Stretching from the white-sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico to the foothills of the Appalachians, Alabama offers planners diversity in geography, attractions, and history, with major cities, college towns, beach communities, and outstanding resorts. The state has deep ties to civil rights history and hosts the country’s oldest Mardi Gras celebration.
Central Alabama
Auburn and Opelika
AOTourism.com; @AuburnOpelika
The Auburn-Opelika area is known for independent restaurateurs and talented chefs.
“Our restaurants have been featured in Southern Living, Gourmet, and Wine Spectator, just to name a few, and we’re pretty proud when the world discovers what we already know,” she says.
Both towns offer a full calendar of family-friendly events and live music venues to help planners make local connections.
Filled with generations of families, students, and visitors, the Southern charm of the Auburn-Opelika area is unbeatable, says Brooke Kastner, vice president of Auburn-Opelika Tourism. “We’re the proud home of Auburn University, Alabama’s biggest, and the famed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, the world’s finest,” she says. “We’re the coolest college town in the South, according to us, and one of the top 10 cities in the U.S. for small businesses, according to Forbes. Centrally located near Atlanta, Birmingham, and Montgomery, Auburn-Opelika is easy to get to and easy to love.”
There are currently about 3,400 guest rooms in the area with four additional hotels in the works expected to add 400 to 500 guest rooms by the end of 2024. Major event hotels are the Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center, with 236 guest rooms and 22,000 square feet of event space including two ballrooms and a 356-seat auditorium, and The Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National, with 221 guest rooms and 15,220 square feet of meeting and event space. The 2,000-acre resort offers access to three championship golf courses on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The Laurel Hotel & Spa at Auburn University features a rooftop terrace and 4,000 square feet of gardens that provide ingredients for the venue’s restaurants.
Unique event spaces in the area include Tigertown Sports with miniature golf, sand volleyball, and a high-end golf simulator; Opelika Archery Park, with 12 covered bays; the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center, with 17,000 square feet of event space, a 1,202- seat main theater and a 3,500-capacity outdoor amphitheater; and Southerly Warehouse, with three galleries,
a courtyard, and 5,500 square feet of function space to accommodate 250 guests.
Birmingham
InBirmingham.com; @InBirmingham
Birmingham has plenty to offer planners looking to connect with local history, dining, and attractions. Calling itself the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement, the city also offers a thriving music scene, award-winning restaurants, new parks and venues, and 17 area golf courses, including the Robert Trent Jones course at Ross Bridge, according to the Greater Birmingham CVB.
The recently opened 45,000-seat Protective Stadium and City Walk, a new linear park, are both adjacent to the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. The complex has 90 meeting rooms, two ballrooms seating 2,000 guests, a 2,800-seat concert hall, and the renovated 15,000-seat Legacy Arena. The 757-room Sheraton Birmingham and 294-room Westin Birmingham are also part of the complex. In all, the massive property offers 380,000 square feet of function space.
Meeting and event attendees will enjoy a variety of attractions and outdoor adventures for group excursions, teambuilding expeditions, or family fun. Red Mountain Park and Oak Mountain State Park offer miles of hiking and biking trails within minutes of downtown, and Railroad Park is a 19-acre green space that connects downtown to The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) campus, which has a variety of outdoor event areas, including an amphitheater accommodating 4,000 guests.
Unique attractions include the McWane Science Center, with reception and banquet spaces for 300 guests and a 280-seat IMAX Theater, and Barber Motorsports Museum that can accommodate 900 people for receptions, banquets, meetings, and galas.
The 120-acre Birmingham Zoo provides planners with options for company meetings, retreats, and picnics to accommodate 2,500 guests, says Bill Lang, director of marketing and events for the zoo.
Whether you are looking for an upscale corporate boardroom, lively brainstorming or teambuilding, or elegant, sit-down dinners, the Birmingham Zoo provides a one-of-a-kind experience,” Long says. “When your attendees feed giraffes, hear the lions roar, or stroll beside our elephants, they will talk about that meeting for years.”
Larger event hotels in the city include Hyatt Regency – The Wynfrey Hotel with 329 guest rooms and 32,000 square feet of event space; Hilton Birmingham at UAB, with 295 guest rooms, 14,892 square feet of function space, and newly renovated public space; Doubletree Perimeter Park, with 204 guest rooms and 10,000 square feet of function space; and Birmingham Marriott, with 302 guest rooms and 13,000 square feet of meeting space. The AAA Four-Diamond Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa has 258 guest rooms and 18,005 square feet of function space along with 18 holes of award-winning golf. In Mountain Brook, near the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the boutique Grand Bohemian Hotel has 99 guest rooms and 15,000 square feet of event space with a rooftop terrace and art galleries.
