Day Trips

Cloudmont Ski Resort in Mentone

Cloudmont Ski Resort in Mentone

 
 

Ft. Payne, Little River Canyon, Desoto State Park, and Mentone

View of Little River Canyon From One of the Many Overlooks at Little River Canyon Rim Parkway

View of Little River Canyon From One of the Many Overlooks at Little River Canyon Rim Parkway

An hour-and-a-half drive away from Huntsville is DeKalb County in the northeast corner of the state. It is home to Lookout Mountain and some of the finest natural beauty in Alabama. (This is the same Lookout Mountain that attracts many to Chattanooga.)

Little River Canyon National Preserve [MAP] is one of the deepest canyon systems east of the Mississippi. This Preserve is part of the National Parks Service. There are hiking opportunities galore, but you can also take in breathtaking views from your car. Inside the Park are Lookout Mountain Parkway [M], Little River Falls [M], and Little River Canyon Rim Parkway [M], full of scenic overlooks.

The adjacent Desoto State Park [M] is known for its waterfalls and much more. You can make a weekend of it by staying in one of the cabins or BNBs in nearby Mentone [M], atop Lookout Mountain.

You’ll drive through or near Ft. Payne, Alabama [M], nestled at the foot of Lookout Mountain. Historic downtown provides get-out-of-the-car-and-walk shopping with a scenic backdrop. And if you’re a country music fan visit the Alabama Fan Club and Museum [M].

Check out these sites for more things to do in DeKalb County:

 

The Shoals

Before it even existed, Muscle Shoals was a 75-mile-long planned city with one-million workers to be employed by Henry Ford. It was to be developed as a utopia of sorts for farmers and factory workers with “a loose spread of factories and urban areas separated by … farm homes.” What is left of some of the streets and sidewalks from this abandoned project still exist today.

Today “the Shoals” is a term used to describe the area of NW Alabama that includes the towns of Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. Most Americans have no idea of the impact that the area has played in America’s music culture. The “Swampers” is a nickname for The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, whose sound was responsible for helping make hit after hit for many artists with household names, especially from the 60’s to the 80’s - The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, The Grateful Dead, Bob Seger, Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, and many others. “The Father of Rock and Roll” Sam Phillips – who had the first recording contract for Elvis – was born in Florence as well as W.C. Handy, “The Father of the Blues.” Bono narrated a revealing documentary called Muscle Shoals.

You can tour Fame Studios [M] where it all started, or the nearby Alabama Music Hall of Fame [M], where you can see the memorabilia from many of Alabama’s famous musicians. Or make a day of it and follow this “Music Tour of the Shoals” from visitflorenceal.com.

Florence also hosts the W.C. Handy Music Festival every summer, where you can walk from stage to stage around downtown.

Ivy Green [M] in Tuscumbia is the birthplace of Helen Keller. Here you can see a play reenacting her incredible life during certain times of the year. Helen Keller is one of the most famous Alabamians of all time. She was a humanitarian, an advocate for the disadvantaged, an Academy Award winner, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the first deafblind person ever to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Check out these other helpful sites:

 

Scottsboro and Surrounding Areas

Weathington Park Overlooks Lake Guntersville from Sand Mountain near Scottsboro

Weathington Park Overlooks Lake Guntersville from Sand Mountain near Scottsboro

Unclaimed Baggage [M] is the nation’s only retailer of lost luggage and one of the state’s top tourist attractions. But there’s so much more to Scottsboro. Thecrazytourist.com points out so many worthwhile attractions that it is difficult to add to, except that it doesn’t list Weathington Park [M] in Section, just a short drive up Sand Mountain from Scottsboro. Weathington Park offers a breathtaking view of Lake Guntersville.

Thecrazytrouist.com tells of many other natural attractions near Scottsboro such as waterfalls, caves, and one of the most photographed sinkholes in the country.

 

Chattanooga

View from Rock City atop Lookout Mountain

View from Rock City atop Lookout Mountain

Less than two hours from Huntsville is Chattanooga, TN [M]. Some of its more famous attractions are The Tennessee Aquarium, Rock City, Ruby Falls, and Lookout Mountain. Trip Advisor and visitchattanooga.com list many attractions that make this a worthy day drip or weekend retreat. Combine your trip with white water rafting or kayaking on the Ocoee River [M] for a real adventure!