Travel: Huntsville, Alabama — 18 Reasons to Visit the Rocket City

US Space and Rocket Center Huntsville Alabama
Sun sets on the Saturn V Rocket, U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville Alabama
The sun sets on the Saturn V Rocket, U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville Alabama. Photograph, Huntsville CVB.

Why travel to Huntsville, Alabama? It’s one of the coolest cities in the country! 

Nestled in the low, green mountains of northern Alabama, surrounded by great hiking and outdoor activities, Huntsville boasts a vibrant arts scene, great farm-to-table restaurants, craft breweries, and local distilleries. Oh, and it’s home to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center — you know, those people who engineered and built the rockets that got us to the moon.

Big Spring Park at night , heart of downtown Huntsville
Big Spring Park at night, heart of downtown Huntsville. Photograph courtesy of the Huntsville CVB.

18 Things to Do in Huntsville, Alabama

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Art and History

Things to do in Huntsville: Visit Lowe Mill -- Mural at Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment complex -- in a space used for parties and events.
Mural at Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment complex — in a space used for parties and events. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Lowe Mill

The 117 year old Lowe Mille factory building in Huntsville has been home to a cotton mill, a military boot factory, and a warehouse for heating systems. And now? Welcome to Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment, the largest private arts facility in the United States.

I found a beehive of activity at Lowe Mill on the Saturday I visited — full of art, music, and great food. Lowe Mill houses 148 working studios for over 200 artists and creators, 6 galleries, a theatre, along with performance venues. In addition to permanent studios, visitors will also find vendors at temporary tables on the weekends.

Interior images of Lowe Mill, common space for eating and artist's studio
The massive space in Lowe Mill is broken into common areas, often with display galleries, and corridors of individual studios. Here in Studio 2052, artist Chris Wade works on a commissioned painting. Photographs, Ann Fisher.

Browse the work of local artists, check out the cigar box guitar studio, and maybe sit down and play a little yourself.

Hungry? Lowe Mill offers a selection of eateries. While I was there, I had an amazing savory crepe at Pofta Buna International (Romanian for “good appetite”) , ate an amazing Buttermilk and Lemon Zest ice pop at Suzy’s Pops, which tasted exactly like a lemon ice-box pie — SO GOOD! Suzy produces a range of interesting flavors — and if you’d like a pop with the kick of a cocktail, you might try a Mint Julep, which is made with Irons One Bourbon (from a small batch distillery that also operates at Lowe Mill).

Chris Wade Ethereal Geometry Arts at Lowe Mill in Huntsville, Alabama
Chris Wade works on one of his paintings. Photograph courtesy of Chris Wade.

I spent time visiting with two local artists, Chris Wade and David Nuttall — and came home with work from both of them.

Wade specializes in surrealistic drawings and paintings, in which rockets and spaceships play a major role. I loved the mix of organic and manmade objects in his images — the interplay of the fantastic and the familiar. I bought a print of Failure to Launch MPTA-ET, which Chris initially drew in ballpoint, then painted in India Ink with white ink highlights, and finally textured with sea salt. (Chris Wade’s work is available through his website Ethereal Geometry Arts or through his shop on Etsy.)

Things to do in Huntsville AL: Art -- Chris Wade holds one of his paintings at Lowe Mill studio in Huntsville Alabama
In his studio at Lowe Mill. Wade and his painting, The Future of Rocketree.

The Montgomery Museum of art exhibited Wade’s work in a solo show entitled Chris Wade: Evolution of a Dream that ran June 23 through September 9, 2018.

I found David Nuttall’s work fascinating. He calls them “hand drawn, plausible, fictitious maps.” He creates these on wood, cloth, and human bodies — something I was very taken with, and so brought home a photograph on canvas. (You’ll find David’s work on his site, Artimaps.)

One of David Nuttall’s maps painted on a human body. This one starts with a map of Huntsville, and connects to Moab, Utah — one of the subject’s favorite places.

After more browsing, and visiting with other artists, we finished our visit to Lowe Mill at Piper Leaf with some of the best tea I’ve had in awhile.

And then who could resist the beautiful chocolate and little cakes at Pizzelle’s Confections?

If it weren’t for a list of other activities to try in Huntsville, I would happily have spent the entire day at Lowe Mill.

