Alabama is filled with many hidden gems just waiting to be discovered. From historic bridges to unique houses, you never know what you’ll find while exploring the Yellowhammer State.
Listed below is a mapped road trip that’ll take you to seven of Alabama’s most spectacular hidden gems. With a distance of only 302 miles and an estimated drive time of 5 hours and 52 minutes, this road trip can easily be accomplished in a weekend, or maybe even in a single day. It really depends on how long you wish to stay at each place.
Your first stop is the Rosenbaum House. This historic house, which was built in 1939, was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and is one of Alabama's most unique homes. Address: 601 Riverview Drive, Florence, AL, 35630
Your next stop is Ave Maria Grotto, which is a four-acre garden park with 125 miniature reproductions of historic structures and religious shrines. Known as "Jerusalem in Miniature," this garden park is one of Alabama's most unique attractions. Address: 1600 Saint Bernard Drive, Cullman, AL, 35055
After a short drive, you'll arrive at Natural Bridge Park. The park's main feature is Natural Bridge, which happens to be the longest (148 feet) natural bridge east of the Rockies. Natural Bridge is also believed to be more than 200 million years old. Address: County Road 3500, Haleyville, AL, 35565
Your next stop is Alabama Booksmith. If you enjoy reading, or you're a collector of books, you'll love this unique bookstore, which only sells signed copies. There's no other bookstore in the world quite like it. Address: 2626 19th Place South, Homewood, AL, 35209
The road trip will then take you to Orr Park. What makes this park so unique is its famous Tinglewood Trail, which features more than 30 cedar trees with whimsical carvings. Address: 277 Park Drive, Montevallo, AL, 35115
Your next stop is Wilderness Park. This park is different from most other parks you've been to because it has a bamboo forest hidden inside it, which features stalks as tall as 60 feet. This bamboo forest was also used for training purposes during the Vietnam era. Address: 800 Upper Kingston Road, Prattville, AL, 36067
Your final stop is the town of Spectre. Spectre is the fictional community that was used as the setting of Tim Burton's award-winning film Big Fish. Today, the town of Spectre is an abandoned film set and is considered one of Alabama's best-kept secrets. Address: Cypress Lane, Millbrook, AL, 36054
Have you ever visited any of these hidden gems? If so, please share your experience(s) with us in the comments below.
Alabama offers several other road trip opportunities. To experience some of the state’s most beautiful places, you’ll want to take this scenic road trip.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