Gadsden
GreaterGadsden.com; @GreaterGadsden
The greater Gadsden area offers planners a wide range of leisure opportunities, plus distinct cultural, historic, and recreational activities, according to Deb Hawkins, an administrative supervisor with the City of Gadsden.
One of the newest facilities is The Venue at Coosa Landing, with three meeting rooms to host 200 attendees. Other function sites include the 7,500-square-foot Downtown Civic Center; 1,000-seat Pitman Theater; 210 at the Tracks, with a multipurpose room accommodating 1,000; and a variety of spaces at the University of Alabama at Gadsden. In total, there are 1,138 hotel rooms in the greater Gadsden area.
A new event in town that may inspire teambuilding is the Barbarian Challenge, Hawkins says. “Held annually in June, this features a course of over 25 natural and man-made obstacles up and down Lookout Mountain including rope climbs, mud pits, creek crossings, and hill climbs,” he notes.
A key attraction in the city is Noccalula Falls, a 250-acre park with gardens, hiking trails, a 90-foot waterfall, and a variety of indoor and outdoor event spaces to accommodate 200 people.
Montgomery
ExperienceMontgomeryAL.org; @EXPMontgomery
In addition to important Civil Rights historic sites, the city has a walkable downtown with a new entertainment district, The Alley, just across from the 73,000-square-foot Montgomery Convention Center. Riverwalk Stadium, home to the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits baseball team, is just a few blocks away, and the world-class Alabama Shakespeare Festival is a few miles outside of downtown.
The AAA Four Diamond Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center has 342 guest rooms, a 1,200-seat ballroom, and 18 meeting rooms. The 1,800-seat Montgomery Performing Arts Centre is part of the convention center complex. Adjacent to the complex, Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center has 237 suites and 15,000 square feet of event space to host 1,000 guests. Also located downtown, DoubleTree by Hilton has 131 guest rooms and can host a 600-person reception and seat 300 theater style. Recently opened, Trilogy Hotel Montgomery, Marriott Autograph Collection, is housed in three historic buildings and has a 2,100-square-foot ballroom.
Historic experiences can be found at the Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice; Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., began his quest; and the Dr. Richard Harris House, where Freedom Riders were given haven.
Offsite event venues include historic Union Station that can accommodate receptions of 350 people; Dexter Avenue King Memorial Legacy Center, with meeting space for 150 guests; and 129 Coosa Street, with three event rooms and a reception capacity of 300. RSA Plaza Terrace is a rooftop venue with a 400-person reception capacity, while the Alabama Activity Center has indoor and outdoor space to host 400 for banquets and 500 theatre style, and Riverwalk Stadium has event space for 300 banquet guests.
Alabama Shakespeare Festival offers a full schedule of professional theater throughout the year and has a variety of indoor and outdoor event venues, including the Festival Stage Theater, which can host 250 guests for receptions.
Just north of downtown, the Montgomery Marriott Hotel and Conference Center at Capitol Hill offers 96 guest rooms and nearly 34,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. The resort features 54 holes of championship golf on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and a 10,000-square-foot Presidential Cottage suitable for small corporate events and retreats.
Tuscaloosa
VisitTuscaloosa.com; @VisitTuscaloosa
Home to the University of Alabama (UA) and Stillman, Tuscaloosa is a vibrant community filled with legendary history, says Kelsey Rush, president and CEO of Visit Tuscaloosa. “Here in the heart of west Alabama on the Black Warrior River, you’ll find a walkable downtown that’s complete with live music, outdoor spaces to explore, and local restaurants to meet every palate,” Rush says. “Not too big. Not too small. It’s how we roll. And you don’t have to be a student to enjoy our city.”
The city has a thriving local food scene and busy entertainment and nightlife scene, she says. “You’ll find locals enjoying craft cocktails and locally brewed beer at staples like Session, Alcove, Druid City Brewing Company, Black Warrior Brewing Co., and the city’s newest watering hole, Brown’s Corner,” Rush adds. “People from all over the state travel to T-town to catch their favorite artists’ live performances at Druid City Music Hall and the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater.”
