8 Bucket-List Small Towns In Alabama
Defined in the north by the verdant Tennessee River Valley and in the south by the Mobile Bay and white-sand beaches of the Gulf, the US State of Alabama catches one's eye not only for its natural charisma, but also for its deep-rooted history and Southern hospitality. Boasting smaller crowds and plenty of charm, Alabama’s small towns are where the soul of the state truly shines, overflowing with time-honored chronicles, exquisite settings, and soulful charm. From soaking in Fort Payne’s musical legacy and incredible Appalachian scenery to Selma’s quintessential Edmund Pettus Bridge and central role in the Civil Rights Movement, these small communities promise unforgettable experiences, rightly deserving a spot on every Alabama traveler’s bucket list.
Fairhope
An entrancing community in Baldwin County, located on the eastern banks of Mobile Bay, Fairhope is lauded for its postcard-perfect panoramas and artistic flair. Initially established by the Fairhope Industrial Association as a Georgist ‘Single-Tax’ colony, the settlement developed into a rejuvenating retreat for craftsmen and businesspeople, thanks to the downtown’s multiple art galleries like Seeley’s Gallery By The Bay, boutiques like Stephanie’s Downtown Boutique, and restaurants like Tamara’s Downtown serving classics like wedge salad and seafood gumbo.
History buffs must pay a visit to the Fairhope Museum of History, browsing the artifacts, antiques, memorabilia, and retro snapshots that tell tales of Fairhope’s development in a 1928 Spanish Mission-style City Hall. Saunter through the Fairhope Municipal Pier for hypnotic sunset scenes over the Mobile Bay, in addition to fishing, picnicking, snacking, and avian watching activities.
Eufaula
This splendidly maintained Barbour County town, situated by the side of the Chattahoochee River, charms vacationgoers with an effortless combination of maritime ambiance, antique edifices, and Southern elegance. A stroll through the Seth Lore and Irwinton Historic District reveals a ton of noteworthy landmark properties, including Fendall Hall, an Italianate-style residence constructed by Edward Brown Young and his spouse between 1856 and 1860. Take a tour of the grand Shorter Mansion at the core of the historic district, built by Eli Sims Shorter II and his better half over 5 years from 1901 to 1906.
Likewise, capture a picture with the 12-foot largemouth bass statue, "Manny the Bass," on Broad Street that endorses Lake Eufaula’s moniker, "The Big Bass Capital of the World." Directly reach the Lakepoint State Park on Lake Eufaula’s shores and be a participant in hiking, fishing, boating, camping, picnicking, and wildlife watching.
Mentone
Located on the western rim of Lookout Mountain, Mentone is a halcyon alpine settlement in DeKalb County, renowned for its breathtaking natural scenery, creative spirit, and nostalgic charm. Aside from the town’s countless summer camps that annually attract a high number of tourists, outdoor lovers also congregate at DeSoto State Park to stare in wonder at the 104-foot-tall DeSoto Falls on the West Fork of the Little River and partake in swimming, picnicking, and trekking the mountain bike trails.
The Mentone Brow Park is the best place for spending quality time amidst picturesque settings and catching sight of jaw-dropping vistas from the brow of Lookout Mountain. The town’s artistic soul shines at the Mentone Arts Center in the Chuck Sennett Center for the Arts, which, through art classes, workshops, and special events, promotes the extraordinary culture of art and music in the Southern Appalachia region.
Cullman
Set along the Interstate 65 highway atop the Brindley Mountain plateau, Cullman, the biggest community and center of administration of Cullman County, artfully meshes its strong German roots with a friendly small-town vibe. History comes alive at the town’s centerpiece, Ave Maria Grotto, a maintained 4-acre park replete with intricate miniature religious structures created by Brother Joseph Zoettl in a vintage quarry on the St. Bernard Abbey grounds.
At the Cullman County Museum, check out the historical displays that provide insight into Cullman County’s storied German inheritance and Civil War history. Furthermore, the shallow fish-filled water body, paddle boats, pavilions, a small train, an 18-hole putt-putt golf course, playground, and picnic tables make Sportsman Lake Park a perfect spot for unwinding and family gatherings.
Orange Beach
A vibrant resort destination in southwestern Alabama’s Baldwin County, Orange Beach, catches every holidaymaker’s attention with its infinite pristine sand beaches, turquoise Gulf waters, enjoyable waterfront environs, and copious leisure-time activities. Begin your tour of the town at the nonpareil Orange Beach Indian & Sea Museum, where local artifacts and collectables associated with the region’s indigenous inhabitants and maritime heritage are exhibited at a hundred-year-old schoolhouse.
