| Crossing the Heart of Dixie Exploring the Cumberland Plateau, Alabama The rolling landscape of the Cumberland Plateau and the long ridges and valleys of the southernmost Appalachians provide the setting for this Best of the Road trip. The route stretches from Birmingham to Huntsville to Chattanooga, three family-friendly cities packed with top-notch attractions. Along the way there are Civil War battlefields to visit, caves to explore, and great spots for boating, bird-watching, hiking, and mountain biking. Topping it all off is the down-home friendliness of the people who call this area home. The first stop on the trip is Vulcan Park and Museum in Birmingham, Ala. Overlooking the city from atop Red Mountain, the park is home to a giant cast iron statue of Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and forge. Point Park makes a fitting endpoint for the trip. Use our route planner to find hotels for your next trip. |  |  | ||||||||
BEST OF THE ROAD:
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| The Wildlife Center at Oak Mountain State Park 200 Terrace Dr. Pellham, AL 35124  |  |  For anyone interested in the fauna of Alabama, one of the best places to visit in the Birmingham area is the Alabama Wildlife Center in Oak Mountain State Park. Each year, this wildlife rehabilitation center cares for more than 2,000 wild animals that have been injured or orphaned. One-way viewing windows allow visitors to get a close-up look at raptors such as eagles, hawks, owls, and vultures as well as foxes, deer, and other native critters. In the wooded valley below the Wildlife Center, an elevated boardwalk called the Treetop Nature Trail leads past a series of large enclosures that provide open-air homes for some of the center's largest raptors. | | |||||||
| Vulcan Park 1701 Valley View Dr Birmingham, AL 35209 Call (205) 933-1409 |  |  The massive statue of Vulcan, Roman god of fire and metalworking, stands high above the city in the ten-acre Vulcan Park. The statue's observation balcony lends spectacular views of the city and its surroundings. Cast for the St. Louis Exposition of 1904, the statue and its accompanying museum received a complete refurbishment in 2004. While admission to the park grounds is free, there is a charge to enter the Vulcan Center Museum and Observation Balcony. | | |||||||
| Continental Bakery 1911 Cahaba Road Birmingham, AL 35223 | |  Some of the area's tastiest baked goods can be found in the upscale community of Mountainbrook Village. Continental Bakery--a little piece of Paris dropped onto Red Mountain--features croissants, brioches, cookies, and crusty European-style breads. | ||||||||
| Chez Lulu 1909 Cahaba Road Birmingham, AL 35223 | | Chez Lulu, which adjoins the Continental Bakery, is a small, bohemian restaurant that serves gourmet sandwiches, soups, cheeses, pizzas, and pasta. | ||||||||
| Naked Art 3815 Clairmont Ave Birmingham, AL 35222 Call (205) 595-3553 | |
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| Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark 20 32nd St N Birmingham, AL 35222 Call (205) 324-1911 | | Among the dominant features of Birmingham's skyline as seen from Vulcan Park are the massive silo-shaped blast furnaces and tall smokestacks of Sloss Furnaces. For more than 50 years, the smokestacks belched black smoke 24 hours a day as iron ore, coal, and limestone were fed into the 3,600-degree furnaces to produce pig iron--as much as 400 tons per day. The furnaces closed in 1971, but thanks to the efforts of a group of citizens, the site has been preserved as Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark. Walking tours take visitors past monumental machines and structures that look straight out of Charles Dickens's England. Knowledgeable guides explain the workings of the blast furnaces and point out highlights such as an underground railroad line and a vintage steam shovel. The grounds also include some of the original "shotgun shacks" built to house workers and their families. | ||||||||
| Birmingham Civil Rights Institute 520 16th St North Birmingham, AL 35203 Call (205) 328-9696 | | A starkly realistic lesson in history weaves throughout the city's Civil Rights District, which includes the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and adjacent Kelly Ingram Park. Once a gathering place for civil rights demonstrations, the park today is dotted with poignant sculptures recalling key events, including the May 1963 incident when police dogs and firehoses were turned on marchers. Self-guided audio tours are available at the Institute. | ||||||||
