Fun Friday
Good Morning we have made it through another week and now it's time to go on our weekly Friday adventure.
Can you guess where we are going this week? We are going to the beautiful state of Alabama
1.) USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park located in Mobile Alabama is absolutely worth the $37 admission price I learn something new every time I visit it. At Mobile’s Battleship Memorial Park, you don’t have to look very far to find heroes. From the Battleship USS ALABAMA to the Submarine USS DRUM and over 25 aircraft, the spirit of military pride is alive and well.Aboard the battleship you will be able to explore 12 decks. Among those, you can climb inside gun turrets, get locked in the Brig, man a 12mm gun and much more.Also at the park, you will be able to go below and explore inside the oldest Submarine on display, Submarine USS DRUM. In the Medal of Honor Aircraft Pavilion as well as in the park, you will be able to view many rare and historic aircraft. A few in our collection include: A-12 Blackbird Spy Plane, OS2U Kingfisher, F-86L Sabre Jet, B-52 Bomber, just to name a few. While in the pavilion, don’t forget to take a ride on the Flight Simulator and experience flight without ever leaving the ground. It’s an unforgettable experience for the entire family. All tours are self guided. Allow approx. 2.5 hours. hours of operation are 8-5pm
While in town check out the Mobile Carnival Museum price of admission is about $8 and it's so much fun.
2.) GulfQuest - National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico located in Mobile hours of operation are 10-4pm. GulfQuest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico is the only museum in the world dedicated to the rich traditions, history and culture of "America's Sea". With a combined 90 interactive exhibits, simulators and theaters, GulfQuest is a family tourist destination and a signature attraction for Mobile, the state of Alabama and the entire Gulf Coast region.
3.) Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum located in BIrmingham hours of operation are 10-6pm A motorcyclist's dream come true, this museum houses the world's largest collection of motorcycles and Lotus race cars with 1,000 vintage and modern motorcycles on display. In addition to the motorsports collection, The Museum houses the Barber Advanced Design Center. The Barber Advanced Design Center is an 11,000-square-foot hub for creation and design.
4.) Birmingham Civil Rights Institute hours of operation are 10-5pm This historic museum traces the journey of the civil rights advocates of the 1950s and 60s, who changed the course of American history. The struggle for equality for Black Americans is chronicled here, from the Jim Crow laws in the 1800s to the freedom rides, sit-ins and demonstrations of the 1960s.
5.) McWane Science Center located in Birmingham hours of operation are 9-5pm Fun and learning never ends at McWane Science Center, a nonprofit, hands-on museum and IMAX(R) Dome Theater. Four floors of interactive exhibits celebrate science and wonder - from an amazing collection of dinosaurs to innovative environmental showcases, imaginative early childhood playgrounds, and an awe-inspiring aquarium. The energy and excitement of discovery spring to life through an extensive lineup of science demonstrations performed daily by talented educators. The adventure intensifies in the IMAX(R) Dome Theater, where wide-eyed visitors experience the sights and sounds of breathtaking films on a 5-story-tall screen surrounded by 3 tons of high-intensity speakers.
While in town go check out Vulcan Park and Museum The largest cast-iron statue in the world created for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair placed on top of Red Mountain with a beautiful view of downtown Birmingham. Also, inside Vulcan Center, is an interactive museum that contains the historical timeline of the city of Birmingham.
6.) Birmingham Zoo hours of operation are 9-5pm Inspiring Passion to Conserve the Natural World The Birmingham Zoo is home is a variety of animals, including lions, zebras, giraffes, sea lions, orangutans, zebras, a jaguar, African elephants, and endangered species from six continents! The Birmingham Zoo is a non-profit and is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, except during special, seasonal and extended hours. Regular admission is $19.95* for adults and $16.95* for senior citizens and military and $14.95* for children ages 2-12 (*Price not including tax). All Birmingham Zoo Members and children under two-years-old receive free admission. The Birmingham Zoo is the only AZA accredited Zoo in the state of Alabama. Regular Zoo Hours Wednesday – Sunday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Birmingham Zoo is closed Monday & Tuesday unless open for a holiday. Entry into the Zoo stops 30 minutes before closing.
7.) FORT MORGAN HISTORIC SITE hours of operation are 8-5pm Located on Mobile Point, at the end of Scenic Fort Morgan Peninsula, the site has a diverse number of activities to make your vacation a memorable one. Preceded by another fort, Fort Bowyer during the War of 1812, Fort Morgan is a Third System masonry fort built between 1819 and 1833. Standing guard where the bay meets the Gulf of Mexico, the fort played a significant role in the Battle of Mobile Bay in August 1864. Used intermittently through the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II, the site showcases the evolution of seacoast fortifications and adaptations made by the U.S. Army for the defense of the country.