At the Gulf State Park, inspect the more than 28 miles of paved trails of the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail System that wind through the park's heterogeneous ecosystems. Enjoy the paved walking paths, picnic shelters with grills, the covered pavilions, and the fishing pier in the serene Orange Beach Waterfront Park. Also, purchase coastal-inspired apparel and branded merchandise from The Wharf Store and taste appetizing Cajun crab cakes from the Ginny Lane Bar & Grill Restaurant in The Wharf at Orange Beach.
Fort Payne
DeKalb County’s administrative capital, Fort Payne, occupies the Big Wills Valley between the Lookout and Sand Mountains in the Cumberland Plateau region. This erstwhile Cherokee settlement rapidly developed after the unearthing of coal and iron deposits, and in the late 1990s, the production of millions of socks by the town’s mills helped earn the moniker ‘Official Sock Capital of the World.’ Excursionists are drawn to the Fort Payne Depot Museum, a marvelous pink granite-trimmed grey sandstone building housing a collection of Native American artifacts, a foregone Norfolk Southern caboose, and handcrafted dioramas of historical events and fantasy scenes.
Music addicts visiting the Alabama Fan Club & Museum must behold the over 50-year-old music memorabilia celebrating the prize-winning country music band Alabama, which was formed here. At the wholly restored Fort Payne Opera House, considered the community’s cultural hub, spectators can attend a variety of performances all year long. Head straight to the proximate Little River Canyon National Preserve for an extensive perspective of sylvan uplands, canyon rims, pools, sandstone cliffs, and waterfalls, proffering perfect settings for plentiful recreational activities.
Selma
The government seat of south-central Alabama’s Dallas County, Selma, is a pretty town set along the Alabama River in the Black Belt region, that flawlessly mixes Southern charm with impressive Civil Rights landmarks. Stroll through the 323-acre Old Town Historic District encompassing parts of the town’s residential, commercial, and public areas, with hundreds of contributing properties dating from the 1820s to the mid-20th century. Survey the two-story Sturdivant Hall, a historic mansion of Colonel Edward T. Watts, considered to be one of the American Southeast’s outstanding antebellum mansions.
The Old Depot Museum, housed in the erstwhile L&N Railroad Depot, has collections ranging from Native American times, the Civil War, the Depression, and the historic path of the Civil Rights Movement. Further, the National Voting Rights Museum & Institute is filled with artifacts and testaments of activists who took part in the events that led to the Selma-to-Montgomery March and the subsequent passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Also not to be missed is the emblematic Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of the Bloody Sunday conflict, and a venue for the annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee held in early March, commemorating the 1965 conflicts.
Dauphin Island
Earning its nickname, "Sunset Capital of Alabama," Dauphin Island is a family-focused vacation spot in Mobile County, occupying its twin-named barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico. Linked by the Dauphin Island Bridge/Gordon Persons Bridge to the mainland, outdoorsy types flock here in significant numbers, especially lured by the Dauphin Island Public Beach’s lengthy stretches of white-sand beaches and calm waters of the Gulf ideal for beachside amusements. Avian observers from around the globe should drop by the Audubon Bird Sanctuary, a crucial stop on the migratory bird route, and a preferred habitat for birds like piping plover, marbled godwit, warblers, and herons.
The well-preserved Civil War-era masonry at Fort Gaines on the island's eastern extremity is important to the town’s history for its central role in the 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay and conspicuous features like pre-Civil War brick buildings, a museum, original cannons, tunnel systems, kitchens, and a working blacksmith shop. Additionally, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab & Alabama Aquarium, through various mind-boggling visual exhibits and riveting interactive exhibits, educates tourists about the marine life interactions that take place in Mobile Bay, the nation’s fourth-largest estuary system.
From the myriad feathered friends and immaculate beaches of Dauphin Island to the cool mountain air and otherworldly creative spirit of the upland settlement of Mentone, the bucket-list small towns in Alabama prove that some of the superlative travel experiences are often found far from the urban pandemonium. If you are in search of peerless travel destinations with aesthetically pleasing landscapes, conscientiously preserved historic architecture, inviting local storefronts, museums disseminating knowledge on the musical and nautical traditions, wide-open spaces for multitudinous recreations, and finger-licking cuisine served in eateries, these not-to-be-forgotten small towns veritably solidify their position on the must-visit list of all wanderlusters.
