Tourism Information

Alabama: The Metropolitan Region

Tourism Information

The Metropolitan Region is a diverse slice of the state. You'll find speed at Talladega Superspeedway, big-city living in Greater Birmingham, peaches like no others in Chilton County, the roar of water rushing over Noccalula Falls and M-Class cars easing along assembly lines at the Mercedes plant in Vance. Attractions, activities and events are waiting for you in places like Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Anniston and Gadsden.

Central Alabama is rich with recreational opportunities and rich in history, art, and natural beauty.

At the Westervelt-Warner Museum in Tuscaloosa, more than 400 pieces of art from the late 18th and early 20th centuries offer a fascinating look into American life. The Kentuck Museum in neighboring Northport plays host each October to the Kentuck Festival of Arts.

Stay and play at Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort in Hoover or tee off at any one of more than 30 other golfing venues in the region. Enjoy thrilling roller coaster rides at Alabama Adventure theme park in Bessemer, motorcycle racing at Barber Motorsports Park, or heart-pounding NASCAR racing at Talladega Superspeedway.

Birmingham, home to Vulcan, the world's largest cast iron statue, hosts the Birmingham Museum of Art, the largest municipal museum in the Southeast. Enjoy its magnificent permanent collection of more than 21,000 works, including the finest collection of Wedgewood outside of England.

Visit the Alabama Theatre for the Performing Arts, home of the largest Wurlitzer theater pipe organ in the South. Enjoy ballet, theatre, and concert performances at the Alys Stephens Center, explore the world of jazz at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, or enjoy the annual Birmingham International Festival and City Stages.

Trace state, national and world history at the Berman Museum in Anniston, Birmingham's Civil Rights Institute, Moundville's Archaeological Park, The American Village in Montevallo, DeSoto Caverns in Childersburg, or Horseshoe Bend National Military Park near Dadeville.

Explore pioneer or antebellum architecture at the John Looney House in Ashville, Magnolia Grove in Greensboro, and the McAdory, Owen, and Sadler homes in Bessemer. Shop for special gifts at Mountain Top Flea Market in Attalla or enjoy the outdoors at Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, Minooka Park in Jemison, Ruffner Mountain Nature Center in Birmingham, or Noccalula Falls Park in Gadsden.