ALABAMA: HEART OF DIXIE
BY CLAY
LARROY
Do
you feel like it is time for a short vacation? Once you decide to travel, how good you plan the trip
will help you feel comfortable and be comfortable at your destination. Not only
will you feel less anxiety before the trip, but you can rest assured that once
you arrive where you're going you will have a good understanding of what's
going on there. When you need to plan a vacation contact me!
Known affectionately as the ‘Heart of Dixie', Alabama thrills
visitors with its fine antebellum architecture, white powdery beaches, hearty
cuisine and rich sporting heritage.
History nuts also have plenty to get their teeth into, from caves
used by prehistoric Native Americans to the spot where Jefferson Davis became
president of the Confederate States of America. In the 1950s and 1960s, Alabama
was at the heart of the American Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr first preached at the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in
Montgomery, and you can find sites commemorating the struggle across the state.
Alabama's landscapes are many and varied, ranging from mountains
and forests to lakes and beaches. Take a road trip through sprawling farmland
and plantation homes, hike the Appalachians or paddle some of the 2,600km
(1,600 miles) of waterways, which meander through the state. Alternatively,
head to the coast where watersports, wildlife and white sands await.
Alabama's largest city is also home to the country's oldest
baseball stadium, built in 1910. Sport is huge in Alabama. Track and field star
Jesse Owens was born here and the NASCA races at Talladega Superspeedway are
world famous. The state also hosts the legendary Senior Bowl, an annual North
vs South battle featuring the country's top college football players.
And if you like a good knees-up, Mobile has been celebrating Mardi
Gras since 1703, longer than any other US city (yes, we're talking about you New
Orleans).
Where
to stay in Alabama
Hotels
From 4-star properties to
inns and beachfront resorts, hotels in Alabama cover a broad range of styles
and budgets. The biggest choice of hotels in Alabama can be found in the larger
cities like Mobile and Montgomery.
Camping Caravanning
Alabama is sprinkled with
a number of well managed campsites, from Bear Creek Lakes in the north of the
state to the Gulf Coast region in the south. Set amid beautiful scenery,
Alabama's campsites offer natural playgrounds for outdoor enthusiasts.
Other
Alabama's world-class
hunting lodges offer a unique experience. Bent Creek Lodge in Jachin caters to
hunters of deer, turkey, boar and quail and offers plantation-style meals and
walk-in coolers. Alternatively, Marion's Donovan Lakes Fishing Club is set amid
nine lakes and offers 17 fishing piers and the chance of hooking tiger bass, shell
crackers, and catfish.
Things
to see and do in Alabama
Adrenalin junkies
Enjoy heart-pounding
action at Talladega Superspeedway (www.talladegasuperspeedway.com),
site of Nascar records for speed and competition. The International Motorsports
Hall of Fame and Museum is adjacent to the track.
Beach life
Walk the white, sugar-sand
beaches of Gulf Shores (www.gulfshores.com) or indulge in some serious
beach resort rest and recuperation.
Delve back in time
Follow the history trail
of the Civil Rights Movement that started in Alabama with Dr Martin Luther King
Jr. Visit actual sites in Birmingham, Montgomery, Selma and Tuskegee.
Military history
Head south to Mobile, a
major seaport, and touch living military history at USS Alabama Battleship Park
(www.ussalabama.com).
It includes the battleship, submarines, and aircraft from every war since WWII,
even the Lockheed A-12 Blackbird.
Music and festivals
Visit Montgomery,
Alabama's state capital and the first White House of the confederacy. The Hank
Williams Memorial in Oakwood Cemetery Annex is a mecca for country music fans.
Attend the sixth-largest Shakespeare Festival in the world held year-round at
the Carolyn Blount Theatre (www.asf.net), and celebrate Mardi Gras in Mobile,
birthplace of the Gulf Coast Mardi Gras in 1703 (www.mobilemardigras.com).
Play golf
Play golf at the Robert
Trent Golf Trail in Mobile (www.rtjgolf.com), while the kids are entertained at
the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center (www.exploreum.com).
Space exploration
Launch into a space
exploration experience at Huntsville's US Space and Rocket Center. Sign kids on
for Space Camp (www.spacecamp.com), visit the IMAX theatre, or tour
the museum showcasing rockets and space hardware from the US space programs.
Theme parks and museums
Explore Birmingham,
Alabama's largest city, nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
Attractions include the Alabama Adventure theme park (www.alabamaadventure.com);
McWane Science Center and IMAX theatre: (www.mcwane.org);
the Birmingham Museum of Art (www.artsbma.org); and the Alabama Sports Hall of
Fame.
REFERENCE SITES:
I love what Alabama Shakes is
doing - it's kind of like what grunge did to rock 'n' roll, they're doing to
R&B.
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