Family fun options include the new Tiger Woods’ Popstroke, a luxury 18-hole putt-putt course with onsite restaurants and sports bars, set to open this fall. Outdoor recreation—in addition to college football—focuses on six local waterways with 180 miles of shoreline, more than 80 miles of hiking trails, and the soon-to-be-expanded Tuscaloosa Riverwalk.
The main event space in town is the Bryant Conference Center on the UA campus, with more than 30,000 square feet of event space including tiered classrooms, meeting rooms, pre-function space, and the 1,000-seat Sellers Auditorium that can also host 500 for banquets. The Paul W. “Bear” Bryant Museum on campus is a reception venue for 150 guests, while planners can also arrange tours of the 100,700-seat Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Hotels with event space include Hotel Capstone, located on campus, with 150 guest rooms and 12,000 square feet of function space; The Alamite, a Tribute Hotel by Marriott, with 112 guest rooms and rooftop event space; the 154-room Embassy Suites, with event space for 400 guests; and 91-room Hotel Indigo, with a 2,200-square-foot terrace overlooking the Black Warrior River.
Northern Alabama
Huntsville
Huntsville.org; @MeetHuntsville; @Go2HuntsvilleAL
Alabama’s largest and fastest-growing city, Huntsville is undergoing upgrades and expansions to keep up with growth and interest, says Jennifer Moore, president/CEO of the Huntsville/Madison County CVB. “Huntsville International Airport (HSV), just 15 minutes from downtown, is undergoing significant upgrades, [while] the 6,000-seat multiuse Joe Davis Stadium has completed renovations and has a new multi-million skateboard facility opening next door in
John Hunt Park,” she says.
The city is big on repurposing facilities and reusing real estate, leading to the creation of numerous venues that offer a mix of dining, entertainment, and retail, she notes.
“The MidCity district, a former shopping mall complex, is now home to restaurants, entertainment venues, hotels, and the 8,000-person capacity Orion Amphitheater,” Moore says.
“Campus No. 805, a former public-school campus, now features two breweries, a world-class pinball arcade, numerous dining options, and a multipurpose event space that can accommodate 1,000 guests. Stovehouse, just a block away, is a repurposed stove factory, now home of restaurants, a brewery, and performance/event space,” Moore says.
. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, which has 11 event rooms to host a 1,000-person reception or seat 600 theater style, offers kids’ Space Camp programs and has one of the largest collections of rockets and space memorabilia anywhere in the world including an authentic Saturn V Moon Rocket. Next door to the rocket center, Huntsville Botanical Garden features interactive exhibits and a renowned butterfly house, and Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment is one of the South’s largest privately owned arts centers with more than 200 working artists and studios. Event attendees can enjoy the outdoors at Monte Sano State Park and Burritt on the Mountain, with several restored 19th-century homes and the best view of Huntsville on a clear day, according to Moore.
Downtown’s Big Spring International Park is adjacent to the Von Braun Center and Huntsville Museum of Art, with 13 galleries and a variety of spaces, including Loretta Spencer Hall, which seats 220 for dinners and has a built-in stage and patio access.
The Von Braun Center just completed a comprehensive remodel of the renamed Saturn Hall facility. The full-service convention center has more than 170,000 square feet of flexible exhibit space along with a 9,000-seat arena, 1,950-seat concert hall, and full-service restaurant with rooftop seating.
There are approximately 7,500 guest rooms in the Huntsville/Madison County area. The dual-branded Westin/Element has a combined 382 guest rooms and 13,000 square feet of shared event space to host 850 people for a reception or 1,000 theater style. Other major event hotels include AC Hotel by Marriott, with 120 guest rooms and a 250-person event capacity; the recently renovated Huntsville Marriott, located on the grounds of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, with 290 guest rooms and 11,288 square feet of function space; 106 Jefferson, a Curio by Hilton property, with 115 guest rooms and space to seat 126 theater style; Holiday Inn Research Park, with 195 guest rooms and 5,400 square feet of event space; and 294-room Embassy Suites Hotel & Spa, with 7,840 square feet of event space.