| All Steak Restaurant 314 2nd Ave. SW Cullman, AL 35055 Call (256) 734-4322 | | Cullman is also home to one of the best-known dining spots in Alabama. The All Steak Restaurant, a fixture since 1938, serves a variety of mouth-watering steaks, including ribeye ($17.95), filet mignon ($18.50 $24.50, chateaubriand $42.95), and T-bone ($17.95$20.95). You don't have to be a steak-lover to enjoy a meal at the All Steak: the menu also includes excellent seafood dishes such as blackened snapper fillet ($17.95) as well as chicken and pasta dishes. But if you ask any of the regular customers what keeps them coming back, they'll likely say it's the restaurant's famous orange rolls. These delicious pastries--sort of like orange-flavored cinnamon rolls--are served warm with every meal. | ||||||||
| Ave Maria Grotto 1600 St. Bernard Dr. SE Cullman, AL 35055 | |
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| Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce 110 Railroad St. SW Hartselle, AL 35640 | |
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| Cook's Natural Science Museum 412 13th St SE Decatur, AL 35601 Call (256) 350-9347 | |
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| Mooresville Decatur-Morgan County CVB 719 6th Ave SE Decatur, AL 35602 | | A few miles east of Decatur visitors will find Mooresville, Alabama's oldest incorporated town. Settled by cotton planters in 1805 and founded in 1818, Mooresville remained small and unspoiled because it refused to let the railroad pass through. Today, it retains the look and feel of a 19th-century town, with tall cedars and magnolias shading streets lined with white picket fences and handsome Federal-style homes. The best way to see the town is pick up a guidebook at the tiny 1840 post office and stroll around on foot. (The homes are private residences and not open to the public.) | ||||||||
| U.S. Space and Rocket Center One Tranquility Base Huntsville, AL 35805 Call (256) 837-3400 | | At the Space Center, you can be an astronaut for a day. Experience many of the physical forces of flying in space in different types of training simulators, or take a simulated "Journey to Mars." See what it's like docking with an orbiting space station, and see different films partially shot in space by astronauts at the IMAX Spacedome Theater. Size up a full-scale model of the Space Shuttle. See the world's fastest jet, the SR-71 Blackbird, capable of flying at over Mach 3, more than three times the speed of sound, or over 2,200 mph. There are also hundreds of pieces from different types of rockets and all kinds of space hardware and equipment. The exhibits from the Russian space program feature a Soyuz-era cosmonaut's space suit, the 1/20th scale Energiya-Buran Space Shuttle model, and a 1/3rd scale Mir Space Station model. Outside the Center, in Rocket Park, is a rocketry collection ranging from Army missiles to NASA rockets, such as the 363-foot Saturn V, stretched out on its side. | ||||||||
| Burritt on the Mountain - A Living Museum 3101 Burritt Dr Huntsville, AL 35801 Call (256) 536-2882 | |
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| Interior Marketplace 5732 US Highway 431 South Brownsboro, AL 35741 | | One of the most interesting places to shop in the Huntsville area is located near Brownsboro on the east side of Monte Sano. Interior Marketplace contains some 35 shops, boutiques, and galleries operated by independent artisans and merchants. Under one roof but in an atmosphere that's much cozier than a mall, shoppers can browse for everything from furniture, rugs, and lighting to clothing, candles, and gifts. A popular dining spot called Caf Michael represents another excellent reason to visit the marketplace. The caf's specialties include salads with in-house, custom-made dressings and the Caf Michael Quiche. | ||||||||
| Cathedral Caverns 637 Cave Road Woodville, AL 35776 | |
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| Goose Pond Colony 417 Ed Hembree Drive Scottsboro, AL 35768 | | Scottsboro's Goose Pond Colony resort park occupies a 360-acre peninsula jutting into Lake Guntersville. The park offers golfing, boating, fishing, and swimming as well as one of the town's best dining spots. The Docks is a laid-back waterfront restaurant that combines great food with panoramic views across the lake. Chef and owner Mark Hall serves simple dishes like Southern fried tilapia ($9) as well as more sophisticated fare such as herb-crusted chicken with mango chutney ($14) and Hawaiian grilled ribeye steak with pineapple relish ($19). His signature dish is shrimp and grits (odd-sounding but delicious) served with andouille sausage and pepper cream sauce ($16). Mark's mother Linda makes the restaurant's desserts ($5), which include chocolate raspberry truffle cake and bread pudding. | ||||||||
