Highest-rated free things to do in Alabama by visitors

Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Alabama.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Alabama using data from . Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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#30. Hank Williams Memorial - Oakwood Annex Cemetery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (162 reviews)
- City: Montgomery
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#29. Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment

- Rating: 4.4/5 (176 reviews)
- City: Huntsville
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#28. Madison County Nature Trail-Green Mountain

- Rating: 4.7/5 (245 reviews)
- City: Huntsville
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#27. Orange Beach Welcome Center

- Rating: 4.8/5 (297 reviews)
- City: Orange Beach
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#26. Toomer's Corner

- Rating: 4.6/5 (504 reviews)
- City: Auburn
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#25. Riverchase Galleria

- Rating: 4.0/5 (292 reviews)
- City: Hoover
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#24. 16th Street Baptist Church

- Rating: 4.5/5 (351 reviews)
- City: Birmingham
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#23. Edmund Pettus Bridge

- Rating: 4.5/5 (346 reviews)
- City: Selma
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#22. Foley Railroad Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (278 reviews)
- City: Foley
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#21. Bridge Street Town Centre

- Rating: 4.3/5 (174 reviews)
- City: Huntsville
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#20. Peach Park

- Rating: 4.4/5 (235 reviews)
- City: Clanton
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#19. Big Spring Park

- Rating: 4.6/5 (240 reviews)
- City: Huntsville
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#18. Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Wetumpka

- Rating: 3.8/5 (454 reviews)
- City: Wetumpka
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#17. Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail

- Rating: 4.7/5 (483 reviews)
- City: Orange Beach
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#16. Desoto Falls

- Rating: 4.6/5 (217 reviews)
- City: Fort Payne
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#15. First White House of the Confederacy

- Rating: 4.4/5 (612 reviews)
- City: Montgomery
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#14. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

- Rating: 4.8/5 (450 reviews)
- City: Mobile
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#13. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

- Rating: 4.5/5 (289 reviews)
- City: Gulf Shores
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#12. Fairhope Municipal Pier

- Rating: 4.6/5 (595 reviews)
- City: Fairhope
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#11. Tanger Outlets Foley

- Rating: 4.4/5 (829 reviews)
- City: Foley
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#10. Gulf Shores Welcome Center

- Rating: 4.8/5 (492 reviews)
- City: Gulf Shores
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#9. Birmingham Museum of Art

- Rating: 4.6/5 (558 reviews)
- City: Birmingham
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#8. Fairhope Avenue

- Rating: 4.7/5 (421 reviews)
- City: Fairhope
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#7. Dauphin Street

- Rating: 4.0/5 (566 reviews)
- City: Mobile
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#6. DeSoto State Park

- Rating: 4.5/5 (407 reviews)
- City: Fort Payne
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#5. Gulf Shores Public Beach

- Rating: 4.5/5 (484 reviews)
- City: Gulf Shores
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#4. Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark

- Rating: 4.4/5 (534 reviews)
- City: Birmingham
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#3. Birmingham Botanical Gardens

- Rating: 4.6/5 (527 reviews)
- City: Birmingham
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#2. The Wharf

- Rating: 4.1/5 (1,585 reviews)
- City: Orange Beach
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#1. Little River Canyon National Preserve

- Rating: 4.7/5 (571 reviews)
- City: Fort Payne
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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