5 amazing day trips to take from the Rocket City

With the holidays coming up, kids will be out of school more and families may be looking for stuff to do to pass the time together. So why not get the family together (or if you need an escape, go solo) and take one of these day trips — all less than two hours from Huntsville.

Whether you’re looking to visit museums, take a nature stroll or go shopping, you can get there and back within the day and still have time to have fun in these towns:

Chattanooga

Chattanooga is about an hour and 45 minutes from Huntsville, and offers a scenic drive this time of year, in addition to multiple attractions to fill your day before heading back to the Rocket City.

Be sure to check out:

• Rock City
• Tennessee Aquarium
• Battles for Chattanooga Museum
• Incline Railway
• Ruby Falls

Mentone

Like Chattanooga, Mentone has the aesthetic beauty of the Appalachian Mountains and so many cool spots to visit in the fall. As well, you won’t find a more beautiful place to see fall foliage in Alabama. Located a little over and hour from Huntsville, this is a fantastic day trip (or weekend trip if you are so inclined)

A few points of interest in Mentone:

• DeSoto State Park
• Brow Park
• Mentone Arts Center
• Moon Lake Village
• Alabama Fan Club & Museum

Birmingham

A little more than an hour and a half away from the Rocket City is the Magic City — with plenty to offer in the way of restaurants, museums, scenery, shopping and more.

While you’re there, keep these spots in mind:

• Vulcan Park & Museum
• Negro Southern League Museum
• McWane Science Center
• Birmingham Zoo
• Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

The Quad Cities

Just an hour and a half away from Huntsville are the Quad Cities — Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield and Tuscumbia — with their charm, rich music history and North Alabama hospitality.

Here are a few cool things you can do on a day trip to the Quad Cities:

• FAME Recording Studio (Muscle Shoals)
• W.C. Handy Museum (Florence)
• Alabama Music Hall of Fame (Tuscumbia)
• University of North Alabama football (Florence)
• Muscle Shoals Sound Studio (Sheffield)

Guntersville

Less than an hour away from the Rocket City is Guntersville, with a quaint downtown area, plenty of natural beauty, parks — and of course Lake Guntersville. This is perhaps one of the easiest day trips to take from Huntsville.

While there, you can see:

• Lake Guntersville State Park
• Town Creek Fishing Center
• Historic Downtown Guntersville
• Guntersville Museum
• City Harbor

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