It’s no wonder North Alabama is a popular destination for families. The collection of attractions and activities for youngsters of all ages includes outdoor fun, from waterparks to animal adventures to one-of-a-kind museums that immerse, amaze, entertain and much more. The region spans 16 of the state’s northernmost counties and is filled with unmatched variety. Small towns, bustling downtowns and wide-open spaces are all a part of the landscape. And attractions, from high-tech space camp and innovative science museums to exhilarating water parks and engaging historic sites, offer plenty of options for entertaining the younger set.
Here are the picks for some of the top attractions for making memories for the whole family on a kid-focused North Alabama adventure.
- The U.S. Space & Rocket Center (1 Tranquility Base, Huntsville, Alabama 35805; 256-551-2230) is home to one of the largest collections of rockets and space memorabilia on display anywhere in the world. The Smithsonian Affiliate is the Visitor Center for NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and draws visitors from around the globe for week-long Space Camp adventures.
- EarlyWorks Children’s Museum (404 Madison Street, Huntsville, Alabama 35801; 256-564-8100) explores history in a hands-on, interactive museum designed for the enjoyment of two- to nine-year-olds. It is part of a unique campus that is home to two more historical attractions, Alabama Constitution Hall Park and the Historic Huntsville Depot.
- Cook Museum of Natural Science (133 4th Avenue NE, Decatur, Alabama 35601; 256-351-4505) is a fascinating natural science museum filled with hands-on, immersive experiences where kids can explore, interact with and learn about nature. North American habitats and ecosystems, from deserts to oceans, to the arctic, to forests, to caves, are all interpreted through live animal exhibits, aquariums, mounted wildlife displays, rock, mineral, shell and coral collections and more.
- Tigers For Tomorrow (710 County Road 345, Attalla, Alabama 35954; 256-524-4150) is a wild animal park and environmental education center that is home to more than 130 animals. Visitors can get up close and personal with a variety of big cats, wolves and bears. Children can also interact with barnyard animals at the contact yard. The park offers general admission tickets as well as guided tours.
- Imagination Place Children's Museum (501 Broad Street, Gadsden, Alabama 35902; 256-543-2787) has hands-on activities and interactive games to keep children entertained for hours. Children can learn how a city works through interactive play in the KidsTown USA exhibit and experience changing educational exhibits in the exhibition hall. It’s located on the campus of the Hardin Center for Cultural Arts which also has three art galleries and a 72-foot working model.
- Noccalula Falls Park (1500 Noccalula Road, Gadsden, Alabama 35904; 256-549-4663) features a 90-foot waterfall, 15 miles of hiking, biking and running trails, a train ride, petting zoo, botanical garden, pioneer village and mini-golf course. The falls are named for the daughter of a legendary Native American chief, who was “famed far and wide for her beauty and loveliness of character.”
- GoFAR USA Park (895 S Bethel Road, Decatur, Alabama 35603; 256-345-0797) GoFAR USA Park is an outdoor adventure park where the adventures just keep coming. There are trails for running, mountain biking and hiking, ziplines, a climbing wall and a natural playscape. Add a farm petting zoo, paintball shooting range, obstacle courses, scooter and trail board rental and there is something for kids of all ages to enjoy.
- Helen Keller Birthplace (300 North Commons West, Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674; 256-383-4066) Built in 1820, this site, known as Ivy Green, tells the inspirational story of Helen Keller. The house, built by Helen’s grandparents, still contains many of the original furnishings and items relating to the life of America’s “First Lady of Courage.” In addition to the main house, the site includes Helen’s birthplace cottage, a memorial fountain, herb gardens and the carriage house.
- Point Mallard Water Park (2600A Point Mallard Drive SE, Decatur, Alabama 35601; 256-341-4900), has been a popular attraction for decades and is home to America's first wave pool! This classic water park also features a variety of slides, a towering sky pond, sandy beach, kid’s zone and a scenic lagoon. The entire Point Mallard family fun park encompasses more than 700 acres among the pines and includes campground, golf course and hiking and biking trails.
- The outdoor water park at Sand Mountain Park & Amphitheater (915 West McKinney Avenue, Albertville, Alabama 35950; 312-610-9533) is one of the newest outdoor attractions in the region and features two 25-foot waterslides, splash pad, 600-foot lazy river with waterfall feature, a vortex pool and more. The 130-acre park also includes a live entertainment venue, RV park and dog park.
- Spring Valley Beach Water Park (2340 Spring Valley Beach Drive, Blountsville, Alabama 35031; 205-429-2323) is less than an hour’s drive from many of the region’s largest cities and has one of the largest swimming pools in the Southeast. The park has six water slides including the new “360 Rush,” popular for those looking to pump up the adrenaline. There is also a kids’ water playground and more than 20 pavilion areas.
- WildWater (1707 Main Avenue SW, Cullman, Alabama 35055; 256-739-9157) is the region’s newest water park. The 12-acre park has made quite a splash with a 22,000 square-foot wave pool, and 18 water slides, including 10 thrill slides. There is also a kids’ area and a lazy drift river. Reservations are available for private cabana rentals.
If you go
North Alabama is home to some beautiful state parks that feature a variety of kid-friendly activities. Cathedral Caverns State Park (637 Cave Road, Woodville, Alabama 35776; 256-728-8193) is known for its cave, home of a stalagmite forest and frozen waterfall. And Rickwood Caverns State Park's (370 Rickwood Park Road, Warrior, Alabama 35180; 205-647-9692) claim to fame is its miracle mile of underground caverns, with 260-million-year-old limestone formations, blind cave fish and underground pool.
Joe Wheeler State Park (4401 McLean Drive, Rogersville, Alabama 35652; 256-247-5461) is home to 69,700-acre Wheeler Lake, which offers easy access to the Tennessee River and is popular with sailors, cruisers and anglers. Lake Guntersville State Park (1155 Lodge Drive, Guntersville, Alabama 35976; 256-571-5440) is a 6,000-acre park located along the shores of Lake Guntersville popular among anglers, sailors and cruisers, and is home to The Screaming Eagle Aerial Adventures zipline course. Both parks have lodge and cabin rentals, restaurants and an 18-hole championship golf course.
There are plenty other options for family-friendly adventures on the water in North Alabama, too. Beardo Outdoors (1025 Park Street, Florence, Alabama 35630; 256-577-5138) is an outfitter that specializes in creating a memorable experience, offering guided and self-guided tours of SUPs, kayaks and canoes on the Tennessee River and beautiful Cypress Creek. At one of the largest private off-road parks in the South, the 4,700 acres at Indian Mountain ATV Park (11620 County Road 8, Piedmont, Alabama 36272; 256-300-1223) are crisscrossed with trails for riding ATVs, UTVs and dirt bikes. Family fun continues along miles of scenic hiking trails, including a stretch of the Pinhoti National Recreation Trail, as well as in camping and fishing areas.
