birmingham, Dothan, Evergreen, Gadsden, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Opelika, Selma, Troy, Tuscaloosa, and Tuskegee. There is one daily Amtrak route serving Alabama, the Crescent. Trains 19 (southbound) and 20 (northbound) run from New Orleans to Washington, D.C....
Regions
Explore AreasAlabama, along with the South in general, has a reputation for "Southern hospitality." The people of this state are generally genial and helpful and often go out of their way to help a stranger. The s…...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Car is no doubt the best method, and the most scenic. Interstates converge on Montgomery, Birmingham, and Mobile, and make quick transportation between those cities and ones in other states. They also connect to Anniston, Tuscaloosa, and Huntsville. Elsewhere though, travel can be slower in more rural areas. Home to what is considered one of the top rivalries in sports, the state of Alabama revolves around college football. Each weekend of the fall, hundreds of thousands of fans around the state pack stadiums to cheer for their respective teams. Alabama has some decent hiking options. One of the best areas is the Sipsey Wilderness, which features old-growth forest and dozens of waterfalls. Other areas include the trails and scenic overlooks in Mount Cheaha State Park. The Pinhoti National Recreation Trail runs for approximately 171 miles (280 km) through the hilly forests of eastern Alabama, offering multiple sites for overnight camping.
Language & Talk
Many (though certainly not all) Alabamians speak with thick local accents so non-native English speakers may have difficulty understanding them. Visitors to North Alabama (Birmingham and north) will experience accents that are more "country" in nature (Senator Richard Shelby is one example) while visitors to South Alabama (south of Birmingham) will experience accents that are more closely reminiscent of those from the 1939 film Gone With the Wind and the 1994 film Forrest Gump, which takes place in Southern Alabama. Former governor Fob James is a textbook example of someone who speaks like this.