From the attractions in Gulf Shores Alabama to Alabama sightseeing throughout the state, there are plenty of attractions in this proud southern state. The Florida panhandle coastline, a popular destination for vacation packages, abuts the beaches of Alabama, and the Alabama portion benefits even more because of the coastal islands (such as Dauphin Island) that protect the river delta ecosystem around Mobile. Here are parks and that are the refuge for hundreds of species of native and migratory birds and even protects a federally endangered animal—the Alabama beach mouse. Both coastal storms and commercial development threaten the little mouse, which is an important part of the coastal dune ecosystem.

Here on the Gulf Coast are beautiful beaches (such as Orange Beach) and other attractions in Gulf Shores Alabama. One of these is the venerable World War II battleship, the USS Alabama, that rests in Mobile's Battleship Memorial Park. The state has played an important role in the United States's space program, and another of the Alabama attractions is the Space and Rocket Center, located in Hunstville and which contains the country's largest collection of space hardware, from the Apollo lunar landing module (LEM) to the early Gemini and Mercury training capsules.

With its balmy weather and Gulf of Mexico coastline, it is not just the attractions in Gulf Shores Alabama that draw visitors who come not only for vacations but also to retire. Alabama actively pursues the retirement demographic, and there is much in the state to attract retirees, with golf high on the list of things to do and attractions in Alabama that appeal to retirees. In fact, one of the major Alabama attractions is the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail that was financed by the Retirement Systems of Alabama. This is one of the world's most ambitious golf course projects, consisting of eleven courses with nearly 400 holes across the state designed by the legendary golf course architect before his death in 2000. Some of the courses incorporate luxury resorts and spas in their design, so it is possible to book complete Alabama vacation packages that concentrate on golf.

In addition to golfing, other outdoor attractions in Alabama that draw visitors are fishing, both deep sea and river, and the state's lovely wilderness areas that are excellent for camping and hiking. Alabama attractions also include spectator sports, including the famous NASCAR Talladega Speedway and historic Rickwood Field, America's oldest professional baseball park, built in 1910.

If you're interested in history, you'll want your Alabama sightseeing to include Old Alabama Town. Like Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, Old Alabama Town consists of authentic, restored structures from the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Located along a stretch of six blocks in downtown Montgomery, the historic Old Town showcases Alabama's way of life from elegant urban townhouses to rural pioneer living.

Continue your historic Alabama sightseeing by visiting some of the gracious antebellum mansions that can be found throughout the state, especially in the Black Belt (named for the rich black soil that is excellent for cotton cultivation) region that figures so prominently in Alabama's history. These former city mansions and plantation homes remain as popular attractions in Alabama and some have been transformed into luxury hotels and bed and breakfast inns.

One of the regional attractions in Gulf Shores Alabama and in Mobile that might surprise you is Mardi Gras. This is the same kind of coastal delta area that you find around New Orleans, and the celebration of Mardi Gras as an event that actually began in Mobile, not New Orleans. So, if you think the best time to go to Alabama is the period before Easter, you'll find yourself enjoying a full Mardi Gras experience complete with colorful parades, exotic costumes, streets full of merry makers, and even the blessing of the shrimp fleet.