There are so many hidden gems throughout Alabama; you just have to know exactly where to look. Let’s take a look at ten of our favorite hidden gems in Alabama that you may or may not know about (but do need to visit ASAP.)
- Natural Bridge - Natural Bridge, AL
NorthAlabama.org Alabama is home to the longest natural bridge east of the Rockies - at 148 feet long, it’s pretty impressive. Read more about the natural bridge here!
Find it on County Road 3500, Haleyville, Alabama, 35565.
- Harmony Park Safari - Huntsville, AL
Shannon McGee/Flickr The Harmony Park Safari is basically a drive-thru petting zoo. As you drive through the nature preserve, many exotic and endangered animals will most likely peek in your car windows. It’s open from March to November; Check out the official website for more information!
This unique destination is located at: 431 Clouds Cove Rd SE, Huntsville, Alabama, 35803.
- Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House - Florence, AL
beth910/Flickr This house is the only structure designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Alabama! Read more about it here.
It’s located at: 601 Riverview Drive, Florence, Alabama, 35630.
- Sipsey Wilderness - William Bankhead National Forest / Mt. Hope, AL
Michael Hicks/Flickr The Sipsey Wilderness, a favorite destination among many hikers, is located within the William Bankhead National Forest. Read more about the wilderness here.
- To Kill a Mockingbird Town & Museum - Monroeville, AL
Monroe County Museum If you’re a fan of Harper Lee, you must visit this museum, which is located at: 31 North Alabama Avenue, Monroeville, Alabama, 36460. Click here for more about the museum and its significance here.
- The Fictional Town of Spectre - Millbrook, AL
facebook/Forgotten Alabama/Audra Williams Spears Not many people are aware that Tim Burton’s movie Big Fish was filmed here in Alabama. In Millbrook, you’ll find the film set that was used for the fictional town of Spectre. Sadly, this film set is in ruins today. Click here for more about this odd little place.
- Bangor Cave - Blount County, AL
Save Bangor Cave/Facebook Bangor Cave was home to the first underground nightclub in America. It opened in the late 1930s and only remained open for about a year and a half. Supposedly, someone recently purchased the cave and plans to bring it back to life. We shall see! Click here for more info about the speakeasy at Bangor Cave.
- Ave Maria Grotto - Cullman, AL
AlabamaSouthern/Wikimedia If you’re ever in the Cullman area, stop by to see Ave Maria Grotto (Jerusalem in Miniature). No where else will you see miniature reproductions like these! Read more about the grotto here.
Address: 1600 St. Bernard Drive Southeast, Cullman, Alabama, 35055.
- Coon Dog Cemetery - Cherokee, AL
Coon Dog Cemetery/Facebook This is the only cemetery of its kind in the world! Read more about this one-of-a-kind cemetery here.
Address: 4945 Coon Dog Cemetery Road, Cherokee, Alabama, 35616.
- Joe Minter’s African Village in America - Birmingham, AL
flickr/Joe Minter’s African Village in America You haven’t seen yard art until you’ve visited Joe Minter’s African Village in America. His yard is full of sculptures made from found objects. If you’re ever in the Birmingham area, you definitely need to stop by for a peek. Click here for more information!
Mr. Minter’s African Village is located at: 941 Nassau Avenue Southwest, Birmingham, Alabama, 35211.
What hidden Alabama gems did we miss? Let us know in the comments below!
NorthAlabama.org
Alabama is home to the longest natural bridge east of the Rockies - at 148 feet long, it’s pretty impressive. Read more about the natural bridge here!
Find it on County Road 3500, Haleyville, Alabama, 35565.
Shannon McGee/Flickr
The Harmony Park Safari is basically a drive-thru petting zoo. As you drive through the nature preserve, many exotic and endangered animals will most likely peek in your car windows. It’s open from March to November; Check out the official website for more information!
This unique destination is located at: 431 Clouds Cove Rd SE, Huntsville, Alabama, 35803.
beth910/Flickr
This house is the only structure designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Alabama! Read more about it here.
It’s located at: 601 Riverview Drive, Florence, Alabama, 35630.
Michael Hicks/Flickr
The Sipsey Wilderness, a favorite destination among many hikers, is located within the William Bankhead National Forest. Read more about the wilderness here.
Monroe County Museum
If you’re a fan of Harper Lee, you must visit this museum, which is located at: 31 North Alabama Avenue, Monroeville, Alabama, 36460. Click here for more about the museum and its significance here.
facebook/Forgotten Alabama/Audra Williams Spears
Not many people are aware that Tim Burton’s movie Big Fish was filmed here in Alabama. In Millbrook, you’ll find the film set that was used for the fictional town of Spectre. Sadly, this film set is in ruins today. Click here for more about this odd little place.
Save Bangor Cave/Facebook
Bangor Cave was home to the first underground nightclub in America. It opened in the late 1930s and only remained open for about a year and a half. Supposedly, someone recently purchased the cave and plans to bring it back to life. We shall see! Click here for more info about the speakeasy at Bangor Cave.
AlabamaSouthern/Wikimedia
If you’re ever in the Cullman area, stop by to see Ave Maria Grotto (Jerusalem in Miniature). No where else will you see miniature reproductions like these! Read more about the grotto here.
Address: 1600 St. Bernard Drive Southeast, Cullman, Alabama, 35055.
Coon Dog Cemetery/Facebook
This is the only cemetery of its kind in the world! Read more about this one-of-a-kind cemetery here.
Address: 4945 Coon Dog Cemetery Road, Cherokee, Alabama, 35616.
flickr/Joe Minter’s African Village in America
You haven’t seen yard art until you’ve visited Joe Minter’s African Village in America. His yard is full of sculptures made from found objects. If you’re ever in the Birmingham area, you definitely need to stop by for a peek. Click here for more information!