The Shoals: Lauderdale and Colbert counties
VisitFlorenceAL.com; TheShoalsAL.com; ColbertCountyTourism.org; @VisitTheShoals
The metro center commonly referred to as The Shoals includes two counties and the cities of Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, and Florence. The area is known for historic sites, including Ivy Green, the home of Helen Keller; Rosenbaum House, the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Alabama; the Florence Indian Mound and Museum; and the iconic music studios of Muscle Shoals, where artists including Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and others recorded some of their biggest hits. The region is also known for scenic beauty, with the Tennessee River, Wilson Lake, Natchez Trace Parkway, and Wheeler Lake all suitable for outdoor activities of boating, fishing, hiking, and birdwatching.
Meeting attendees who bring their families will enjoy the Alabama State Tourism’s All-in-One ticket, says Susann Hamlin, president/CEO of Colbert County Tourism.
“This simplifies planning by allowing visitors to easily book multiple Muscle Shoals area attractions and at a great value, making it even more enticing for families to extend their stay and explore all the region offers,” she explains.
The Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa in Florence, the largest event hotel in the area, is a $25 million renovation, according to Visit The Shoals. The hotel offers 200 guest rooms and more than 30,000 square feet of indoor event space with additional outdoor space, plus a full-service spa and 360 Grille, Alabama’s only revolving restaurant, on the 27th floor
of the Renaissance Tower.
Southern Alabama/Gulf Coast
Eastern Shore
ExploreEasternShore.com; @ExploreEasternShoreAL
Located on the east side of Mobile Bay, about 20 minutes from downtown Mobile, the Eastern Shore includes the cities of Spanish Fort, Daphne, and Fairhope. Also part is the community of Point Clear, which is home to the historic Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, part of the Marriott Autograph Collection. The 500-acre waterfront resort, which has welcomed guests since the mid-1800s, features 450 guest rooms and 37,000 square feet of indoor event space with additional lawn, terrace, and beachfront venues. Three miles south of Fairhope, the resort has a 20,000-square-foot spa, tennis complex, and two championship golf courses, part of Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
In Fairhope, visitors can explore the downtown with a new golf cart shuttle service and enjoy the bay with SailTime Alabama, a new boating club membership program, according to the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce.
Event space on the Eastern Shore includes The Venue, which can host 300 guests with indoor and outdoor space; Provision, which offers a full menu, wine tastings, and private event space; Eastern Shore Art Center, which has three galleries and courtyard space; the city-owned James P. Nix Center, with 5,000-square-foot banquet hall; and a variety of classrooms and outdoor spaces on the campus of Coastal Alabama Community College, all in Fairhope. In Daphne, the Daphne Civic Center can host receptions for 1,500 guests with 20,000 square feet of multi-functional space. On the Causeway in Spanish Fort, 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center has a 100-seat theater, event hall, and deck overlooking the Mobile-Tensaw Delta.
Additional hotels with event spaces include the 124-room Hilton Garden Inn Mobile/East Bay Daphne, with 2,122 square feet of meeting space, and the Holiday Inn Express Fairhope, with 87 guest rooms and a 1,700-square-foot meeting room.
In Atmore, about an hour from the Eastern Shore, the 236-room Wind Creek Casino and Hotel has 19,000 square feet of function space with a 2,200-seat amphitheater and several event rooms and pre-function spaces. The resort features a cinema, arcade, bowling alley, spa, culinary studio, and 1,700 casino games.
Foley
VisitFoley.com; @VisitFoley
Located less than 20 minutes from Alabama’s Gulf Coast beaches, Foley provides planners with a compact downtown, more than 100 area restaurants, the shops of Tanger Outlets, and OWA, a 500-acre resort with entertainment, shopping, dining, theme park rides, a water park, and concert venues. The Bohemian, a recently opened event venue, has 5,000 square feet of function space, and the 150-suite TownPlace Suites by Marriott at OWA has outdoor event space and a 15-person boardroom.
Offsite venues include Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market, an open-air multipurpose space accommodating 300 guests, and the 800-seat Alabama Gulf Coast Music Hall. Attractions include the Foley Railroad Museum; Holmes Medical Museum; Stacey’s Olde Tyme Soda Fountain, which has been serving ice cream treats since 1929; and Graham Creek Nature Preserve with hiking trails, kayaking, and disc golf.
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
GSOBMeetings.com; @GulfShoresOrangeBeachMeetings
Genuine Southern hospitality, a welcoming environment, and a breath of fresh air that visitors experience in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach establish a “home away from home” feeling that planners and attendees appreciate, says Michelle Russ, STS, vice president of sales, sports and events for Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism.
