Growing up in Alabama, running away for a while, and then returning to raise our family has illuminated the landscape and brought out the diamonds. This list is an ongoing collection of Alabama Shamrocks, or special places, sites, and scenes that you must see and savor in Alabama. Enjoy the music download (below) while you wander. An F indicates that it is free fun to be had for light wallets.
Alabama Shamrock by The Hackensaw Boys (mp3)
ALEXANDER CITY
Cecil’s Public House
ALICEVILLE
Aliceville Museum
ANNISTON
Berman Museum of World History
Cahaba River National Wildlife RefugeF
ARAB
Arab Historic VillageF
BEATRICE
Rikard’s Mill Historical Park
BESSEMER
People Helping People Urban FarmF
BIRMINGHAM
Alabama Wildlife CenterF
Birmingham Botanical GardensF
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Birmingham Museum of Art
Birmingham Zoo
Demetri’s BBQ
Jones Valley Urban Farm
McWane Science Center
Ona’s Music Room
Reed Books and the Museum of Fond MemoriesF
Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve
Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark
Vulcan Park and Museum
BLOUNTSVILLE
BRENT
Miller’s PotteryF
BRIDGEPORT
Russell Cave National Monument
BRIERFIELD
Brierfield Ironworks Historical State Park
CAMDEN
Black Belt Treasures
CEDAR CREEK
Cornwall Furnace
CENTRE
Cherokee County Historic Museum
CLAIBORNE
Dellet Plantation
CORDOVA
Mulberry Fork
CULLMAN
Ave Maria Grotto
Clarkson Covered Bridge ParkF
Hurricane Creek Park
Sacred Heart MonasteryF
Smith Lake Park
Sportsman Lake Park
Steele Orchard
DAUPHIN ISLAND
Historic Fort Gaines
DAYTON
Little Flanders Field CemeteryF
DECATUR
DELTA
Cheaha State Park
DEMOPOLIS
Gaineswood
DOTHAN
Basketcase Cafe
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge
Wiregrass Festival of Murals
DOUBLE SPRINGS
Winston County Courthouse
ELBERTA
Baldwin County Heritage MuseumF
EUFAULA
Fendall Hall
EUTAW
Oak Hill Cemetery
EVERGREEN
Old Beulah CemeteryF
FAIRHOPE
Marietta Johnson Museum
Marietta Johnson School of Organic EducationF
FLORENCE
Alabama Chanin
Children’s Museum of the Shoals
Dale’s
Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House Museum
Project AlabamaF
St. Florian Fiber Farm
W.C. Handy Birthplace, Museum, and Library
GADSDEN
Gadsden Museum of Art and History
Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts
Noccalula Falls Park
GERALDINE
High Falls ParkF
GREENSBORO
Magnolia Grove
Pie Lab F
Safehouse Museum
GULF SHORES
Bon Secour National Widlife RefugeF
Fort Morgan
Gulf Shores Nature Trails Map(PDF) F
Gulf State Park
Jeff Friend Trail at Little Lagoon F
Lagoon ParkF
HANCEVILLE
Evelyn Burrow Museum
HEFLIN
Dugger Mountain Wilderness AreaF
HELENA
Buck Creek ParkF
HILLSBORO
Dot’s Restaurant
Pond Spring, the home of Gen. Wheeler
HOLT
Deerlick Creek ParkF
HOOVER
Aldridge Botanical GardensF
Birds of the Upper Cahabamap andback(PDF) F
Georgetown Lake ParkF
Moss Rock Preserves Bouldering Fieldplustrail guide (PDF)
HOUSTON
Houston Historic Jail F
HUEYTOWN
Rabbit’s BBQ
HUNTSVILLE
Burritt on the Mountain
Dred Scott Home Site
Early Works Museum
Flying Monkey Arts Center and Collective
Huntsville Botanical Garden
Sci-Quest
US Space and Rocket Center
JACKSONVILLE
Chief Ladiga Trail
LEESBURG
Cherokee Rock Village
MAGNOLLIA SPRINGS
Webb PotteryF
MAYLENE
Fox Valley
MCCALLA
Iron and Steel Museum
Tannehill State Park
MOBILE
Meaher State Park
Sand Island Lighthouse
The Brick Pit
MONTEVALLO
American Village
Eclipse Coffee and Books
Falling Rocks Falls HikeF
Orr ParkF
MONTGOMERY
F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum
Hank Williams Museum
Old Alabama Town
MOULTON
Jesse Owens Museum
MOUNDVILLE
Moundville Archaeological Park
NAUVOO
Alabama Folk School
NEWBERN
Rural Studio
NORTHPORT
City Cafe
Kentuck Center for Arts F
Kentuck Clay Cooperative
ORANGE BEACH
Calypso Joe’s Caribbean Grille
Flora Bama Lounge and Package
Lulu’s at Homepoint Marina
ORRVILLE
Old Cahawba Archaeological Park and this
PISGAH
Gorham’s Bluff
SATSUMA
Ellicott’s StoneF
SCOTTSBORO
Blue Willow Bistro and AntiquesF
SELMA
Sturdivant HallF
SPANISH FORT