Mr. Minter’s African Village is located at: 941 Nassau Avenue Southwest, Birmingham, Alabama, 35211.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: Natural Bridge, AL, USAAddress: Harmony Park Safari, 431 Clouds Cove Rd SE, Huntsville, AL 35803, USAAddress: 601 Riverview Dr, Florence, AL 35630, USAAddress: Sipsey Wilderness, Mt Hope, AL 35651, USAAddress: 31 N Alabama Ave, Monroeville, AL 36460, USAAddress: Monroeville, AL 36460, USAAddress: Bangor Cave Road, Bangor Cave Rd, Alabama 35079, USAAddress: 1600 St Bernard Dr, Cullman, AL 35055, USAAddress: Coon Dog Cemetery, 4945 Coondog Cemetery Rd, Cherokee, AL 35616, USAAddress: 941 Nassau Ave SW, Birmingham, AL 35211, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Hidden Gems in Alabama August 11, 2021 Tori Jane Where are some interesting hidden caves in Alabama? Alabama is a great state for caving and spelunking! The state has been blessed as one of the top places in the world in terms of cave density – there’s a ton and a half of them! More than 4,200, to be exact. Some of our favorites include Rickwood Caverns, in Warrior, and Stephen’s Gap, in Woodville. We also really love Scottsboro’s Sauta Cave, especially if you’re a bat lover. For more of our top cave picks in Alabama, take a look at this list of 12 amazing ones! You’re bound to find plenty of inspiration in there. What are some little-known places in Alabama I should add to my bucket list? Alabama’s got plenty of popular attractions, but what are some that you might not always think to do? We’ve got you covered! Some of our favorite little-known and/or oddball attractions in Alabama include a visit to the strange and beautiful Neversink Pit, in Fackler. It’s a 16-story drop straight down through incredible flora and waterfalls – you’ll have to rappel to the bottom, but we promise it’s absolutely worth the journey to do so. You’ll also want to check out the intriguing bioluminescent critters at Dismals Canyon, in Phil Campbell. You could also kill an entire day exploring Alabama’s covered bridges and more. What are some unique day trips in Alabama I can take? Alabama has plenty of potential for day trips you just can’t do anywhere else. For example, take the day to explore Lookout Mountain, which is Alabama’s only “mountain town”. You won’t see anything like it, especially the waterfalls. For an incredibly unique caving experience, take the day off and use it to tour the world-famous DeSoto Caverns, or any of Alabama’s mind-blowing 4,000+ caves!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Hidden Gems in Alabama
August 11, 2021
Tori Jane
Where are some interesting hidden caves in Alabama? Alabama is a great state for caving and spelunking! The state has been blessed as one of the top places in the world in terms of cave density – there’s a ton and a half of them! More than 4,200, to be exact. Some of our favorites include Rickwood Caverns, in Warrior, and Stephen’s Gap, in Woodville. We also really love Scottsboro’s Sauta Cave, especially if you’re a bat lover. For more of our top cave picks in Alabama, take a look at this list of 12 amazing ones! You’re bound to find plenty of inspiration in there. What are some little-known places in Alabama I should add to my bucket list? Alabama’s got plenty of popular attractions, but what are some that you might not always think to do? We’ve got you covered! Some of our favorite little-known and/or oddball attractions in Alabama include a visit to the strange and beautiful Neversink Pit, in Fackler. It’s a 16-story drop straight down through incredible flora and waterfalls – you’ll have to rappel to the bottom, but we promise it’s absolutely worth the journey to do so. You’ll also want to check out the intriguing bioluminescent critters at Dismals Canyon, in Phil Campbell. You could also kill an entire day exploring Alabama’s covered bridges and more. What are some unique day trips in Alabama I can take? Alabama has plenty of potential for day trips you just can’t do anywhere else. For example, take the day to explore Lookout Mountain, which is Alabama’s only “mountain town”. You won’t see anything like it, especially the waterfalls. For an incredibly unique caving experience, take the day off and use it to tour the world-famous DeSoto Caverns, or any of Alabama’s mind-blowing 4,000+ caves!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Alabama is a great state for caving and spelunking! The state has been blessed as one of the top places in the world in terms of cave density – there’s a ton and a half of them! More than 4,200, to be exact. Some of our favorites include Rickwood Caverns, in Warrior, and Stephen’s Gap, in Woodville. We also really love Scottsboro’s Sauta Cave, especially if you’re a bat lover. For more of our top cave picks in Alabama, take a look at this list of 12 amazing ones! You’re bound to find plenty of inspiration in there.
What are some little-known places in Alabama I should add to my bucket list?
Alabama’s got plenty of popular attractions, but what are some that you might not always think to do? We’ve got you covered! Some of our favorite little-known and/or oddball attractions in Alabama include a visit to the strange and beautiful Neversink Pit, in Fackler. It’s a 16-story drop straight down through incredible flora and waterfalls – you’ll have to rappel to the bottom, but we promise it’s absolutely worth the journey to do so. You’ll also want to check out the intriguing bioluminescent critters at Dismals Canyon, in Phil Campbell. You could also kill an entire day exploring Alabama’s covered bridges and more.
What are some unique day trips in Alabama I can take?
Alabama has plenty of potential for day trips you just can’t do anywhere else. For example, take the day to explore Lookout Mountain, which is Alabama’s only “mountain town”. You won’t see anything like it, especially the waterfalls. For an incredibly unique caving experience, take the day off and use it to tour the world-famous DeSoto Caverns, or any of Alabama’s mind-blowing 4,000+ caves!
