by M L Ross

Created on: February 20, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

For the cost conscious in Northern Alabama, Southern Tennessee, and Northern Mississippi and Georgia, a short drive into North Alabama can yield a multitude of weekend adventures that are educational , fun, and sometimes a little dangerous.

The first stop should be Huntsville. Known as the Rocket City for its ties to the Apollo moon program, the city offers museums that range from the high tech to early American settlement restorations. For the geek in all of us, there is the

U. S. Space and Rocket Museum located just off I-565. Opened in 1970 as NASA's first visitor's center, the museum is home to a restored Saturn V rocket, hand's on exhibits of the space program, and historical artifacts of man's quest to venture into space. There is also an IMAX theater on site with special showings of space related movies. Tickets range from $4 for a child's IMAX only pass to $30 for an adult Cosmic Adventure pass.

If space is not your thing and you'd like to go back in time, Huntsville's Burritt Museum on Monte Santo Mountain has a restored settlement from the 19th century staffed by volunteers who give demonstrations on live as it was in the 1800's. Witness the way clothing was made, how cooking over open fires was accomplished, blacksmithing techniques, and the everyday survival in a frontier settlement. Restored buildings from around the area have been brought here to make a representative community that was common in the settlement of Alabama. Check the upcoming events for special activities.

Traveling east from Huntsville, state parks and wilderness areas are available for the more adventuresome . De Soto State Park on county road 89 just outside Ft. Payne, Alabama is home to miles of hiking and biking trails and most importantly, the De Soto Falls. Trails range from easy to strenuous through the woods and up the many hills in the area. If you plan to do more than day hike, primitive campsites are available as well. Not that into nature? Spend a weekend or a few days in the cabins in the park. They offer enough "roughing it" qualities without giving up too many creature comforts. They also offer solitude without being wilderness. If that's still more outdoors than you want, check out the Park Lodge. It's more like a hotel but still gives you the feeling of remoteness.

Since you're in the area, you must take the short drive over to Little River Canyon. The 14,000 acre US Natural Preserve was designated as by an act of Congress in 1992. You can take in breathtaking views by just following the Little River Canyon Rim Parkway (AL Route 72) for its 23 mile route. If you're more adventurous, there are trails to the bottom of the canyon. Only day hikes are permitted in the Preserve as is still is considered a wilderness with no maintained trails along the base of the canyon. Whitewater enthusiasts are not deterred by this, though, as many take kayak trips down the river.

These are just a few of the attractions that can be found within a short drive of the Northern Alabama area. For the cost of a tank of gas and a motel room, you can not only visit the programs that are taking us to the stars but spend time quietly enjoying the stars far from the distraction of modern life.

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