From Mountain Trails to the Gulf Coast

Alabama’s major cities include Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile, each with a distinct mix of history, culture, business, and attractions. Other communities worth exploring include Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Florence, Decatur, Dothan, Gadsden, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fairhope, and many smaller towns. Alabama’s 67 counties offer a wide range of rural, suburban, college-town, mountain, river, and coastal settings.

Popular Alabama experiences include exploring Huntsville’s space and science attractions, visiting civil rights landmarks in Montgomery, Birmingham, and Selma, relaxing along Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, hiking at Cheaha State Park, discovering Mobile’s history and Gulf culture, touring music and cultural sites, and enjoying Alabama’s state parks. The official Alabama Tourism site is a useful starting point for trip ideas and current attractions.

Use the official Alabama State Parks website to find park trails, lodging, camping, fishing, golf, and outdoor programs across the state. ADECA’s Recreational Trails Program also provides statewide trail-planning information and resources. For a specific trip, check the individual park or land manager’s current trail maps, hours, closures, access rules, and weather conditions before you go.

The most reliable way to confirm an Alabama ZIP Code is the official USPS ZIP Code Lookup at USPS.com. Search by a complete street address, city and state, or browse ZIP Codes associated with a city. Because mailing boundaries can cross city or county lines, use the postal address rather than assuming a ZIP Code from the community name alone.

The Alabama Department of Public Health maintains a Health Care Facilities Directory that can be searched by facility type, county, and city, including licensed hospitals and other healthcare facilities. For emergency medical needs, call 911. For non-emergency care, confirm the facility’s services, insurance participation, hours, and current contact information directly before traveling.

The Alabama State Department of Education provides statewide public-school directories and school listings through Alabama Achieves. Alabama includes both county and city school systems, along with charter and specialized schools. Use the state directory to identify the correct system and school, then confirm attendance zones, enrollment requirements, calendars, and transportation details with the local school system.

Start with Alabama.gov, the official state portal, for links to statewide services, elected offices, and agencies. If you are unsure which department handles your issue, the Inform Alabama agency directory can help identify the right office. County and municipal matters are usually handled locally, so you may also need the appropriate county commission, courthouse, or city government.

Local business listings are being added. County links will appear when businesses are listed. In the meantime, browse the official Alabama resources on this page.

Alabama.Travel is the official Alabama Tourism Department website and offers current ideas for attractions, cities, beaches, outdoor recreation, civil rights sites, food, music, science, sports, events, and road trips. You can browse by region or experience type, then check individual attractions for current hours, admission details, seasonal schedules, accessibility information, and reservation requirements before your visit.