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Alabama - Order FREE Travel Brochure!

Information on attractions, accommodations, and dining in Alabama - and much more, including things to see and do, parks and recreational areas, annual and special events, and climate information!

Alabama, despite all of the jokes I hear about it as I am now living in Georgia, is a very interesting state to visit. I once lived there (Huntsville) and found it a great place in which to do some exploring. The state of Alabama has gone from being the capital of the Confederacy to the space capital of the world. Here is some basic information for you about this interesting southern state that give you vacation opportunities that extend from the mountains in the north to the beaches in the south. Alabama Books and Other Items!

Visitor Information
For free travel information you can telephone 1-800-252-2262 or contact the Alabama Bureau of Tourism & Travel, 401 Adams Avenue (P.O. Box 4927), Montgomery, AL 36103-4927, tel. 334/242-4169. If you are driving into Alabama you can visit one of their many welcome centers that are located as you enter the state on I-59N (Sumpter) & S, ( I-20E (Sumpter) & W (near Heflin), I-65S (Ardmore), I-10E (Grand Bay) & W (Baldwin), I-85S (Lanett, and on US 231N (Houston). Click here for information on Alabama

Click on Birmingham, Gulf Shores, and Huntsville for travel guides, brochures, and money savers to help you plan your visit to these cities in Alabama. Area Travel Packets was created to help travelers get the most out of popular destinations and to help them plan their vacations ahead of time. 

If you have something you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Climate and Weather Information
Alabama has warmth and sunshine for the greater part of the year. Spring arrives early, with the weather warming to the 60s Fahrenheit daily by March. Summer days average in the low 80s, with periods of 90 and above. Sweaters or jackets will usually keep off the chill through November. Prolonged spells of severely cold weather are not frequent during the winter. Snow is a rarity except in higher altitudes of north Alabama. Average seasonal temperatures for the state's major cities follow. For climate information on Alabama, click on Climatologies and then click on the map to find Alabama.

A lot of folks would just say that the weather in Alabama is just plain HOT! And, it can be – I know, I lived there once. But actually the climate is pretty mild the year round. In the extreme northern part of the state you can experience some very cold weather during the winter months, as even snow in some places (There is even a place to ski in northern Alabama. Cloudmont Ski Resort is located near Fort Payne in northeast Alabama.) in the winter. But the cold weather is short-lived and it begins to warm in the very early spring. And in the south it can already be pretty warm – bordering on being hot – as early as March. I believe the best time to visit is fall in the north and early spring in the south before the beaches begin to fill up with the summer vacationers.
Click here for weather information in Alabama

If you have something you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Driving Information
Click on the following links for specific information for drivers in Alabama.
Contacting an Alabama State Trooper (*HP)
Speed Limits
Passing and Turning
Accidents
Safety Belts and Child Restraints
Emergency Vehicles

Contacting an Alabama State Trooper (*HP)
By dialing *HP or *47, motorists with cellular phones may contact a nearby Alabama State Trooper post to report traffic accidents, stranded motorists, suspected drunken drivers, or other highway emergencies or hazards.

Speed Limits
Alabama's maximum speed limit is 70 mph on specified rural interstates, unless otherwise marked. Drivers should abide by posted speed limits on all US and state highways, secondary roads and rural roads.

Passing and Turning
Alabama permits right turn on red after making a full stop and seeing that the way is clear, unless there is a sign forbidding such a turn. All traffic in all lanes must stop for school and church buses while passengers get on or off. Buses are marked with flashing lights and stop signals.

Accidents
All accidents should be investigated by a law enforcement officer. Drivers involved in an accident are required to give first aid to other involved.

Safety Belts and Child Restraints
Alabama has a seat belt law requiring all front seat passengers to wear seat belts and children under 6 years must be in an approved passenger restraint anywhere in the vehicle. Children age 3 and under must be in a federally-approved safety seat and children ages 5 and above may use a regulation safety belt. 

Emergency Vehicles
Drivers must yield to emergency vehicles. Pull as far to the right as possible and stop to let the emergency vehicle pass. When you are on a divided highway, and there is an emergency vehicle in the shoulder, using care that there is no approaching traffic in the left lane, drivers should safely move to the left lane so as to provide for the safety of emergency personnel.

For additional information telephone 334/242-4445. Alabama Department of Transportation Construction Bulletins

Get around the state of Alabama in a new vehicle from the Ford family of fine cars and trucks. Click on the button to the right for some good prices on Ford products. Build and price a Ford Vehicle or search for your local Ford Dealer

GE Motor Club
Looking for peace of mind? The GE Motor Club will give you just that with its 24-hour emergency roadside protection. Why go it alone? GE Motor Club can provide 24-hour roadside assistance across the United States and Canada in practically any car. On the expressway or in your driveway . . . in any eligible private, non-commercial car that you own, lease, rent, or borrow . . . if you need help, GE Motor Club will be there.