Lowe Mill Huntsville Alabama
Lowe Mill: evening concert, good food — great place to be in Huntsville. Photograph, Huntsville CVB.

Huntsville Art Museum

You’ll find the Huntsville Museum of Art in Big Spring Park, a beautiful, walkable space on the edge of downtown. The museum’s permanent collection focuses on 19th and 20th century American art. Works from the Southeastern United States play a prominent role.

Perhaps the most intriguing segment of the collection, for me, is their significant holding of work by female artists. The Huntsville Museum of Art acquired the Sellars Collection of Art by American Women in 2008. It represents the work of more than 250 American female artists between 1850 and 1940 with over 400 paintings, sculptures, and drawings. The painting of Grand Canyon (see below) by Bertha Sophia Menzler Peyton is part of that collection.

Things to do in Huntsville AL: Go to the Museum -- Bertha Sophia Menzler Peyton, Grand Canyon, oil on canvas.
Bertha Sophia Menzler Peyton, Grand Canyon, oil on canvas. Photograph, Huntsville Museum of Art.

The Weeden House Museum

Born in 1846, Maria Howard Weeden is best known for her watercolors of former slaves. All of her work was  published under the name Howard Weeden, since it was incredibly difficult for women to be published or to find a market for their artwork.

When Weeden visited the  Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, she was disturbed by the caricaturish representations of black people in many of the paintings she saw. She found them offensive, and returning to Alabama, set forth to capture the freed men and women around her. The dignity, simplicity, and realism of her paintings still moves viewers today.

Black Woman in a Yellow Bandana. Watercolor. Maria Howard Weeden
Black Woman in a Yellow Bandana. Watercolor. Maria Howard Weeden. Photograph taken by Ann Fisher at Burritt on the Mountain.

The four images below are all part of Weeden’s book, The Bandana Ballads.

The Weeden House, built in 1819, is one of the finest examples of Federalist architecture in Huntsville. The Weeden House Museum in the Twickenham neighborhood of Huntsville,  is open limited days and hours to the public, but will make appointments for private tours. Check their website for more information.

The Weeden House, built in 1819. Huntsville, Alabama.
The Weeden House, built in 1819, a fine example of American Federalist architecture. You’ll find it in the Twickenham district — right next to the downtown area of Huntsville, Alabama.

Twickenham Historic District

One of the best things to do in Huntsville? Explore its history! Adjacent to Huntsville’s downtown, visitors will find the Twickenham historic district, Alabama’s largest antebellum (antebellum: the period between the War of 1812 and the American Civil War) area, with beautiful examples of Federal, Italianate and Greek Revival architecture.

Huntsville has created a self-guided tour that you can find here: Huntsville History Tour.

Morgan Neal home, Twickenham District Huntsville Alabama
Morgan-Neal home in the Twickenham District. Originally built in 1822. Birthplace of Confederate General John Hunt Morgan, a Calvary Leader known as the “Rebel Raider.” The Italianate facade and tower were added in 1857. Several years ago, the home was purchased by a couple — who, after spending one night there, left immediately, putting it on the market. Currently under renovation for a new owner. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Huntsville Ghost Walks

If you are lucky enough to visit Huntsville in September or October then you have the option of taking a Huntsville Ghost Walk. That’s right folks — this is not a year-round thing, and the walks often sell out. So if you’ve got a fall trip to Huntsville — get on reserving those tickets now. I love the Ghost Walks Facebook feed — full of fun photographs. I follow them just to chuckle over things like the character Michael Myers from Halloween staring at a Croc.

I spent a delightful evening walking through this part of Huntsville on a Huntsville Ghost Walk highly entertaining, full of wonderful stories, our guide had a great sense of humor — it may be one of the best walking tours I’ve ever taken.

McClung home, Twickenham District, Huntsville, Alabama
McClung home, where the ghost of a young girl often appears on the second floor veranda. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Ghost Walk schedule, as of writing this article: September: Every Friday and Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. October: Every Friday and Saturday night at 6:00 p.m PLUS one additional walk offered at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday nights only.

Harrison Brothers Hardware Huntsville Alabama
Buying tickets for the Ghost Walk at Harrison Brothers Hardware. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

For the 6:00 p.m. time slot, visitors choose between three different 2 hour walking tours:

  • Twickenham District
  • Downtown District
  • Old Town District

Additionally, during the month of October only, there is a one-hour Haunted Trolley ride offered at 6 p.m.