“All of this contributes to planners and attendees building core memories. That sense of belonging paired with sun, sand, and surf along the Alabama Gulf Coast calls planners and attendees back again and again to discover more,” Russ says.
Several new ways to enjoy the Gulf and beaches are now available, she says. “Jesse’s on the Bay is the new Fort Morgan location of the popular fine dining Magnolia Springs restaurant, and Coastal is a new public-private concept between the owners of the legendary Flora-Bama bar and the City of Orange Beach,” Russ notes. “Phase one of Coastal, located on the Gulf on the main beach road, includes public beach access for Orange Beach residents, full-service open-air restaurant/bar, large retail space, and green space for events.”
The area offers unique teambuilding opportunities and excursions with sand-castle sculpting classes from Sand Castle University available at any beachfront location in the destination. On the water, there are dolphin cruises and sunset cruises where guests enjoy the views and learn about the flora and fauna of the Alabama Gulf Coast and chartered fishing excursions.
Hands-on glassblowing and pottery classes and workshops at Coastal Arts Center allow participants to blow their own glass art, take the pottery wheel for a spin, or pick and paint a pre-made clay piece. Other fun options for groups include oyster farm tours, classes, retreats, or meetings at the Gulf State Park Learning Campus, which can accommodate meetings for 200 people.
There are more than 18,000 accommodation units in the area, including hotels, condos, and beach houses. The largest convention hotels and facilities are Perdido Beach Resort, with 338 guest rooms and 44,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space, including two expansive beachfront decks; The Lodge at Gulf State Park with 350 guest rooms and 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including a 12,160-square-foot ballroom; and Orange Beach Event Center at The Wharf, with 18,000 square feet of event space and the adjacent 132-room Springhill Suites. The Wharf, a waterfront entertainment, shopping, and dining destination on the Intracoastal Waterway, recently expanded, adding 86 acres on the north side of the waterway, with further expansion plans in place.
Mobile
Mobile.org; @VisitMobileAL
Mobile, Alabama’s oldest city, is a destination known for its rich history, vibrant culture, and distinctive attractions, says Tom White, vice president, convention and leisure sales for Visit Mobile.
“Its status as the ‘Home of Mardi Gras’ and its well-preserved historic architecture adds to its charm. Visitors can explore historic sites, savor a blend of Gulf Coast and Southern cuisine, and enjoy a thriving arts scene, including popular monthly art walks,” Wise says. “Our beautiful waterfront, diverse cultural influences, and welcoming Southern hospitality make Mobile a memorable destination, offering planners a captivating blend of tradition, entertainment, and natural beauty.”
The Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center has refreshed its appearance and offers 317,000 square feet of event space with two exhibit halls, two ballrooms, 16 meeting rooms, and terraces overlooking the Mobile River. In 2024, the Mobile Civic Center arena and theater are set to begin major renovations.
Now open at the newly constructed Africatown Heritage House, Clotilda: The Exhibition contains artifacts from the Clotilda, a schooner discovered in the Mobile River in 2019 that was used in 1860 to smuggle 110 enslaved Africans into the United States. The exhibit tells the story of that crime and of the people who survived enslavement and founded a community of free people called Africatown.
Mobile has 6,000-plus guest rooms with more than 1,200 in downtown. The 373-room Renaissance Riverview Plaza connects to the Mobile Convention Center and has 39,438 square feet of event space. A block away, the historic 238-room Battle House Renaissance Hotel & Spa has 27,000 square feet of function space with 16 event rooms, including the notable Crystal Ballroom, a longtime local celebration spot.
Also within a few blocks of the convention center, Hampton Inn and Suites Downtown has 149 recently renovated guest rooms and 1,542 square feet of meeting space. Holiday
Inn Downtown has 206 guest rooms and 10,000 square feet of event space, and The Admiral, another reimagined historic property, has 156 guest rooms and 7,000 square feet of function space.
Unique offsite event venues in the city include a variety of spaces at Gulf Quest: the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico, a 90,000-square-foot museum featuring interactive exhibits, maritime displays, simulators, and a theater; the History Museum of Mobile, with an atrium, auditorium, and outdoor courtyard; and indoor and outdoor spaces at Bellingrath Gardens & Home.
Mardi Gras, a holiday that runs between late January to early March, can be celebrated all year by planners with event-specific décor and menus and a visit to the Mobile Carnival Museum, but planners are advised that the city can be very busy during the actual event.
