On our travels across the U.S. over the past six years, we’ve driven through Alabama and even spent a couple of nights there but hadn’t had many experiences in the state, although we had toured the USS Alabama battleship in Mobile. 


Since we needed a midway stop to break up the long journey between our property in Texas and our friends Jim and Jenny’s house in Virginia, we decided it would be the perfect opportunity for exploring Alabama.


It didn’t hurt that the B-25 WWII warbird from the Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona was scheduled to be in Birmingham that same week. My work obligations kept us from investigating the historical city, with its contribution to the Civil Rights Movement and its industrial roots as an iron maker. But we did venture into town while in the area to see the B-25 and visit the crew. 


We stayed on a lovely farm property in Cullman, Alabama, where we enjoyed bird songs, gentle breezes, refreshing views, and a frog chorus. Here’s what we discovered in one week.

A fifth wheel and truck flanked by trees on the other side of a pond

Rich space history


You may not realize it, but Alabama has a rich space history that dates back to the 1950s. At that time, Dr. Werner von Braun, a German rocket scientist, relocated to Huntsville, Alabama, as part of Operation Paperclip to build an intermediate-range ballistic missile. He and his team of German scientists created the PGM-11 Redstone missile, which eventually led to the rocket that shot Alan Shepherd into space in 1961.


The expansive U.S. Space and Rocket Center pays homage to this history. Since we were in the area, we made a point to visit before leaving town. We spent most of our time in the building dedicated to the Saturn V Moon Rocket, which we found fascinating.

Saturn V rocket on its side at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center

I got to crawl into a Mercury capsule to get a small taste of what it would have been like for Shepherd back in the day. We walked the length of the Saturn V underneath the authentic rocket (one of three in the world) involved in the Apollo missions, learned about the space race, experienced some interactive exhibits, and even entered the Airstream RV that served as the mobile quarantine facility for the Apollo 12 crew after their space mission.

Lana Gates in a Mercury capsule at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Alabama

Covered bridge


Like me, you may think of the Northeast when you hear the term “covered bridge.” The South actually has a number of them as well. We took a short drive to the Clarkson-Legg Covered Bridge, originally built in 1904. 


After being named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, the bridge was restored the following year. Today it’s a destination for peace and relaxation, offering a calming water wheel, tree-shrouded hiking trails, inviting picnic tables, and the opportunity to traverse the 270-foot wooden bridge that used to carry vehicles over the Crooked Creek below.

Bob and Lana Gates standing at the entrance to the Clarkson-Legg Covered Bridge in Alabama

Southern cuisine


The South is known for distinct cuisine, including Cajun food and seafood. After spending time in Louisiana, we grew to relish this type of food and welcomed the opportunity to sample it in Alabama, even though the state is better known for its soul food.

Bob Gates with a plate of grilled oysters at the Half Shell Oyster House in Cullman, Alabama.

In a seafood restaurant with a New Orleans flair, we savored grilled oysters, red fish, gumbo, baked asparagus, and shrimp and grits. This rounded out our time in Alabama and left us with heartwarming and belly-satisfying memories. 


You might also like 5 favorite RV destinations in 5 years on the road.