Everything starts at Harrison’s Brother’s Hardware store on the Madison County Courthouse Square, where you purchase your tickest (Cash ONLY).

You’ll find full information at Huntsville Ghost Walks.

Burritt on the Mountain

Imagine that you have just finished building the home of your dreams on a small mountain. Then on move-in day, it catches fire and burns to the ground. This happened to Dr. William Henry Burritt when he built the mansion he where planned to spend his retirement. It was 1936 — and on top of his mountain there was no way to put out the fire.

Things to do in Huntsville AL: Explore Burritt on the Mountain Main House at Burritt on the Mountain
House at Burritt on the Mountain. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Well, fine. Dr. Burritt went full steam ahead and rebuilt his home on Roundtop Mountain. Same unusual four wing floor plan he started with — in the shape of an “X”, but constructed with more fire resistant materials. AND with a large cistern right next to it — in case there were any more pesky fires.

On his death in 1955, Burritt left his home and property to Huntsville — and it became the city’s first museum and second largest park.

You can think of Burritt on the Mountain as three things, really:

  • Burritt’s unusual house, built by a quirky man who spent his life inventing things
  • a 167 acre park with trails for walking
  • and also an amazing open-air living history museum consisting of a six cabin village, complete with a barn, livestock, and people dressed in period clothes doing things like cooking over open fires, spinning, or making baskets.

I was very taken with the cabins — which are simply beautiful. It’s a special thing to see historic buildings saved, preserved, and cared for — and a visit to Burritt really provides visitors with an intimate trip through 19th century rural Alabama. I would love to return and spend more time.

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Great Food, Cool Craft Brew Scene, Local Distilleries

The people of Huntsville know how to eat well! Visitors to the area will be faced with one problem: how to choose from the wide variety of great options. Additionally, Huntsville has a well-developed craft brewery scene, which has been joined by some great local small-batch distilleries, thanks to a change in Alabama state laws. One of the best things to do in Huntsville, Alabama, is definitely exploring local restaurants and breweries.

The Commerce Kitchen

The Commerce Kitchen, Huntsville, Alabama
What a great restaurant! The Commerce Kitchen strikes a balance between casual and sophisticated. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Chef James Boyce has worked for three decades in the high-end culinary world in different parts of the United States. Classically trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Boyce began his career in New York City where he worked with internationally renowned Chef Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque for over six years.

Boyce went on to run Mary Elaine’s at the Phoenician resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, the Palace Court at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, and the Studio at the Montage Resort and Spa in Laguna Beach, California. During his years in the Southwest, his work was highly acclaimed, bringing Mobil 5 star awards to both May Elaine’s and the Studio. Boyce has also been nominated twice for James Beard awards.

In 2009, Boyce and his wife Suzan moved to Huntsville, Alabama, and opened their first restaurant, Cotton Row.

During my visit to Huntsville, I had the opportunity to dine at Boyce’s Commerce Kitchen on Madison County Courthouse square, a more casual restaurant, specializing in high-end comfort food — a second Boyce concept.

Craft cocktails The Twickenham Jewel and the Commerce Kitchen
The Twickenham Jewel (make with Woodford Reserve, Pama — a pomegranate liqueur, and lemonade) at the Commerce Kitchen. My Black Patch Bourbon is in the background. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Commerce Kitchen specializes in craft cocktails, and they also serve local beer AND local whiskey. I tried the Black Patch Bourbon, made one of Huntsville’s small batch distillers (see further below for more info on Black Patch).

Commerce Kitchen Huntsville Alabama Hot Chicken Bites
Commerce Kitchen Hot Chicken Bites — addictively wonderful. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

We ordered Hot Fried Chicken bites as an appetizer. These tasty morsels are served with a healthy drizzle of white barbecue sauce and a slaw of cucumber and jicama. The crisp exterior of the chicken and the slightly spicy sauce – perfect combination. It’s easy to see why Hot Fried Chicken bites are one of the most popular items on the menu . . . they’re addictive!

