A few days ago, Romedy Now was showing the 2002 romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama, starring Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas, and Patrick Dempsey. I was in the middle of planning my vacation for this Summer. I have never traveled to the legendary southern parts of the United States.
“Sweet home Alabama, Lord, I’m coming home to you.”
Alabama is one southern state I have found intriguing for a really long time. Home to several historically relevant landmarks from the American Civil Rights Movement, Alabama is famous for gorgeous gulf-coast beaches, southern hospitality, and college football. So within a single day, I ended up planning my solo trip to the southern state of Alabama.
Keep reading to find out more about the coolest things to do in Alabama!
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10 Cool And Unusual Things To Do In Alabama In 2022:
I usually don’t share my travel plans with anyone, but Alabama really got me excited, and now I can’t help myself! So without wasting any further time, scroll down and find out all the unusual things you can do in Alabama this year!
But before that, don’t forget to groove a little to,
“Oh! Susanna, Oh, don’t you cry for me,
For I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee.”
1. Drive-Through Arts And Antiques Gallery
Yes, museums are certainly cool, but drive-through museums? Way cooler! Located in the small town of Seale in the state of Alabama, this attraction by the road does not even need you to step out of your car. This attraction is none other than the first-ever drive-thru antiques and art gallery.
Created in 2014 by Butch Anthony, the collector and artist Museum Of Wonder was built to control all the crowd that would gather in the museum before. Made from shipping containers stacked creatively, this is a must-visit if you are looking for things to do in mobile Alabama.
2. Claim Some ‘Unclaimed’ Bagged
One of the most unusual things to do in Alabama is perhaps visiting Scottsboro in Alabama to claim some good, old unclaimed baggage. This is perhaps the most quirky tourist activity to do in this southern state. Of course, a predetermined time period is provided for people to claim their luggage.
But after that time period ends, you can buy off unclaimed luggage and all the contents inside. First started in 1970, the Unclaimed Luggage Center has gradually expanded into a full-fledged store where you can claim many unusual items, from ordinary items to weird things like a rattlesnake, the options are many.
3. Visit The Natural Bridge Of Alabama
Alabama is home to several historically significant landmarks, and one such landmark is the natural bridge that is at least 200 million years old. Formed from iron ore and sprawling sandstone, the bridge is located near the William Bankhead National Forest. Spanning a small cave area, the bridge is 60 ft. high and 148 ft. long.
Identified as a national park only in 1954, the area has been home to Native Americans for several hundred years. An Indian head is carved a few meters away from the curved formation of the bridge. It is assumed to be the head of some important Indian chieftain, but till date, it is not known who created the same or the purpose behind the act.
4. Head Over To Neversink
A striking geological wonder inspiring climbers and photographers from across the world, Neversink is one remarkable pit located in northern Alabama. It is a type of sinkhole and cave blended together. While the opening is 40 ft. wide, the floor at the bottom happens to be twice the size of the opening. But that’s not the most dramatic bit.
The 162 ft. drop is perhaps the most intriguing part of this natural attraction. And that’s not all. While the Summer witnesses lush fern vegetation, the Winter witnesses ice sheets, and the Spring season experiences ribbony waterfalls inside the sinkhole. The Southeastern Cave Conservancy is in charge of looking after this attraction after becoming the purchaser of the property outright in 1995.
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5. Check Out The Alabama Booksmith
Do you love books? Are you a book nerd? Then you cannot absolutely miss out on this unique bookshop known as the Alabama Booksmith. The specialty? Every single book in this shop is signed by the writer. Located in a hardly known suburb in Birmingham, the shop is truly one of a kind.
Initially started as a shop for rare books, the owner of the shop, Jacob Reiss, made a great business decision and changed the theme to signed books. We all know how fast signed books actually sell! The best price? You get to buy these signed babies for the normal price of the book! So if you were wondering about things to do in Birmingham, Alabama, then this book shop is totally worth the visit!
6. Play With The Dead
Strange things often happen in the world, like how there’s a children’s playground deep inside Alabama’s largest and oldest cemetery in the world? The historic cemetery actually ran out of space in 2007, and the old silly playground was suddenly lifted up to err…accommodate the dead.
Well, the locals didn’t quite like it. So they did what they do best: protest till they got what they wanted. A new playground in memory of the old too, umm… bring back the lost location from the dead? Surely one of the strangest things to do in Alabama is visiting dead strangers and the historic park?
7. Check Out The Museum Dedicated To The Fitzgeralds
As a huge fan of F.Scott Fitzgerald and, to an extent, even his tumultuous relationship with Zelda makes the literary nerd inside me sit up straight for a change. So visiting their home and the only museum dedicated to them in the whole world is definitely on my bucket list. If you want to do the same, don’t forget to visit Montgomery on your trip to Alabama.
Fun fact! Tender is the Night, Fitzgerald’s last great work, was written here, and not just that the story is based on his relationship with Zelda.
8. Hit The Hub For Water Sports
One of the best hubs for water sports in America, you must check out Orange Beach while looking for things to do in Alabama. If you are wondering about things to do in orange beach, Alabama, then don’t worry because there’s so much you can do!
Explore the beautiful picnic areas and fishing piers, hit any of the award-winning eateries for a local brunch, and don’t forget to check out the Orange Beach Indian & Sea Museum for revisiting native American history.
9. Watch Out For The Wetumpka Impact Crater
The central Alabama landscape is characterized by an entire ridge of 300-feet tall hills. But those hills are not really hills. Instead, it is a crater, almost 5 miles wide, the byproduct of a cosmic collision that happened thousands of years ago. The place is known as the Wetumpka Impact Crater, and you most definitely should check it out.
The most interesting part? When this cosmic hit this particular surface, the impact was more than that of the bombs dropped in 1945 on Hiroshima. In fact, the effect was calculated to be 175,000 more.
10. Sip On Famous Drinks At Melanin Cafe
You might be wondering what is so famous about the drinks at the Melanin Cafe, and that’s fine because we are here to tell you more about the same. However, the most exciting part about the beverages served at the Melanin Cafe is that each drink has been named after African-American luminaries, sayings, and even relevant events.
Dedicated to coffee and culture, the cafe is a must-visit if you want to celebrate African culture. One of the most exciting things to do in Alabama doesn’t forget to check out this cultural cafe located in Opelika.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Alabama is the perfect place to visit if you are looking for a place to do cool things. From visiting the first-ever drive-thru antiques and art gallery to checking out the only museum dedicated to the Fitzgerald in the world, Alabama is home to several unusual historical landmarks.
The top five strange things you will come across on your trip to Alabama are as follows,
• Scrap Metal Pig Sculpture.
• Joe Minter’s African Village.
• Playhouse Grave of Little Nadine Earles.
• Giant Red Dog Statue at Kentuck Art Center.
• Bamahenge.
Snow is pretty much a rare development in the state of Alabama. However, every winter occasionally, it snows a little in the northern parts of the state, like in the areas surrounding Montogomery.
And It’s A Travel Adieu:
The number of things to do in gulf shores Alabama, is just too many, and a short vacation to the place won’t make a difference. So the best thing you can do is pack your bags and disappear into the beauty of this unusual country. And if you were worried about the things to do in Alabama, you can always come back to the list of top ten unusual activities.
What’s the point of traveling if you are not going to embark upon adventures that you will remember for an entire lifetime. Don’t forget to let us know in the comments below your thoughts on the same.
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