As the heart and soul of the South, the Yellowhammer State has plenty of excitement to offer your next Alabama family reunion.
Explore Alabama’s Diverse History
16th Street Baptist Church. Photo Credit: Alabama Tourism Department
- Sitting at the top of Red Mountain and overlooking the city of Birmingham is Vulcan Park and Museum. Inside the Vulcan Center is an interactive museum featuring exhibits and educational programs on the region’s history. Serving as a centerpiece for the park, a 56-foot tall statue of the Roman God Vulcan remains in acknowledgment to the city’s iron and steel industry roots. The park is family-friendly and a great place for your next Alabama family reunion.
- Deemed a National Historic Landmark in 2006, the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church of Birmingham has become a popular local destination. Organized in 1873 as the first black church of Birmingham, it served as a meeting place for the black community during the Civil Rights Movement. Today the church offers hour-long tours for visitors to learn more about the church, its history and its impact on the Civil Rights Movement. This historical site serves as a great location for an Alabama family reunion.
- Located in the Civil Rights District and neighboring the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church is the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The museum, research center and educational facility highlights Birmingham’s role in the Civil Rights Movement. The site hosts new exhibits throughout the year, including The Oral History Project, which documents the city’s civil rights story through the voices of movement participants. The experience will allow your family to get a closer look at this important piece of Alabama history.
- Inventor and physician, Dr. William Henry Burritt left his 167-acres of land on Round-Top Mountain to the city of Huntsville. They transformed it into the town’s very first museum, Burritt on the Mountain, which features Burritt’s 11-room mansion. The grounds provide an insight into the life and work of Dr. Burritt, while also serving as an exhibit to the local history of Huntsville. Archaeological artifacts, rocks, minerals and 19th century furnishings are just a few of the museum treasures visitors can expect to find inside.
Adventure-Seeking Family Reunions
Waterville USA
- Just a quarter-mile from the beach, families will find Waterville USA. This 20-acre water park features a giant wave pool, waterslides, a lazy river and the FlowRider: a stimulated wave pool for surfing, body boarding and snowboarding. The entire family can enjoy race karting, rollercoasters or aiming for that hole-in-one on the miniature golf course. This fun-filled waterpark is a perfect destination for an Alabama family reunion.
- The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is home to more than 300 animals with pythons, Siberian tigers and black bears, all within park grounds. Featured on Animal Planet’s “The Little Zoo that Could,” Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo was recognized for its success in rebuilding the facilities following a series of hurricane hits in 2004. The new site offers more than your typical zoo experience with up close and personal encounters with the animals. Visitors can cuddle up with a kangaroo or hang out with Sid and Sylvia the sloths.
- Five Rivers Delta Safaris offers boat, canoe and kayak tours on the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, the second largest river delta in the United States. On the “Daily Eco-Safari of the Lower Delta” tour, visitors can learn about the history of the Delta and wildlife such as alligators, otters, bald eagles and pelicans. This destination is ideal for the adventure-seeking Alabama family reunion.
Breathtaking Scenery at Alabama’s Parks & Gardens
Huntsville Botanical Garden. Photo Credit: David Ellis
- Bellingrath Gardens and Home is conveniently located in Theodore, a short drive for Mobile family reunions. Visitors can tour the 1935 on-site mansion with original furnishings such as German silver countertops and sinks, or the Rose Garden which includes over 2,000 roses in over 75 varieties. Visitors can also enjoy a 45-minute river cruise on the Southern Belle River Cruiser along the Fowl River. These beautiful botanical landscapes are a perfect setting for an Alabama family reunion.
- Across the Huntsville Botanical Garden guests will find themselves surrounded by specialty gardens and nature trails. Home to the nation’s largest seasonal butterfly house and nature center, this local oasis offers year-round tours and hosts festivals such as the Huntsville Blooms and Galaxy of Lights. Its natural beauty and vast gardens are a great place to have an Alabama family reunion.
- Located approximately 50 miles from Huntsville, Joe Wheeler State Park is the perfect destination for an adventurous Alabama family reunion. The site offers plenty of opportunities for entertainment with hiking trails, a beach and marina, kayaking rentals, a golf course and more. Overnight guests have the choice between lodging at the resort’s lakefront cottages or staying at one of the 116 modern campsites located across the park grounds.