8.) Huntsville Botanical Garden hours of operation are 9-5pm The 118-acre Huntsville Botanical Garden is open year-round and contains a diverse ecosystem of meadows, upland and bottomland forest, and wetlands, as well as a variety of specialty gardens and native plant collections. The Mathews Nature Trail contains the largest accredited trillium collection in the U.S. and the Anderson Education Center is home to the nation’s largest open-air butterfly house. The Native Plants Teaching Garden is a public space that highlights the way local plants, soil, pollinators, and birds create distinct communities and how they interact to form a diverse, sustainable, and attractive landscape. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Garden is a member of the American Public Gardens Association, the North American Plant Collections Consortium, and the American Horticultural Society, as well as an ArbNet-accredited arboretum.
9.) U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum hours of operation are 10-4pm Located in Huntsville Alabama, The U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum is one of the premier military museums in the world. The exhibits of memorabilia, artifacts, and military equipment range from the American Revolutionary War to present day. Included in the collection are many rare and important artifacts including the oldest surviving jeep: the Ford Pygmy.
10.) U.S. Space and Rocket Center hours of operation are 9-5pm Home to Space Camp, Aviation Challenge, Space Camp Robotics, U.S. Cyber Camp and NASA's Official Visitor Information Center for Marshall Space Flight Center; The U.S. Space & Rocket Center is recognized as one of the most comprehensive U.S. manned space flight hardware museums in the world.
11.) Little River Canyon National Preserve located in Fort Payne The deepest canyon east of the Mississippi is surrounded by the scenic beauty of Lookout Mountain.
12.) Rosa Parks Library and Museum located in Montgomery admission is roughly $23 hours of operation are 9-5pm Come witness Rosa Parks’ arrest, view a 1955 Montgomery city bus, and learn for yourself how a group of willing men and women led by the Montgomery Improvement Association fueled the resolve of a movement. Visitors will also view a 1956 station wagon used as the basis for an extensive carpooling system. While traveling through time, you’ll meet Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and see the mass effect the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Civil Rights Movement had on the world.
While in town you can check out Dexter Parsonage Museum. It was Martin Luther King's residence from September 1954 to February 1960, The Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church for the key roles it played, and you can't forget the First White house of the Confederate Historic House Museum located beside the Alabama Archives and History and across from the Alabama State Capitol Museum.
13.) Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo located in Gulf Shores hours of operation are 9-4pm admission is roughly $37 Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo has become 'The Little Zoo That Grew' since we moved to our new 25-acre home! The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is home to exotic animals, including lions, tigers, giraffes, reptiles, kangaroos, lemurs, and sloths, to name just a few. The Zoo features a domestic barn, seasonal animal adventures, a mining sluice, and interactive animal shows during the spring and summer months. The mission of the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is to create compelling experiences that connect people and community with wildlife and inspire personal responsibility for the conservation of the natural world.
14.) Noccalula Falls Park & Campground located in Gadsden Large park featuring waterfalls. Free entry but the price of admission to visit the park area with a petting zoo is roughly $6, animal displays, historic buildings, and a train ride around the park! Suspension bridge, roaring river, dramatic waterfall, statue, chapel, playground, campground and plenty of places to hike.
15.) Alligator Alley located in Summerdale They do live feeding several times a day and that is highly recommended. Full of facts about the almost 600 alligators they have on-site but also pretty funny and entertaining. There are other animals there other than just gators. They will allow you to handle the baby gators as well as purchase cups with special treats for the gators. This is definitely a family friendly fun stop and they are amazing with special needs kids.
16.) Cathedral Caverns State Park located in Woodville hours of operation are 9-5pm This beautiful cave system features unique rock formations and ancient relics.
17.) Alabama Aquarium at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab located in Dauphin Island hours of operation are 9-5pm The Alabama Aquarium is an exciting educational public aquarium highlighting the four key habitats of coastal Alabama: the Mobile Tensaw River Delta, Mobile Bay, the Barrier Islands and the Northern Gulf of Mexico. It includes the 10,000 square foot Exhibit Hall, a 7,000-gallon stingray touch pool, and the Living Marsh Boardwalk. This facility has 31 aquariums totaling over 30,000 gallons with more than 100 species on display. The Alabama Aquarium showcases the plants, animals, and other natural resources found in the Estuary and its surrounding marine habitats. Through beautiful visual exhibits and engaging interactive exhibits, the aquarium will leave you with a broader understanding of the interactions that take place in Mobile Bay, the fourth largest estuary system in the United States. Tickets are available online at: https://disl.yapsody.com/
18.) Muscle Shoals Sound Studio located in Sheffield hours of operare are 10-4pm Our iconic recording studio opened in 1969 when studio musicians now known as The Swampers - David Hood, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Beckett and Roger Hawkins - left FAME Studio and started their own operation. Fully restored to its 1969 look thanks to a grant from Beats Electronics, the studio is open for tours and is once again a fully functioning recording studio at night. A wide array of merchandise is also available in store and online with new designs and the classic duds worn by Mick Jagger, Bob Seger, Willie Nelson, Linda Rondstadt, Rod Stewart etc. Tour guides start in the basement where the publishing offices were, proceed to the main studio and end in the gift shop of course! There are numerous Swamper sightings! Group tour rates are available and the studio is open to requests for special events and occasions like weddings and birthday bashes. We are not your typical hands-off museum. We encourage people to play the piano where Old Time Rock and Roll was recorded!
