From The Group Travel Leader | July 2, 2025

Whether it’s the rockets that launched America to the moon or the home of a blind and deaf girl who became a world-renowned speaker, Alabama offers stories that shatter expectations. From Muscle Shoals to Montgomery, destinations throughout the state reveal stories that intersect at the crossroads of history, culture, adventure, sports and science.

While many destinations promise “something for everyone,” Alabama delivers on this promise with experiences of all kinds. Your group can walk the same grounds where Helen Keller first understood language then cheer from America’s oldest ballpark, where Willie Mays launched his legendary career. The world’s largest spaceflight museum awaits those drawn to cosmic exploration, while others can soak in serenity by wandering through 65 acres of year-round gardens. Adventure seekers can tackle adrenaline-pumping whitewater rapids or experience a rocket ride that launches them 140 feet into the air. No matter what, every interest and skill level can find its match here.

azaleas with people crossing a bridge over water in the backgroundCascading yellow and white mums over a bridge with reflection in the water below

Mobile

Known as the “Charmed Spot of the South,” Mobile’s Bellingrath Gardens & Home is a grand estate engulfed by gardens across 65 acres. Bellingrath is perfect for garden enthusiasts and history buffs looking for a walkable experience. The numerous gardens are home to thousands of plants and flowers, including themed areas like a Japanese garden.

“It’s one of those places that’s unique because it changes throughout the year depending on what’s blooming,” said Ashley Rains, senior public relations and communications manager at Visit Mobile.

Groups can visit year-round to see different plants and blooms depending on the season. Camellias bloom in the winter, and spring is for azaleas. Roses call the gardens home in the summer, and visiting in fall means spotting cascading chrysanthemums draped over bridges and tucked throughout the gardens.

The estate’s museum home is a 10,500-square-foot, 15-room English Renaissance house built in 1935. In its early days, the estate belonged to Walter and Bessie Morse Bellingrath. Bessie loved gardens, and the couple’s house on South Ann Street had an extensive collection, becoming the basis for the Mobile Azalea Trail in 1929. The Bellingrath Gardens opened to the public three years later, and Bessie’s longtime dream came true.

Throughout the year, Bellingrath hosts floral workshops for adults. It recently hosted the Gulf Coast Chinese Lantern Festival, which featured luminous sculptures beneath the oaks and is set to become an annual event. To end the year, the annual Magic Christmas in Lights holiday exhibition illuminates the gardens with Christmas colors every evening.

Read the entire article in The Group Travel Leader Magazine at GroupTravelLeader.com.