Alabama is home to adventures aplenty from underground exploration to space age wonders. Whether you are just passing through or a life-long resident, here are a few to remember. Today we're filling our cup with five adventures from the Heart of Dixie.
1.) Cathedral Caverns State Park.
Pass into the depths of the earth through the massive entrance of this cave and you'll discover stalagmite forests, underground canyons and waterfalls made of stone. With the cavern's comfortable 60-degree temperature, tours of the cave are available all year round and run frequently each day. With two miles of paths there is plenty to see. The cave is noted for its unique geological features includuing the enigmatically named Mystery River that flows through the cavern, the world's largest stalagmite "Goliath," and its exceptional examples of flowstone formations. Tours generally run around an hour and a half.
For the truly adventurous the park offers the opportunity to see further parts of the cave by getting off the paved paths, squeezing through holes, and getting dirty on their wild cave tour. This tour is offered on a limited basis, so you'll have to call to check availability.
(256) 728-8193.
Don't miss the opportunity to explore the park above ground as well. Pan for gems in the state park's mining flumes or spend a night immersed in nature at one of the park's backcountry or primitive camping sites.
2.) U.S. Space And Rocket Center.
Located in Huntsville, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center is home to one of the most extensive space related collections in the world. With hundreds of exhibits, rockets such as the Saturn V which was declared one of the "seven wonders of America" by Good Morning America, and hands on exhibits such as spaceflight simulators; you'll need at least a full day to experience this museum.
For the younger adventurers out there, this facility hosts the Space Camp program which is designed to balance educational learning and fun. It is offered for children between 9 and 11 years old. Older kids aren't excluded however as they have similar opportuities with the Space Academy and Advanced Space Academy programs.
If you get the chance, make sure you attend the Great Moonbuggy race, an annual event where high school and college students design and build a moonbuyggy which they ride across simulated lunar terrain.
3.) Cahaba Ghost Town.
Originally the first permanent state capital of Alabama, Cahaba is now a slowly decaying ruin. The site is maintained however by the Alabama Historical Commission which fights to keep the towns remains alive. While nature has reclaimed much of the old capital, visitors can still see many of the abandoned streets, buildings, and cemeteries that remain.
While you tour the old city keep your eyes peeled for apparitions in this reportedly haunted location. Reports of a ghostly flotaing ball date back to the late 1800s and with the city's long history the area has inspired plenty of folklore and tales.
4.) Noccalula Falls.
Legend says that Noccalula Falls is named for a Cherokee woman who threw herself from the top of the falls after being ordered by her father to marry a man she did not love. A statue, made from the bronze of pennies collected from local school children, now sits on the site keeping the memory of her alive.
Today, Noccalula Falls is a dramatic sight as it plunges 90 feet into Black Creek ravine. Visitors can get an up close view of the waterfall by following the gorge trail which also winds past caves, an old fort, a pioneer homestead, civil war carvings, and an abandoned dam.
The park is filled with things to do beyond the waterfall as well. Activities include camping facilities, mini-golf, a petting zoo, and a scenic one-mile train ride which provides excellent views of the park.
5.) The National Shrimp Festival.
The National Shrimp Festival is an annual event held every year since 1971 on the second full weekend in October. The festival is held right on the beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama and hosts more than 300 vendors. The stalls sell a wide variety of arts and crafts, live entertainment and music liven up the festival scene, and of course there is more than enough shrimp to go around. If you are anywhere in the gulf shores area around October, make sure you are one of the 300,000 people who will attend this spectacular outdoor festival.
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