From minor-league baseball and some of the world's best public golf courses, to mountain biking and coastal backcountry hiking, Alabama offers much for those much for those who enjoy active vacations.
Birmingham baseball
Even though the city doesn't field a Major League Baseball team, Birmingham has a rich baseball heritage. It's home to the nation's oldest still-standing professional baseball park, Rickwood Field, which opened in 1910 (two years before Boston's Fenway Park, the oldest MLB ballpark). The Birmingham Barons, a minor league team with roots dating back to the 1880s, called Rickwood Field home for decades before moving to a suburban stadium in 1988.
In 2013, the Barons returned to the city with the opening of Regions Field (1401 1st Ave. S., Birmingham. 205-988-3200, birmingham.barons.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t247).
This state-of-the-art ballpark, just 2.5 miles from Rickwood Field, harks back to the glory days of early baseball in design, but steps up to the plate with modern amenities such as a concourse with a 360-degree view that allows you to to see the ballgame as you walk through the complex, luxury suites and entertainment areas for kids and adults.
Adding to the allure of Regions Field is what surrounds it: The revitalized Parkview District contains other big draws, such as Railroad Park and Good People Brewing Co., where crowds gather whether or not the Barons are playing.
Take your baseball excursion the old-fashioned way, by train. Amtrak provides daily service to Birmingham from Atlanta on the Crescent line. The train station in Birmingham is within easy walking distance of Regions Field. But, you'll need to summon a taxi or ride-hail service to get to the nearest hotels, in the nearby Southside neighborhood, where you'll also find many of the city's best restaurants and nightclubs.
Don't forget to make a pilgrimage to Rickwood Field (1137 2nd Ave. W., Birmingham. 205-458-8161, rickwood.com) while in town, to pay your respects to the granddaddy of all ballparks.
Gulf Coast trails
There’s much more to Alabama’s short stretch of Gulf Coast than a pretty beach. Natural treasures abound beyond the sands in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, best experienced from one of the backcountry trails running through maritime forests and large secondary dune fields.
The Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail system runs for more than 15 miles through six distinct ecosystems in Gulf State Park (22050 Campground Road, Gulf Shores, Ala. 251-948-7275, alapark.com) and Orange Beach. Alligators peek from the swamp, bald eagles soar overhead and bobcat and white-tailed deer sightings are common. Seven trails, most paved with asphalt, welcome hikers, walkers, joggers, bikers and even campers.
The new Primitive Outpost Campsite area provides one of the best overnight deals on the coast: $50 gets you a wood-framed canvas tent with hardwood floors and four comfortable cots for the night. Firewood is provided, as is a pump sink for fresh water. Pristine natural beauty awaits just outside your tent flap, and the beach is a short bike ride away on the trail, as well as the bathhouse, camp store and swimming pool.
Also worth taking is the Pine Beach Trail inside the Perdue unit of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (12295 Ala. 180, Gulf Shores, Ala. 251-540-7720, fws.gov). The 4-mile out-and-back trail runs through scrub forest, dune habitats and past freshwater lakes and saltwater lagoons all the way to the beach. Along the way is a great view of Gator Lake. Also in the refuge, the 1-mile Jeff Friend Trail is an easy boardwalk loop with great views and universal accessibility.
All of the trails mentioned above are stops on the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail, which runs along the coast, around Mobile Bay and into its estuary system.
Oak Mountain biking
Explore one of the most sought out mountain biking trail systems in the Southeast in Oak Mountain State Park (200 Terrace Drive, Pelham, Ala. 205-620-2524, alapark.com), 20 minutes south of Birmingham.
Mountain bikers from around the country come to ride the Double Oak Trail, or the Red Trail, as it’s more commonly known. This 25-mile system of single-track bliss in the valleys and ridges of the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains features rides suitable for beginners, intermediates and experts. In 2010, the International Mountain Biking Association deemed the Red Trail an “epic ride,” the highest honor the organization bestows on a trail. Less than 70 trails and trail systems worldwide can claim that status.
Plan your trip around a concert at Oak Mountain Amphitheater, a popular outdoor music venue that brings top touring acts to town in the warmer months.
Cabins ($129 per night) and campsites ($18-$30 per night) are available inside the state park.
Motorsports museums
Most racing fans are familiar with Talladega and its famous speedway, which opened in 1969, and the adjacent International Motorsports Hall of Fame, but Alabama has a newer race complex that's been drawing a lot of attention. Barber Motorsports Park (6030 Barber Motorsports Parkway, Birmingham. 205-699-7275, barbermotorsports.com), with its winding, curvy track in the rolling hills, brings true Indy-style Grand Prix road racing and motorcycle racing to the South throughout the year.
Founded by Alabama dairy magnate George Barber, a former race car driver, the park also offers the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum (admission $15). The museum contains Barber’s impressive collection of motorcycles and race cars from different eras.
If you’d like to indulge your racing fantasies, the complex is home to the Porsche Sport Driving School, where you’ll get to make those hairpins turns at high speeds yourself after passing the core curriculum (classes start at $1,800).
Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
It surprises many people to learn that Alabama is one of the top golfing destinations in the country.
Golfers flock to play the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (1-800-949-4444, rtjgolf.com), a series of public golf courses snaking throughout the state, from the southern coast to the mountains in the north. The New York Times has called the trail, which features 26 courses at 11 different sites, "some of the best public golf on Earth."
The courses are expertly designed, well-maintained and on par with the best private courses. Many locations along the trail have full-service resorts and spas, as well, making it easy to take a full vacation centered around the links.
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