For my main, I chose the Coffee Crusted New York Strip with potato hash, asparagus, and an espresso based sauce. The coffee flavor in the recipe brings a smokiness to the dish, providing a rich counterpoint that complements the tender and well-marbled meat. The whole meal was outstanding. We found our waiter to be highly knowledge and attentive, and I would head straight back to the Commerce Kitchen on my next trip to Huntsville — AND I would also plan to visit Cotton Row.

Coffee crusted New York strip at The Commerce Kitchen, Huntsville, Alabama
Coffee crusted New York strip at The Commerce Kitchen. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Grille 29

I stayed in the Providence Town Center area of Huntsville. What a lovely mixed-use development! One of the great things about Providence Town Center is the selection of restaurants in easy walking distance — and Grille 29 happens to be one of them — a happy thing, since it’s a favorite with folks in Huntsville.

Grille 29 is a cozy place — comfortable leather booths, slightly darkened interior. Perfect vibe for this steak and seafood restaurant. Since I was joining a slightly bigger group of people, we were able to try a number of different items on the menu, and each one of them was beautifully prepared. I really love this restaurant!

The Bacon Jam Sea Scallops — what rich, amazing bites. A perfectly sautéed scallop, creamy grits, and a topping of home made bacon jam. So good!

The Grille 29 Bacon Jam Sea Scallops Huntsville Alabama
The Grille 29 Bacon Jam Sea Scallops. SO good! Photograph, Ann Fisher.

From the fork-tender filet mignon, with the hasselback baked potato, to the creamy seafood mac ‘n cheese skillet, to the shrimp and grits finished with andouille sausage, everyone was a happy camper. The food at Grille 29 was so good that I came back and ate here again on my final night in Huntsville.

exterior 1892 East Restaurant and Tavern, Huntsville, Alabama
1892 East Restaurant and Tavern, Huntsville, Alabama. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

1892 East Restaurant and Tavern

The cheesburger at 1982 East Restaurant and Tavern Huntsville
The cheesburger at 1982 East Restaurant and Tavern. It was outstanding. Photograph, Ann Fisher

On Sunday around noon, we headed for the Five Points neighborhood of Huntsville, and the 1892 East Restaurant and Tavern. This is a cool restaurant, casual, very much a neighborhood place focused on seasonal food and farm to table ingredients.

I’d have to say that they have a gorgeous brunch menu. French press coffee and some very tempting eggs Benedict. I had already eaten breakfast in order to be up and ready to visit the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, so I was looking for lunch food. Then Leslie told me that they made her favorite hamburger in Huntsville, and it was all over. I knew exactly what I was going to order. Sometimes a great hamburger is just TOO good to pass up.

Campus No. 805 Entertainment Huntsville Alabama
Campus No. 805 — what a great re-purposing of an abandoned school space! Photograph courtesy of Huntsville CVB.

Campus No. 805

Psst!!  Ever wanted to crack open a beer in your high school locker room? Then head over to Campus No. 805 with me. I promise you won’t end up in the principal’s office awaiting suspension 🙂 .

In 1951, R.S. Butler High School opened its doors to the students of Madison County in Alabama. As the area grew, the school later became a junior high. Finally, in 2009 the campus saw its last days as a school.

After sitting empty for five years, developer Randy Schrimsher bought it and turned it into an entertainment venue that retained the property’s school-ness. Local breweries Straight to Ale Brewery and Yellowhammer Brewery became the first tenants, and Campus No. 805 was off to the races.

I strolled through the business end of the brewery and found a table at Straight to Ale. What did I order? I had an amazing double IPA – called the Monkey’s Uncle. This beautiful light amber ale has bright citrus notes and a nice bitterness. Very good 🙂 .

Straight to Ale -- the Monkey's Uncle, an outstanding double IPA Huntsville Alabama Campus No 805
Straight to Ale — the Monkey’s Uncle, an outstanding DIPA. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Irons One Distillery

Huntsville’s first distillery? The Irons One Distillery began making whiskey in 2015 at Lowe Mill but finally opened 2016. Changing liquor laws that date back to the prohibition period in American history takes time. A lot of time. But the years of effort were worth it, and now visitors can go taste locally made whiskey in Studio 2061 at Lowe Mill A&E.

Irons One Bourbon, from Huntsville's first distillery.
Irons One Bourbon, from Huntsville’s first distillery.

“One man, one whiskey, one batch at a time” is Jeff Iron’s motto, and his entire fermentation and barrel aging process occurs right here — right next to his tasting room. Irons uses local grains and charred oak barrels and and result is very special.

