It’s More than the Rocket City – Things to Do in Huntsville, AL

Top Eight Things to Do in Huntsville

Huntsville History Tour

This is an ideal way to start your stay in Huntsville. The self-guided audio tour allows you to go at your own pace, even spread your tour over more than one day, which might be a good idea for families with younger children.

The tour covers about eight blocks in the historic center of Huntsville. All of the stops along the way are free of charge. You can access the tour at their website on any of your portable devices. The Huntsville History Tour map shows the 42 sites that you will see along the way.

My favorite stop was the Weeden House, where I discovered the art of Maria Howard Weeden.

Check for dates for free guided walking tours in Huntsville available on select dates in April and October.

Burritt on the Mountain

After some time in the city, you may want to see what rural Huntsville, only minutes from the city center, has to offer.
Monte Sano State Park and Burritt on the Mountain provide you with mountain air, hiking trails, and room for children to work off some excess energy.

Huntsville Botanical Gardens

Huntsville Botanical Gardens offers you a fresh experience at every visit.

With blooms that change from season to season, plus special exhibits throughout the year, you will want to return each time you are in Huntsville.

Space Center

Huntsville is known as Rocket City for a reason. Perhaps the jewel in the crown of Huntsville, you can easily spend an entire day at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

From docent guided tours to a Mars Climbing Wall, there is something for everyone in the family. Many of the docents are retired NASA engineers. If you are lucky, Alex McCool Jr will escort you through the exhibits and entertain you with his up close and personal tales of astronauts and the early days of the space program.

Space Camp

For an extensive experience spend a night, or a week, at Space Camp.

With programs for children, adults or families, you will find a Space Camp program that works for you.

A.M. Booth’s Lumber Yard

Come for music, dinner or both. This distinctive property, built from a diverse assortment of reclaimed items from Huntsville’s past, proudly calls itself Downtown’s backyard.

So, stop for a bite, a drink, entertainment, or just a stroll through some interesting Huntsville history.

Huntsville Museum of Art

Huntsville Museum of Art houses more than works of art.

This vibrant hub of the community’s activities include; Voices of Our Times Lecture Series, a Museum Academy with classes for all ages, special events and a restaurant.

Lowe Mill ARTS and Entertainment

Spend an hour or an entire day exploring the over 300 spaces housing artist studios, fine art galleries, performance venues and food purveyors.

A stop at Artimaps will open your mind to a most unusual art form – hand drawn, plausible, fictitious maps. Artist David Nuttal’s vision of what maps can be provides an unusual look at our world.

Suzy’s Pops, gourmet ice pops, is a good spot to sit for a moment while you satisfy your taste buds. Read more about Lowe Mill ARTS on MilesGeek.

Where to Eat in Huntsville

Speaking of taste buds – my short list of some favorite places to satisfy your hunger follows.

Grille 29

Located in the Village of Providence neighborhood, Grille 29 accommodates both indoor and outdoor dining.

Read Food Writer Connie Pearson’s review of Grille 29 on MilesGeek.

A.M. Booth’s Lumber Yard

When you visit the Lumber Yard check out their extensive menu. Menu items include brunch, dinner and lunch, as well as, snack and shares which are served every day from 3pm to 1am.

Pints and Pixels

Take the elevator upstairs from U.G. White Mercantile to Pints and Pixels for food and entertainment.
Between your turns at vintage arcade games and pinball machines, order a few pints and some plates of food to share. 

Yellow Hammer Brewing – Earth and Stone Wood Fired Pizza

Campus No. 805, a former public school site, is now home to a wide array of restaurants and breweries. For some truly unusual (and mouthwatering) pizza combinations, eat at Earth and Stone Wood Fired Pizza.

Yellow Hammer Brewing, located in the same space, delivers a brew for everyone’s palate. The waiters at Yellow Hammer can recommend just the right brew for your pizza choice.

Piper and Leaf Artisan Tea Shop

You will find this thirst quenching stop at Lowe Mill. While touring Lowe Mill, our travel blogging group was invited to step behind the counter of Piper and Leaf for a photo with the owner.

My choice on this warm day was Sassyfrass Strawberry, served over ice, then topped with sparkling water. I was not disappointed.

Pane e Vino

Time your visit to Huntsville Museum of Art for lunch or dinner and eat at Pane e Vino in the museum.

Our Taste of The South writer Connie Pearson, shared her impression of Pane e Vino on MilesGeek.

We are fortunate to have an Alabama native, Connie Pearson, on our writing team. Photos for Grille 29, Huntsville Museum of Art and Pane e Vino are courtesy of Connie.

Thank you to the Visitors Bureau of Huntsville for hosting me, as part of a small group of travel bloggers, at many of the places listed above. The Visitors Bureau in Huntsville offers detailed information on things to do in Huntsville and the rest of Madison County.