Huntsville was founded in 1805 by John Hunt. Since then, it's been best-known for its space museum, and the city is considered by some to be the space capital of the world. That's not all the town offers, though. Festivals, botanical gardens and drive-through safaris are a blastoff from the norm of other cities, so there's enough of a variety that anybody passing through town can have a good time regardless of age.
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Stop the whistles> WhistleStop Weekend is a two-day festival on the grounds of the Huntsville Depot that offers live entertainment, a children’s play zone and professional and amateur barbecue competitions. > It happens the first weekend of May, starting Friday afternoon and proceeding all day Saturday. > The proceeds support the EarlyWorks Family of Museums. Tickets range from $15-$35. More information can be found at rocketcitybbq.com.
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History lesson> Huntsville is one of the most well-educated cities in the world, with a vast number of engineers, scientists and doctors in the city. What else does that mean? Huntsville has one of the highest BMWs per capita in the United States.
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U.S. Space and Rocket Center> This center is known as one of the best space flight hardware museums in the world. It will take multiple trips to take in and appreciate everything the museum has to offer, as the exhibits are changed a lot. Exhibits range from black holes to Earth’s atmosphere and are sure to fascinate all ages. The museum is open daily and is at 1 Tranquility Base. Admission is $15 for ages 5-12, $20 for age 13 and up, and free for age 5 and under. Visit rocketcenter.com for more information.
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Harmony Park Safari> You don’t even have to get out of your car to enjoy this Huntsville attraction. Admission is only $9, and with affordable prices for the feed ($5), you get the opportunity to feed the animals throughout the trip. Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the safari is located at 431 Clouds Cove Road.
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Go to 1892 East> Sweet potato doughnuts. Chicken rotini. Fried cheese balls with jalapenos. There’s enough of a variety of items on the menu to make this restaurant a much-see when you arrive in town. So stop by 720 Pratt Ave. and fuel up for your trip. Hours are Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.