| The Docks 417 Ed Hembree Dr Scottsboro, AL 35769 Call (256) 574-3071 | | This casual restaurant overlooks Lake Guntersville and the Tennessee River from Goose Pond Colony, a 360-acre resort complex owned by the city of Scottsboro. The main dining room and lighted outdoor deck offer excellent views across the lake, especially at sunset. The food at The Docks is excellent, too. Mark Hall, the chef and owner, prepares a variety of fish and seafood dishes, including pecan-crusted tilapia ($14.00), fried fresh Gulf shrimp ($10.00), fresh oysters on the half shell (market price), and the restaurant's specialty, shrimp and grits ($16.00) served with andouille sausage and pepper cream sauce. The menu also includes entrees such as herb-crusted chicken ($14.00), Hawaiian-grilled ribeye ($19.00), and the pasta of the week ($10.00). The restaurant's desserts are homemade by Linda Hall, Mark's mother. The changing weekly specials include Tollhouse pecan pie, old-fashioned bread pudding, and chocolate raspberry truffle cake. On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, The Docks offers live entertainment. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Thursday 5-9pm, Friday and Saturday 5-10pm; closed Sunday and Monday. | ||||||||
| Unclaimed Baggage Center 509 West Willow Street Scottsboro, AL 35768 | |
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| Russell Cave National Monument 3729 County Rd 98 Bridgeport, AL 35740 Call (256) 495-2672 | | Russell Cave National Monument in Alabama is the oldest recorded inhabited cave in the U.S., with evidence of human occupation dating back 10,000 years. Archaeologists discovered the limestone chamber, measuring 210 feet long and 107 feet wide, in 1953. Since the discovery, hundreds of thousands of Native American artifacts have been excavated, including charcoal remains of campfires and human bones buried more than 20 feet below the cave floor. Archaeologists believe that Russell Cave was used as a refuge by ancient tribes in autumn and winter, when food supplies were less plentiful. Through the many layers of artifacts that were unearthed within the cave, archaeologists were also able to trace the development of the culture as it changed from a nomadic lifestyle to an agrarian one. It is believed that by A.D. 500, the tribes no longer needed to use the cave as a shelter because they had established more permanent villages. Russell Cave National Monument is located in the city of Bridgeport, Alabama, so named for a railroad bridge that was used as a Confederate supply route during the Civil War. At the site today, a modern bridge spans the width of the Tennessee River. What to see and do: You can tour the cave shelter and take a stroll on the 1.2-mile nature trail. Be prepared to stay at least one or two hours. When time and staffing allow, staff members offer demonstrations of prehistoric tools and weapons for larger tour groups. Education programs are also available for school groups; call for reservations. Slide shows, films, and a display of ancient relics are offered in the visitor center and the cave shelter area. In addition to guided tours, visitors can attend presentations about Russell Cave's history. Visitor facilities include the information center, and "archaic man," "woodland man," and "Mississippian man" exhibits. Russell Cave National Monument is located eight miles outside of Bridgeport. Turn north on County Road 75 to Mount Carmel and turn right on County Road 98 to the monument entrance. | ||||||||
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Crossing the Heart of Dixie
This eclectic gallery has been enlivening Birmingham's art scene since it opened in 1998. Its owner is Veronique Vanblaere, a native of Belgium who moved to Birmingham in 1996. With a credo that art shouldn't be highbrow, intimidating, or expensive, Veronique fills her colorfully painted gallery with pieces that are whimsical and moderately priced. In addition to wall art and jewelry, the gallery displays functional pieces such as lamp bases made from recycled materials ($12-$64); lampshades constructed from handmade paper dipped in beeswax ($35-$85); and chic, neon-bright handbags made entirely of duct tape ($12-$64). Most of the pieces come from local and regional artists. Veronique also sells her own creations, which include bright and bizarre acrylic paintings on canvas, wood, and everyday objects such as baking pans and jar lids.
