Alabama Road Trip Planner

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Alabama Tourism. The opinions and text are all mine.

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Planning a family vacation in Alabama is full of possibilities when you use the Alabama Road Trip App. From family-friendly attractions to historical civil rights destinations to the best Alabama barbecue spots, you could spend a long time traveling my Sweet Home Alabama and never run out of something fun for your family to do.

If you travel north to south in Alabama along I-65, you can hit most of the major cities as well as some delicious restaurants boasting the best barbecue in the nation during “The Year of Alabama BBQ.”

Road Trip Stops in Huntsville

Known as The Rocket City, Huntsville is home of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. I remember my trip to Space Camp as a child and can guarantee that your future space explorer will love seeing the historic Saturn V rocket as well as all the other exhibits and experiences within this interactive museum.

While in Huntsville, be sure to enjoy a leisurely stroll by visiting the Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville Botanical Garden, or the historical Alabama Constitution Village.

Best barbecue: Moe’s Original Bar B Que, featuring award-winning Bama-style pulled pork

[Plan your trip to Huntsville, Alabama.]

Birmingham Road Trip Destinations

A little further south, you will see the traffic increase slightly as Birmingham is a bustling city packed with family fun. Explore how the state of Alabama is moving beyond racial division at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, tame your wild side along with 750 animals from six different continents at the Birmingham Zoo, or enjoy the panoramic views of the city from its highest point at Vulcan Park and Museum.

Best barbecue: Carlile’s Barbecue, Birmingham’s oldest family owned BBQ pit

[Plan your trip to Birmingham, Alabama.]

Road Trip Ideas in Montgomery

The state capitol of Alabama, Montgomery rests in the middle of the state and boasts historic buildings rich in civil rights remembrance. Visit the Rosa Parks Library and Museum depicting the events preceding the bus boycott or the Dexter Avenue King Baptist Church and Parsonage Museum where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was pastor for six years.

Your Alabama road trip should also include a stop at Old Alabama Town in downtown Montgomery where 19th- and early 20th-century buildings have been painstakingly restored.

Best barbecue: K&J Rib Shack with Yelp’s favorite ribs, brisket, okra, mac and cheese, and collard greens

[Plan your trip to Montgomery, Alabama.]

Road Trip Attractions in Mobile

Even though I was not born under an azalea bush, I was raised in Mobile and consider it “home.”

With antebellum homes lining the streets and historic Fort Conde in the middle of downtown, you can enjoy the city any time of year but a trip during Mardi Gras will have you saying, “Laissez le bon temps roulet” or “Let the good times roll!”

Our favorite places to visit as a family include the Gulf Coast Exploreum, packed with hands-on exhibits so the kids can learn without knowing they are learning, and the USS Alabama, a World War II battleship resting in Mobile Bay and open for tours daily.

Best barbecue: The Brick Pit, featured on the Travel Channel’s “Man vs Food,” and in Maxim magazine

[Plan your trip to Mobile, Alabama.]

Gulf Shores Road Trip Fun

Your Alabama road trip would be lacking without a stop at the finest beaches on the Gulf Coast… and I am not biased one bit.

With blue waters and white sand, your family could spend a week in Gulf Shores and still have much to do at the waterpark, zoo, and tons of other family attractions as well as a long list of things to do for free.

We try to vacation between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach at least once a year because why drive to another state when the best beaches are just 30 minutes from home?

Best barbecue: The Hangout, home of the Hangout Music Festival and amazing burgers

[Plan your trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama.]

Plan your Alabama Road Trip

With so much to do in my Sweet Home Alabama, I could never share all of the amazing family fun in a blog post, but you can easily plan your road trip with the Alabama Road Trips App.

More family fun on the Gulf Coast

• Staycation: 11+ Free or Cheap Things to Do on the Alabama Gulf Coast
• Year of the Staycation: Visit Mobile, Alabama
• 100+ Boredom Busters for Summer
• 101 Fun Things to Do on a Rainy Day

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Alabama Tourism. The opinions and text are all mine.