If you’re of a certain age, you remember when trips to the beach meant stopping at alligator farms, “mystery spots” and “world’s largest” or “smallest” things. In some ways, the simplicity of those days is gone, but in many ways, at least in Alabama, you can still get a feeling of nostalgia by stopping at quirky roadside attractions on the way to Gulf Shores or Orange Beach.
Many stops on our map are just like those of days gone by: Miniature replicas? Check. Alligator parks? Check. An oversized peach that looks like, if we’re being polite, a hind-end and an actual giant-sized hind-end? Check, check.
We’ve got ’em.
Here are some entertaining – and sometimes educational – things we think you should check out as you drive along Interstate 65 or U.S. 31 (or other backroads) from Huntsville to the shoreline.
Ave Maria Grotto, Jerusalem in Miniature
1600 St. Bernard Drive, Cullman
Ave Maria Grotto at St. Bernard’s Abbey features tiny replicas of world-famous structures, made from concrete and found objects by a hunchback Benedictine monk named Brother Joseph Zoettl. In his lifetime, Zoettl built 125 mini structures at the Abbey. It is now open as a tourist attraction. And guess what? A restoration of the fascinating site has been approved to begin soon.
The Abbey’s website says: “Originally from Landschutt, Bavaria-Germany, a young Br. Joseph found himself headed to America to pursue monastic life at Alabama’s only Benedictine Abbey. Little did anyone know that this young Bavarian would end up leaving the abbey its greatest legacy and in an incredibly humble way. Since 1934, people from around the world visit the Ave Maria Grotto to see famous parts of the world in miniature. The former abbey quarry is now the four-acre park that the Grotto and surrounding miniatures rest upon.”
Castle de San Miguel
3224CountyRoad 548, Hanceville
Medieval castle-lovers can visit a replica of a 13th-century castle in Hanceville, Ala. Castle San Miguel is part of the complex of buildings at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, built in 1999 as the culmination of a dream of Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation (1923-2016). Mother Angelica was the much beloved, long-time host of shows on Eternal Word Television Network.
The shrine, which features a mostly gilt interior, is a destination in itself and draws as many as 80,000 tourists annually. The complex includes the main church – also a 13th century design – a convent and monastery, a replica of the Lourdes Grotto, a life-size Nativity scene, a crypt where Mother Angelica is interred, the Pope John Paul II Eucharistic Center and Castle San Miguel.
In 2001, Mother Angelica ordered the construction of Castle San Miguel to serve as the nuns’ gift shop and as a conference center. It has 40-foot-tall turrets and the interior features nine full-size suits of armor, including a replica of the armor worn by Richard the Lion-Hearted, king of England from 1189-1199 A.D.
Joe Minter’s African Village
931 Nassau Avenue SW, Birmingham
Some of Joe Minter’s artworks are rusty and a little worse for wear these days but his art “village” is worth a stop for fans of folk art. Minter has said he didn’t set out to be a folk artist but wanted to make a statement. Using found objects, Minter began erecting sculptures in his Birmingham yard that included Bible verses, messages about Hurricane Katrina and other issues facing African Americans. His art is made of everything from baby dolls to bowling balls to hubcaps.
Before long, Minter’s yard was filled and he bought the lot next door to continue his project. He has been featured onRoadsideAmerica.comand inThe New York Times.
Vulcan Park and Museum
1701 Valley View Drive, Birmingham
A statue of Vulcan, god of the forge, was sculpted by Guiseppe Moretti for the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Mo., right down to his bare hind-end.
According to the Vulcan Park website,“Vulcan stands 56 feet tall, from toe to spear point, upon a 124-foot pedestal rising to a height of 180 feet and weighs 101,200 pounds. Vulcan is the largest cast iron statue in the world and the largest metal statue ever made in the United States.”
Vulcan won the grand prize in the mineral department at the World’s Fair; Moretti also won a medal. These days, visitors enjoy climbing to the top of the statue on Red Mountain to see the gorgeous views – and note how Vulcan moons the city of Homewood. There’s also a museum at the site.
American Village
3727 Alabama Highway 119, Montevallo
This fun and educational stop lets you visit small-scale replicas of iconic American sites, such as the Oval Office, the of the President of the United States in the White House. It contains one of a set of two historical desks known as the Resolute Desks.
The 188-acre American Village campus features more than 20 historically inspired structures, including the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, a covered bridge and more, the website says.
House of Prayer
785-861 County Road 63, Calera
On the side of the road near Calera in Shelby County is an oddly shaped rock hut marked with a sign that reads: “House of Prayer.” To reach it, follow directions atroadsideamerica.com, or start at Exit 228 on Interstate 65, then turn west onto Highway 25/Main Street. After a mile, turn right at the stoplight onto U.S. Highway 31, turn left onto Eighth Avenue, and then left onto Shelby County Road 63. The House of Prayer is on the right.
