Highest-rated free things to do in Alabama, according to Tripadvisor
Highest-rated free things to do in Alabama, according to Tripadvisor
It is incredibly expensive to be an American. While workers in the United States have seen an 80% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2024 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1970 and 2022, the national consumer price index increased by over 500%, while wages only grew by 80%.
That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. The number of cost-burdened households in the U.S. reached an 11-year record in 2022, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. In June 2024, Redfin reported that the median U.S. home sale price hit an all-time high of $394,000.
It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Alabama.
Think about the most common items on a vacation getaway itinerary: sightseeing, touring landmarks, or completing a nature walk. Or, maybe you're just aiming to relax and want some peace and quiet. Whether you're a history buff or aching to dip your toes in some cool water, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.
To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Alabama using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of June 12, 2024.
Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!
#30. Madison County Nature Trail-Green Mountain
- Rating: 4.5/5 (245 reviews)
- Address: 100 North Side Square Huntsville, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#29. Big Spring Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (239 reviews)
- Address: 200 Church St. Northwest Huntsville, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#28. Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament
- Rating: 5/5 (149 reviews)
- Address: 3222 County Road 548 Our Lady of the Angels Monastery Hanceville, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#27. Desoto Falls
- Rating: 4.5/5 (213 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#26. Alabama Department of Archives and History
- Rating: 4.5/5 (237 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#25. Dauphin Street
- Rating: 4/5 (564 reviews)
- Address: Dauphin St. Mobile, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#24. Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary
- Rating: 4.5/5 (224 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#23. Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
- Rating: 4.5/5 (194 reviews)
- Address: 1616 Chappie James Ave. Tuskegee, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#22. 16th Street Baptist Church
- Rating: 4.5/5 (351 reviews)
- Address: 16th St. & 6th Ave. Birmingham, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#21. Alabama State Capitol
- Rating: 4.5/5 (418 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#20. Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Rating: 5/5 (186 reviews)
- Address: 500 Church St. Northwest Huntsville, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#19. Foley Railroad Museum
- Rating: 4.5/5 (272 reviews)
- Address: 125 East Laurel Ave. Foley, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#18. Edmund Pettus Bridge
- Rating: 4.5/5 (339 reviews)
- Address: US Highway 80 Selma, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#17. Gulf Shores Public Beach
- Rating: 4.5/5 (471 reviews)
- Address: 101 Gulf Shores Pkwy Gulf Shores, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#16. Fairhope Avenue
- Rating: 4.5/5 (420 reviews)
- Address: Fairhope, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#15. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
- Rating: 4.5/5 (286 reviews)
- Address: 12295 State Highway 180 Gulf Shores, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#14. Orange Beach Welcome Center
- Rating: 5/5 (295 reviews)
- Address: 23685 Perdido Beach Blvd. Orange Beach, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#13. Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail
- Rating: 4.5/5 (481 reviews)
- Address: 3801 Orange Beach Blvd. Orange Beach, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#12. Tanger Outlets Foley
- Rating: 4.5/5 (826 reviews)
- Address: 2601 South McKenzie St. Foley, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#11. Toomer's Corner
- Rating: 4.5/5 (503 reviews)
- Address: College St. and Magnolia Ave. Auburn, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#10. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
- Rating: 5/5 (449 reviews)
- Address: 2 South Claiborne St. Mobile, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#9. DeSoto State Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (404 reviews)
- Address: 7104 Desoto Pkwy Northeast Fort Payne, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#8. First White House of the Confederacy
- Rating: 4.5/5 (594 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#7. Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark
- Rating: 4.5/5 (522 reviews)
- Address: 20 32nd St. North Birmingham, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#6. Fairhope Municipal Pier
- Rating: 4.5/5 (594 reviews)
- Address: 1 North Beach Road Fairhope, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#5. Birmingham Museum of Art
- Rating: 4.5/5 (555 reviews)
- Address: 2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Blvd. Birmingham, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#4. Gulf Shores Welcome Center
- Rating: 5/5 (485 reviews)
- Address: 3459 Gulf Shores Pkwy Gulf Shores, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#3. Birmingham Botanical Gardens
- Rating: 4.5/5 (518 reviews)
- Address: 2612 Lane Park Road Birmingham, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#2. The Wharf
- Rating: 4/5 (1,572 reviews)
- Address: 23101 Canal Road Orange Beach, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#1. Little River Canyon National Preserve
- Rating: 4.5/5 (567 reviews)
- Address: 4322 Little River Trl Northeast Fort Payne, Alabama
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Zuri White-Gibson, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states and Washington D.C.