5 Rivers: Alabama’s Delta Resource Center
Historic Blakeley State Park
SPRINGVILLE
Homestead Hollow
STEELE
Horse Pens 40
SUMMERDALE
Alligator Alley
THEODORE
Bellingrath Gardens and Home
JP’s Southern Heritage
THOMASTON
Alabama Rural Heritage Foundation and CenterF
THOMASVILLE
Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum
TROY
Pioneer Museum of Alabama
TUSCALOOSA
Black Warrior TownF
Children’s Hands-On Museum (CHOM)
Hudson Strode HomeF
Kozy’s Restaurant
Lake HarrisF
Lake Nichol
The Globe Restaurant
The Westervelt-Warner Museum of American Art
University of Alabama ArboretumF
TUSCUMBIA
Alabama Music Hall of Fame
Belle Mont Mansion
Cane Creek Canyon Nature PreserveF
Ivy Green, the birthplace of Helen Keller
Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial CemeteryF
Tuscumbia Railway
WARRIOR
Rickwood Caverns
WOODVILLE
Cathedral Caverns
WEST BLOCTON
Cahaba River Swimming HoleF
Historic Beehive Coke OvensF
Italian Catholic Cemetery
Swimming in the Cahaba RiverF
YORK
Coleman Center for Arts and Culture
ALABAMA SHAMROCKS OUTDOORS
- Alabama Covered Bridges
- Alabama History Cemetery Register, a printable PDF guide *
- Alabama’s Kudzu Trail *
- Alabama Scenic River Trail
- Bartram Canoe Trails *
- Chickasaw State Park (Gallion)
- Great Escapes: 100 Places to Visit in Alabama National Forests (a printable PDF brochure)
- Hurricane Creek (Tuscaloosa)*
- Kinlock Falls (Bankhead National Forest)*
- Little River Canyon National Preserve (Fort Payne)
- Perry Lakes Park and Barton’s Beach River Preserve (Perry Lakes)
- Tsalagi Trails (Clay County)*
- When It Rains to rent canoe for Cahaba (Birmingham)
ALABAMA SHAMROCKS LOCAL CULTURE AND HISTORY
- Art Wurks (Brundridge)
- Alabama Center for Traditional Culture
- Alabama Historic Cemeteries, a printable PDF guide *
- Boshell Mill ruins (Blount Springs)*
- Gee’s Bend Quilts (Gee’s Bend)
- Hank Williams Sr. Boyhood Home and Museum (Georgiana)
- Kennamer Cove *
- Old St. Stephens Site and this (St. Stephens)*
- Town of Mooresville (Mooresville)*
- Yufali (ghost town)*
ALABAMA SHAMROCK EATERIES AND BARS
- CA-John’s Faunsdale Bar and Grill (Faunsdale)
- Cecil’s Public House (Alexander City)
- Chez Lulu (Birmingham)
- Demetri’s BBQ (Birmingham)
- Irondale Cafe (Irondale)
- La Luna Italian Bistro (Gunthersville)
- Manna Grocery and Natural Foods (Tuscaloosa)
ALABAMA SHAMROCKS ESPECIALLY FOR LITTLE FOLKS
- Cook’s Natural Science Museum (Decatur)*
ALABAMA SHAMROCK CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND GROUPS
- Alabama Birth Coalition (Birmingham)
- Alabama Blues Project (Tuscaloosa)
- Alabama Designer and Craftsmen
- Alabama Folklife Association
- Alabama Hiking Trail Society
- Alabama Rivers Alliance
- Alabama Storytelling Association
- Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network
- Alabama Trail Association
- Alabama Trail Enthusiasts
- Alabama Wildflower Society (Tuscaloosa)
- Appalachian Trail Club of Alabama (Homewood)
- Appalachian Voices
- Black Heritage Council (Montgomery)
- Cahaba River Society (Birmingham)
- Fresh Air Family (Birmingham)
- Friends of Hurricane Creek (Tuscaloosa)
- Interfaith Environmental Initiative of Alabama (Birmingham)
- Land Trust of North Alabama (Huntsville)
- North Alabama Peace Network
- North Alabama Crafters (Huntsville)
- Pinhoti Trail Alliance
- Sierra Club, West Alabama Chapter
- Sipsey Wilderness Hiking Club
- The Wilderness Society in Alabama
- Tuscaloosa County Extension Office (Tuscaloosa)
- Wildsouth
EVENTS NO ONE WHO LOVES SHAMROCKS SHOULD MISS
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
LOVELY WEBSITES
Alabama Center for the Book
Alabama Maps
Alabama Mosaic
Alabama Shamrocks
Alabama State Parks
Alabama Travel Guide from NYT
Alabama Wildflower Society
Alabama Writer’s Forum
APTV
Between the Magnolias
Cahaba River Society
Jay South’s Alabama
Local Harvest
National Forests in Alabama
North Alabama
North Alabama Photographers Guild
Old Alabama Town
Outdoor Alabama
Pick Your Own
River Region Area
Swimming Holes
Tuscaloosa County Extension
Tuscaloosa Public Library Kids