stories
stories
HomeMoneyLifestyleNewsSportsEntertainmentTravelScienceLocal

Highest-rated free things to do in Alabama by visitors

·Stacker

Tint Media // Shutterstock
Tint Media // Shutterstock
Add Stacker as Preferred Source

Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

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.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, 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 Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

You may also like: Baldest states: See how Alabama ranks for hair-loss medication prescriptions

#30. Hank Williams Memorial - Oakwood Annex Cemetery

Tripadvisor

1 / 30

#30. Hank Williams Memorial - Oakwood Annex Cemetery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (162 reviews)
- City: Montgomery
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#29. Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment

Tripadvisor

2 / 30

#29. Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment

- Rating: 4.4/5 (176 reviews)
- City: Huntsville
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#28. Madison County Nature Trail-Green Mountain

Tripadvisor

3 / 30

#28. Madison County Nature Trail-Green Mountain

- Rating: 4.7/5 (245 reviews)
- City: Huntsville
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#27. Orange Beach Welcome Center

Tripadvisor

4 / 30

#27. Orange Beach Welcome Center

- Rating: 4.8/5 (297 reviews)
- City: Orange Beach
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#24. 16th Street Baptist Church

Tripadvisor

7 / 30

#24. 16th Street Baptist Church

- Rating: 4.5/5 (351 reviews)
- City: Birmingham
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Wetumpka

Tripadvisor

13 / 30

#18. Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Wetumpka

- Rating: 3.8/5 (454 reviews)
- City: Wetumpka
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail

Tripadvisor

14 / 30

#17. Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail

- Rating: 4.7/5 (483 reviews)
- City: Orange Beach
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. First White House of the Confederacy

Tripadvisor

16 / 30

#15. First White House of the Confederacy

- Rating: 4.4/5 (612 reviews)
- City: Montgomery
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

Tripadvisor

17 / 30

#14. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

- Rating: 4.8/5 (450 reviews)
- City: Mobile
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

Tripadvisor

18 / 30

#13. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

- Rating: 4.5/5 (289 reviews)
- City: Gulf Shores
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Gulf Shores Welcome Center

Tripadvisor

21 / 30

#10. Gulf Shores Welcome Center

- Rating: 4.8/5 (492 reviews)
- City: Gulf Shores
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. Gulf Shores Public Beach

Tripadvisor

26 / 30

#5. Gulf Shores Public Beach

- Rating: 4.5/5 (484 reviews)
- City: Gulf Shores
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark

Tripadvisor

27 / 30

#4. Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark

- Rating: 4.4/5 (534 reviews)
- City: Birmingham
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Tripadvisor

28 / 30

#3. Birmingham Botanical Gardens

- Rating: 4.6/5 (527 reviews)
- City: Birmingham
- Read more on Tripadvisor

Trending stories