Leaving Birmingham, the route heads due north to the town of Cullman and one of the state's most unusual attractions: Ave Maria Grotto. Located on the grounds of a Benedictine Abbey, the grotto features miniature reproductions of 125 famous churches, shrines, and buildings from around the world, all nestled together in a peaceful garden setting. The grotto was a 40-year labor of love for Brother Joseph Zoettl, who came to the abbey from Bavaria in 1892. In creating these small masterpieces, he utilized materials ranging from cement and stone to jewelry, marbles, seashells, and even a birdcage.
About 10 miles beyond the park is the town of Hartselle, which was recently recognized in a national guidebook as one of the 100 best small towns in America. The downtown area--with its well-preserved brick buildings, brick sidewalks, and old-fashioned awnings--looks much as it did in 1926, the year Hartselle was the site of an infamous bank robbery. Today, most visitors come looking for a different kind of loot: antiques. More than 30 antiques and specialties shops, with names like The Dowry Chest and Spinning Wheel Antiques, line Main and Railroad Streets. The Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce, located in the old railroad depot, offers a map and guide to the shops.
The story of this small, privately owned museum begins in the 1960s when John R. Cook, Sr., president of Cook's Pest Control, began putting together an insect collection. Originally it was used as a curriculum supplement at Cook's Technical Training School, but word of the unique collection spread, and in 1969 the company created a traveling exhibit that was shown in places such as schools, libraries, and malls around Decatur. The collection continued to grow in size and popularity, and eventually Cook decided to build a permanent home for it. In 1980, Cook's Natural Science Museum opened to the public. Today, more than 30,000 people including many school groups visit the museum each year. Insects on display range from spiders and termites to exotic, iridescent butterflies. The Tennessee Valley Exhibit focuses on the insects and animals of the Tennessee Valley region and features several mounted animals, including a bear and a cougar. Visitors will also find extensive collections of rocks, minerals, seashells, and coral. A 64-seat auditorium shows natural science films to school groups. Admission to the museum is free. The museum is open Monday through Saturday 9am-12pm and 1-5pm; Sunday 2-5pm. 
Explore the rich tapestry of life among the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains, and experience the natural and historic heritage of Alabama. Crowning Roundtop Mountain, the museum is nestled in a 167-acre woodland, with a commanding view of the Tennessee Valley. From I-65, take exit 340; go east on I-565 to Exit 17b (Governors Drive) and continue east for seven miles; turn left at Monte Sano Boulevard; look for the museum on the left.
It's not surprising that the National Speleological Society makes its headquarters in Huntsville: The limestone that underlies much of northern Alabama is a Swiss cheese of caves, underground river channels, and sinkholes. One of the most impressive caves lies below Gunter's Mountain between Huntsville and Scottsboro. Cathedral Caverns, which became part of a 461-acre state park in 2000, takes its name from a cluster of stalagmites that an early visitor described as a great cathedral. Walking tours take visitors three-quarters of a mile into the cave as guides point out highlights such as a massive stalagmite measuring 243 feet in circumference and a stalactite formation resembling a frozen waterfall. Equally spectacular is the cave's entrance, which gapes 126 feet wide and 25 feet high beneath a thin ledge of rock.
When airline passengers lose or fail to claim their baggage, where does it end up? In many cases, the answer is the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, AL. This unique outlet buys some 500,000 pieces of lost and unclaimed baggage each year, then separates the good stuff and resells it, often at bargain prices. In addition to aisle after aisle of clothes, shoppers will find jewelry, cameras, electronics, sports equipment, books, and (not surprisingly) lots of luggage. The Unclaimed Baggage Center ranks as one of Alabama's most popular attractions, drawing roughly one million visitors each year and media attention from the likes of The Oprah Winfrey Show and Good Morning America.