GE Motor Club cuts out the worry as you make a short trip to the grocery store for milk or decide to take that long family vacation you’ve been thinking about. Does this interest you? It should! You don’t have to have a new car to enjoy the perks of driving one. Here are some of the roadside emergency services you will enjoy as a member of the GE Motor Club:

*Towing up to 100 miles *Lockout service *Battery boost/jump start *Flat tire service *Fuel delivery *Winching/stuck vehicle

These are all excellent services, but they’re not all of the perks you will enjoy as a member. By joining today, you will also have access to free custom trip routing as well as hotel and car rental discounts. We’ll even let a second family member join for free! Along with 24/7 roadside assistance, GE Motor Club offers travel benefits, customized maps and directions, auto related legal services, and much more!  All of the available services from GE Motor Club allow you to drive with a little extra peace of mind. No driver should ever be without a GE Motor Club membership. This means you! Click here for more information.

If you have something you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
 

Parks and Recreation Areas

If you have something you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Annual Events
It seems there is always something going on in Alabama.  Click on Annual Events for a calendar of selected events for Alabama.  If you have some good information about events that should be added to this calendar, please contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Attractions and Things to See and Do
Alabama - Order FREE Travel Brochure!

Bellingrath Gardens & Home is a wonderful place to visit.  Be sure to go there when you are in the Mobile area.

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is perfect for golfers.  Be sure to check it out.

The Ave Maria Grotto, located on the grounds of Alabama's first and only Benedictine Abbey, consists of over 125 miniatures, reproductions of famous churches, shrines and buildings from all over the world. Encompassing an area of over three acres, this miniature fairyland was built by Brother Joseph, who died in 1961 is buried in the Abbey cemetery a short distance from the Grotto gift shop.

Old Alabama Town is a collection of more than 40 restored structures that depict life in the 19th and early 20th centuries. 1.888.240.1850 or www.oldalabamatown.com.

Historic Chattahoohee Commission
The Chattahoochee Trace is an eighteen county region in Alabama and Georgia promoted by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission (HCC). Organized in 1970, the HCC is charged with the responsibility of promoting tourism and historic preservation throughout this river corridor. In 1978 the Georgia General Assembly and the Alabama Legislature passed identical legislation to establish an interstate compact for the operation of the Commission. Final approval of the compact came in October of that year when the same bill cleared the U.S. Congress and President Carter signed it into law. Alabama counties include Barbour, Chambers, Dale, Henry, Houston, Lee, and Russell; Georgia counties include Chattahoochee, Clay, Decatur, Early, Harris, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole, Stewart, and Troup. This area is a mecca for history buffs, campers, hunters, cyclists, and vacationers, endless historic and recreational attractions are here to be explored and enjoyed. Indian mounds, historic buildings, covered bridges and old mills, championship golf courses, lunker-filled lakes, pilgrimages, and festivals abound throughout the resplendent Chattahoochee Trace where the romanticism of the past blends readily with the spirit of the present. Historic Chattahoochee Commission. P.O. Box 33, Eufaula, AL 36072-0033. Phone - 334-687-9755. Satellite Office: 136 Main Street, P. O. Box 942, LaGrange, GA 30241. Phone - 706-845-8440. Contact us by Email at hcc3@earthlink.net or call toll-free 1-877-POOCHIE [1-877-766-2443] www.hcc-al-ga.org

Get fantastic savings when you use the Entertainment Book. Save on dining, travel, attractions and much more. Over $10,000 possible savings for the cost of a $25 to $45 book with books for over 150 major metropolitan areas. Do what I do, buy one for the city or area where you live, and for your vacation destinations this year. The Entertainment book saves you money on all your travel needs: hotels, car rentals, airfare and more! Jim.

Click on Birmingham, Gulf Shores, and Huntsville for travel guides, brochures, and money savers to help you plan your visit to these cities in Alabama. Area Travel Packets was created to help travelers get the most out of popular destinations and to help them plan their vacations ahead of time. 

If you have something you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Restaurants and Dining
One of my favorites in Alabama is the restaurant at Desoto State Park. I especially enjoy dining there and watching the sun set over the western horizon. This is also a favorite overnight of mine.

When in Birmingham (downtown) at lunchtime I sometimes stop in at Joe Joe's for pizza. They also have homemade spaghetti, burgers, wings, salads, chili and lots of sandwiches and salads. Give them a try. Open from 10:00 until folks stop coming in. 119 20th Street North, 322.4466.

How do you get out of paying full price for your meal at a restaurant without having to scrub dishes? Simple, just buy Restaurant Dining Certificates. To locate a restaurant close to where you will be visiting, or where you live, just click on Restaurants.

If you have something you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Some Favorites in Alabama
The Space Center in Huntsville, along the coast in Gulf Shores, the mountains near Fort Payne, and along the road to Cheaha.

Another favorite drive for me is the drive along Natchez Trace.  You can begin this wonderful road trip in Alabama.

The Victoria has long been a favorite overnight location in this northeastern Alabama city. The Victoria dates from the 1880s and is filled with all of the charm and grace you would expect from a Southern Victorian. It is conveniently located between Atlanta and Birmingham only 90 miles from Atlanta, and 60 miles from Birmingham. This is a great place for a weekend getaway and a favorite of mine. 1.800.260.8781 for reservations. Tell them Jim sent you.

If you have something you believe I should add to this section of Getting Away, please contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Date this page was last edited: Saturday, August 02, 2008 17:10:43

Getting Away With Jim Bruner
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