Big Peach Water Tower
86 Peach Tower Road, Clanton
The water tower at I-65 Exit 212 at Clanton is painted to look like a peach in honor of the county’s largest crop. It’s a great place to stop for family selfies. Continue along the interstate to Exit 205 and stop for peach ice cream, peach cobbler or a basket of peaches at the well-known Peach Park Farmer’s Market.
Film-Site Church
2536 Alabama Highway143, Deatsville
Make a short detour to Deatsville to see historic Pine Flat Presbyterian Church, which has been chosen by two filmmakers as a setting for movies: 2003′s “Big Fish” and the Netflix original “The Devil All the Time.”
The church is easy to spot, once you finally find your way to the rural community in the center of the triangle formed by Deatsville, Holtsville and Marbury. The little white church – framed by a green-tin roof and adorned with a red-brick chimney – is set back from Alabama Highway 143 at the end of a long dirt drive. Surrounding the church are the graves of about 350 former congregants.
Bamboo Forest
800 Upper Kingston Road, Prattville
In a section of a 26-acre area in Prattville called Wilderness Park, bamboo grows as much as 60 feet high and six inches in circumference. It was the first designated wilderness park in the country. In the 1940s, someone sent a packet of seeds to the owner of the property, who planted them according to PrattvilleAL.gov. Before long the exotic plants covered a wide area of the property. The trees form a canopy overhead, making it a unique hiking spot filled with interesting wildlife.
Film-Set Town of Spectre
Jackson Lake Island, Millbrook
By definition, Spectre, Alabama, isn’t a real town – there are no human residents, stores or schools, or even pews inside its picturesque church. Spectre was created in the mind of Alabama-born author Daniel Wallace in his novel “Big Fish.” When the book was being made into a movie in 2003, director Tim Burton discovered the little island in the middle of Jackson Lake, which is fed by the Alabama River, and breathed life into a once-fictional city that people loved so much they never wanted to leave. The set was left behind after filming and began to deteriorate. A few of the buildings burned accidentally but the surviving buildings are now a tourist attraction. Click here for the Jackson Lake Island Facebook page.
Wright Brothers Park
544 Maxwell Boulevard, Montgomery
In the spring of 1910, aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright invited students to that Alabama field to train them to be some of the world’s earliest pilots. The barn served as the Wrights’ hangar, which housed a biplane of the design made famous in 1903 when the brothers made their first flight in North Carolina.
The Montgomery hangar and field – part of the Frank Kohn plantation – made up the nation’s first civilian flying school. The brothers, who lived in Dayton, Ohio, chose Montgomery for its relatively mild weather and flat topography, but things didn’t go as planned and the venture was short-lived. Still, one major goal was achieved at the site: The first night flights were recorded there. The historic spot was abandoned within three months and eventually became Maxwell Air Force Base.
Last surviving Civil Air Route Beacon in U.S.
14134 US Highway 84, Evergreen
According to RuralSWAlabama.org,the Kelly Act established U.S. Air Mail. In 1927, Civil Air Mail Route 23 was established between New Orleans and Atlanta and modified in 1931, leading to the construction of an emergency landing field midway between New Orleans and Atlanta.” A tower had a rotating beacon to serve as a route marker. “This old beacon is believed to be the last remaining beacon for CAM-23 and possibly the last of the original Civil Air Mail route marker beacons remaining in the United States.”
Bust of Cudjoe Lewis
506 Bay Bridge Road, Mobile
Cudjoe Lewis was the last known survivor of the last known slave ship to come to America in the 19th century. Previous versions of this bust have vandalized but Union Missionary Baptist Church raised funds for a new one.
The monument is meant not only to commemorate the life of one man but Africatown, the community that formed of the survivors of the slave ship, Clotilda. The church was founded by Clotilda survivors and several descendants from the ship’s survivors still attend.
The wreck of the Clotilda was discovered in 2018 by Ben Raines, a reporter for AL.com at the time. Read more here.
Alligator Alley
19950 County Road 71, Summerdale,
Talk about your old-fashioned roadside attraction: Alligator Alley in Summerdale allows visitors to walk onto boardwalks to see some of the more than 450 alligators that live in the swamp. The attraction’s website says, “From alligators seen in their natural habitat to other inhabitants including turtles, ospreys, owls and bullfrogs, adventure awaits you at every turn on a self-guided tour through the swamp.”
Lady in the Bay
26986 Fish Trap Rd, Elberta
Businessman George Barber, who created Barber Motorsports Park and Vintage Museum in Leeds, commissioned several large artworks to decorate his property at Barber Marina. The largest and most conspicuous is a fiberglass “statue” of a woman called the Lady in the Bay. The woman’s head and knees emerge from the water. There’s a second version, the Lady in the Lake, in Leeds. While you’re on the way to see the main attraction, check out the four dinosaurs, a Stonehenge replica, and dozens of quirky statues in the woods off Fish Trap Road.
Ad Choices