Black Patch Distilling Company

Meet Huntsville’s second distillery, Black Patch. Gary Cooper has advanced degrees in chemistry and biology. Brewing and distilling were two of Gary’s lifelong passions, and after a long career in the chemical industry, Gary co-founded Black Patch Distilling Co. with his stepson Clayton. Clayton Hinchman served in a special ops unit that wore only an American flag and a Black Patch on their uniforms. Hinchman lost a leg during his service to our country.

In an interview with Crunkleton marketing, Clayton said, “Our mantra at Black Patch is ‘our passion is on the inside of the bottle, not on the label.’ There’s nothing flashy about the black patch on the uniform, it’s what’s underneath that matters.”

Black Patch produces Bourbon, Rye, H.E.A.T. — a cinnamon whiskey, Orale Platinum — a blue agave spirit, and Orale Reposado — blue agave spirit aged in whiskey barrels. As I said above, I had a chance to try their bourbon while I was at Commerce Kitchen, and it was outstanding.

Visit the Black Patch website to learn more about their spirits and to find out how to visit.

Whiskey Room at the Nook

Just looking for good whiskey, regardless of where it’s from? You’ll find a wide selection here! Locals describe the Nook as one of Huntsville’s top craft beer bars, and with a menu of over 500 beers, 36 of which are on tap, it certainly works hard to live up to its reputation. If the weather is nice, people typically prefer to sit on patio at this quirky bar. In addition to a broad beer menu, the Nook also has a whiskey room which serves over 200 different whiskey selections.

Want to know more about food and drink in Huntsville?

You’ll find a more complete listing of Huntsville’s food scene options here and Huntsville craft brew information here.

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Outdoors

Northern Alabama is perfectly gorgeous, and whether you’re looking for a place for a walk, a rugged hike, or some intense rock climbing, Huntsville offers a range of opportunities.

The Guest Center of the Huntsville Botanical Garden: houses a cafe, guest check-in facilities, and event spaces.
The Guest Center of the Huntsville Botanical Garden: houses a cafe, guest check-in facilities, and event spaces. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Huntsville Botanical Garden

The Huntsville Botanical Garden calls itself the community’s garden, and I was very taken with the beauty of all of the different trails and spaces when I visited. 112 acres of absolutely beautiful outdoor spaces — a perfect place to go for a long walk, investigate plants during the different seasons of the year, watch butterflies, or play hard in one of the spaces in the Children’s Garden. If I lived in Huntsville, I’d be a member. Not only would I love walking here, I saw many benches that look like perfect reading spots.

Pavilion at the Damson Aquatic Garden, a wonderful spot for admiring the waterlilies Huntsville Botanical Garden
Pavilion at the Damson Aquatic Garden, a wonderful spot for admiring the waterlilies. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

The Huntsville Botanical Garden opened to the public in 1988, following over eight years of very hard work by a determined set of planners and volunteers. Twenty years later, the growth — in terms of facilities, diversity of trails, and the yearly programs is truly impressive.

The Purdy Butterfly House is the largest open-air butterfly house in the U.S.A. and showcases thirteen species of butterflies May through September of each year. The brand new Guest Center houses visitor check-in, a cafe, the gift store — as well as significant event spaces. While I was there, two different weddings were close to getting underway.

When I visited, the Gardens of Myth exhibit — a trail of sculptures, handmade and painted by Kendall R. Hart, was still on display with all kinds of creatures, ranging in size from the little fairies to large dragons. It closed around Halloween. The Garden was already beginning work behind the scenes for the annual Galaxy of Lights — a drive-through Christmas exhibit that runs from just after Thanksgiving through December 31.

Dragon, Gardens of Myth, Huntsville Botanical Garden
A massive dragon surrounded by pumpkins really captured my imagination. It was part of the temporary Gardens of Myth. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Monte Sano State Park

Monte Sano, Spanish for Mountain of Health, is a limestone mesa mountain that rises nearly 1,000 feet from the valley below. In 1887, the Hotel Monte Sano, a 233 room Queen Anne style structure, opened for business. In a period when yellow fever, diphtheria, and cholera were common place, the hotel served as a health resort for the wealthy — a place where it was believed that you could escape these diseases in the clean mountain air. Famous visitors included Helen Keller, the Astors, the Vanderbilts, and the Goulds.