19.) Talladega Superspeedway hours of operation are 9-5pm The third largest racetrack in Alabama offers hourly van tours of the track. There is also a Hall of Fame for you to visit while you are here
20.) Ivy Green located in Tuscumbia hours of operation are 8:30-4pm The birthplace of Helen Keller, this site provides tours and information and includes the historic pump that provided the "miracle" breakthrough.
21.) Edmund Pettus Bridge located in Selma price of admission is roungly $23 Site of "Bloody Sunday" where more than 600 civil rights marchers on March 7, 1965 were attacked by state and local lawmen.
22.)Alabama Safari Park located in Hope Hull hours of operation are 9-5pm At Alabama Safari Park, you can see our resident animals, including sweet llamas and cute lemurs to exotic kangaroos and zebras. Feed the giraffes from our Giraffe Tower. Drive through our 350-acre park more than once to spy as many animals as you can. Interact with our animals safely from your vehicle while exploring our 350-acre drive-thru safari, on foot walking through our village walk-about, up close when feeding the giraffes on the giraffe tower, or in the petting area where you will find all your farmyard favorites.
23.) Foley Railroad Museum hours of operation are 10-3pm Foley Railroad Museum houses artifacts and archives for the City of Foley and the L & N Train. We also have a Model Train Exhibit that is open Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm
24.) Cook Museum of Natural Science located in Decatur hours of operation are 9-5pm FUN. EDUCATIONAL. MEMORABLE. The Cook Museum of Natural Science is a state-of-the-art natural science museum in downtown Decatur, AL. It provides a hands-on, immersive experience where kids can explore, interact with, and learn about nature. You'll leave the Cook Museum feeling fulfilled by the memories made and amazed by the things you saw and learned.
25.) Dismals Canyon located in Haileyville Surrounded by a scenic forest that once belonged to the Chickasaw Indians.There is camping and hiking available at this location.
26.) Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site hours of operation are 9-4:30pm Site where African-American pilots trained to become the renowned Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.
27.) Unclaimed Baggage hours of operation are 10-6pm Located in Scottsboro, Alabama, Unclaimed Baggage Center is a one-of-a-kind retail store full of lost treasures. As the Nation's only merchant of unclaimed and lost airline baggage and its contents, we provide a unique shopping experience full of an ever-changing array of unique items from around the world, all at an incredible value. We buy and sell countless items each year from abandoned and unclaimed luggage. Including Women's, Men's, Children's clothing, designer handbags and sunglasses, shoes, books, sporting goods, computers, camera equipment, perfume, jewelry and other specialty items sold below retail value.
28.) Anniston Museum of Natural History price of admission is roughly $23 This is definitely a place you could take kids with lots to learn about science and animals. I'd give yourselves at least 2 hours for this museum alone. Also in town is the Berman Museum The weapons display from WW1 and WW2 is outstanding. There’s a life size diorama of a World War I trench/bunker. The piece of side plate from the USS Arizona from Pearl Harbor.
29.) Holmes Medical Museum located in Foley hours of operation are 10-3pm Take a trip back in time. Historic Medical Museum featuring equipment from the late 1800s until 1958. The first hospital in Baldwin County, AL built in 1936. Surgical Room, Sterilization Room, XRay equipment from 1930s. Pharmacist Room, Maternity Room, Hoax Quackery Room of Donated items, Dentistry, Audio, Visual equipment. Non-profit, Free ADMISSION, donations appreciated. The entrance is on the ground level and the Hospital is located on the second floor, only accessible by stairs. Photos & Videos on our Facebook page.
30.) Old Monroe County Courthouse and Heritage Museum Focus on Alabama's regional history through exhibited artifacts, photographs, manuscripts and films.
With roughly 400 different things to see and do in a state I found myself always immersed in something along the way. There are quite a few more historial noteworthy things here in the state. I hope that you take the time to spend some quality time with so many of these quaint little towns and really immerse yourself in the history.
I hope that you have enjoyed this week's tour and come back next week for another amazing adventure. Remember to always be kind as it costs nothing and if you see someone without a smile stop and give them yours a smile is contagious.
Written by: BeautifulChaos318