A watercolor of Hotel Monte Sano, on display at Burritt on the Mountain
A watercolor of Hotel Monte Sano, on display at Burritt on the Mountain.

Once medical knowledge improved to the point that doctors understood the causes for diseases like yellow fever, the heyday of the health resort ended, and Hotel Monte Sano closed its doors permanently in 1900.

Today, Monte Sano State Park offers visitors a wide variety of possible activities, from hiking and mountain biking, to rock climbing.

Rock climbing in Monte Sano State Park Huntsville Alabama
Rock climbing anyone? One of the wonderful things about Huntsville is how easy it is to get to outdoor activities. Photograph, Huntsville CVB.

DeSoto State Park

If you’ll be in Huntsville area for more than a few days, consider exploring DeSoto State Park. Just a ninety minute drive from the city, visiting the park makes a great day trip, or possibly an overnight, if staying in a rustic Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) cabin or lodge sounds appealing.

The 3,502 acre park sits on top of Lookout Mountain and offers visitors more than 25 miles of hiking trails, as well as 11 miles of mountain biking trails. DeSoto State Park also has a small Nature Center and the Talmadge Butler Boardwalk, an ADA trail that takes visitors 1,000 feet into the forest. Fishermen will enjoy the fly fishing along the West Fork of Little River provides some the most beautiful fly fishing opportunities in North Alabama. While you won’t find trout, fishing for red-eye bass, blue gills, and sunfish can be a lot of fun.

Travel Huntsville Alabama DeSoto Falls
DeSoto Falls in DeSoto State Park. Photograph, iStock Photos.

Cathedral Caverns

If you enjoy amazing inside spaces, a visit to Cathedral Caverns may be the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Opened to the public as a private cave in the 1950’s, Cathedral Caverns became a state park in the summer of 2000.

You do have to be on a guided tour in order to see the cave, which is approximately 1.5 miles roundtrip and takes about ninety minutes.

You’ll enter the cave through a huge natural opening. Cave highlights include Goliath, one of the largest stalagmites in the world, the Big Room which is 792 x 200 feet, and a massive stalagmite forest.

Visit the Cathedral Caverns website for tour times, which change seasonally, and current entrance fees.

interior Cathedral Caverns Alabama
Touring Cathedral Caverns in Alabama. Photograph courtesy of Huntsville CVB.
If you like treasure hunting in thrift stores, Unclaimed Baggage may be a great destination. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Cathedral Caverns is a 35 minute drive from Huntsville.

If you choose to tour the Caverns while in Huntsville, why not make a day of it and add a visit to the Unclaimed Baggage Center? Unclaimed Baggage is in Scottsboro, Alabama, about thirty minutes past Catheral Caverns.

You may have heard of this unique shopping spot, which has been featured on Oprah in years past. It’s the only store in the United States that purchases unclaimed luggage from the airlines — which arrives by the truckload, where they are unpacked, sorted, and processed. Clothes considered saleable are dry cleaned and laundered at their own facility. As Unclaimed Baggage says, you can never tell WHAT you’re going to find.

Word to the wise: NO, don’t call Unclaimed Baggage looking for your lost luggage. They only end up with stuff that the airlines have stored for months, trying to re-connect articles and bags with their original owners. Luggage and unclaimed articles are only sold to Unclaimed Baggage once all hope of returning the items has been exhausted. For more information, visit the Unclaimed Baggage site.

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Space

Pathfinder, a 1977 Space Shuttle simulator, on display at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Huntsville Alabama
Pathfinder, a 1977 Space Shuttle simulator, on display at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Photograph courtesy of the Huntsville CVB.

U.S. Space and Rocket Center

Last, but not least . . . my reason number 18 to visit Huntsville is the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. All I can say here is, “WOW.” If you love NASA and our space program, then this isn’t a visit. It’s a pilgrimage. Frankly, it may be the only reason many people need to know that they really need to visit Huntsville.

The U.S. Space and Rocket Center is the largest space museum in the world and showcases rockets and artifacts of the U.S. space program. You may know it as the home to Space Camp, where more than 750,000 students and adults have come to conduct simulated missions.

Before 1940, Huntsville was known as the Watercress Capitol of the World — just a medium-sized town with a population of 13,150. At the beginning of World War II, Huntsville was selected to be the site of military manufacturing plants, and in 1941, the U.S. government established the Redstone Arsenal as a center for rocket research. When German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun came to Huntsville in 1950, our rocket program was really off to the races.

To say that Huntsville and America’s space program are inextricably linked is an understatement, and Huntsville’s partnership with NASA continues today as our space program works on the rocket that will take us to Mars. You’ll find current information on the SLS (Space Launch System) that will take us into deep space here.

I was so enthralled with the U.S. Space and Rocket Center that I visited twice on my three day stay in Huntsville, and will be writing a separate account of my visit.

Find all the information you need to plan your visit to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center here.

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Map of things to do in Huntsville

Where is Huntsville, Alabama? How to Get There

Huntsville is in northern Alabama, about twenty miles south of the Tennessee state line. If you are considering travel to Huntsville, Alabama, the Huntsville International Airport is served by these airlines: American, Delta, United, Frontier, and Silver Airways, and it’s a relatively inexpensive flight from many parts of the country.

Is Huntsville a good driving trip for you?

Huntsville is:

  • just over three hours from Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Atlanta, and Jackson.
  • and between 5 and 6.5 hours from Mobile, Tallahassee, St. Louis, New Orleans, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati.

Connect to Google maps to look at the distance from your home town.

Where to stay in Huntsville?

You’ll find lots of great choices near downtown; in 2017, I chose the Embassy Suites next the the Convention Center, and had a great stay.

Village of Providence Huntsville Alabama
My stay at Homewood Suites in the Village of Providence was perfect. I loved all of the restaurant choices in walking distance. Photograph courtesy of Huntsville CVB.

On this trip, my home base was Homewood Suites at the Providence Town Center. I found it to be a super-comfortable hotel, with a good breakfast included in the room rate.

It’s great to have the extra space — a living room and kitchen are always nice, particularly when you’ve been traveling for a few days. Here’s another thing — when you are traveling as a couple, or with a family, having this kind of space to stretch out and not be on top of one another can really make the difference between a happy trip and a stressful trip 🙂 .

I loved the convenience of having a selection of bars and eateries in walking distance of the hotel. Homewood Suites is also right on a green belt with hiking and running trails, so you can get in a little exercise between rockets and craft breweries.

You can explore a full range of lodging options for Huntsville here.

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One of many murals in downtown Huntsville, Alabama
One of many murals in downtown Huntsville, Alabama. Photograph, Ann Fisher.

Looking for the best things to do in Huntsville, Alabama? This article is a round-up of the 18 best things to do in Huntsville.


Disclaimer: Many thanks to the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau for hosting my visit to Huntsville, and for their warm welcome and assistance. As always, opinions and experiences expressed on AnnCavittFisher.com are honest and my own. I’ll never recommend anything I didn’t love myself.


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Ann Fisher

Writer, traveler, and cancer fighter. Get out there and live life!

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4 thoughts on “Travel: Huntsville, Alabama — 18 Reasons to Visit the Rocket City

  1. Jenn and Ed Coleman April 3, 2019 at 11:30 pm

    I loved meeting David Nuttall when I was in Huntsville. His work resonates with me, but then again I’m a map geek. I was totally amazed at how frickn cool Huntsville was. I wasn’t expect the level of culture, sophistication, and love of nature given its placement in the Deep South. It felt like a cool college town more than a small southern town. Loved it there and can’t wait to go back.

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  2. Browsing the Atlas April 3, 2019 at 6:33 pm

    Wow! Your itinerary of Huntsville was completely different than mine except for the Space Museum and Unclaimed Baggage. There is so much to see and do in Huntsville! I was so surprised at the diverse experiences there. I saw some art, but nothing like the art you shared at Lowe Mill. I am really sorry I missed that! Next time…

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  3. Andi April 2, 2019 at 12:45 pm

    I’m a TOTAL space geek and when my hubby and I were traveling around the US in our RV we stopped at a lot of space related spots and got to see a rocket launch at Kennedy. However, I MISSED this spot! Something to add to my space geek bucket list!

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  4. Helpful Tips for Your First Visit to Huntsville - iHeartHsv.com iHeartHsv.com March 4, 2019 at 12:02 am

    […] Your first visit will certainly not be the last […]

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