April means spring is here and trees are blooming and the weather is warming up, which makes it a perfect month for guided walking tours all over north Alabama. Check out the list of walking tours and go explore and learn more about the history of several towns in north Alabama. Tours are free to the public.

Athens Saturday Walks

Athens tour options are unique - offering a choice from multiple tours each Saturday plus tours of local attraction partners. All tours will begin at the Athens Limestone Visitors Center at 9:45am on April 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 (photo courtesy of Athens Limestone Tourism)

  • Beaty Historic District
  • Downtown Athens Historic District
  • Athens City Cemetery
  • Athens State University
  • Houston Historic District
  • The Robert Donnell House & Museum

Athens Walking Tours

Courtland Walking Tour

The Courtland April Walking tour will begin at the Courtland Heritage Museum on April 29 at 10am. 

courtland square

Decatur Walking Tours

Scheduled for April 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, each tour begins at 10 a.m. and lasts approximately one hour. Knowledgeable guides will escort participants through historic neighborhoods and landmarks, where they will share the city’s history and entertaining accounts of the city’s storied past. 

April 1: History of New Decatur/Albany, led by John Allison, Morgan County Archivist

New Decatur/Albany was established during an economic boom of the late 1880s and merged with Old Decatur in 1927. The tour covers what makes this historic district so intriguing: the once very successful Buchheit Bottling Works and other commercial enterprises, stories of fires, and more. The tour begins at the Alabama Center for the Arts, located at 133 2nd Avenue NE.

April 8: History of Bank Street, led by local historian Phil Wirey

The tour explores interesting facts, legends, and stories behind the businesses and landmarks that line up and down Bank Street. The tour begins at the Old State Bank,  located at 925 Bank Street NE.

April 15: People and Places in Old Town Decatur, led by Dr. Wylheme Ragland

During this inspiring tour, hear stories of the many noteworthy African Americans who championed individual liberties and equality in Decatur’s oldest neighborhood. The tour begins at Turner-Surles Community Center, located at the corner of Vine and Sycamore streets.

April 22: Historic Residential Architecture in Old Decatur, led by Dr. Caroline Swope, historic preservation specialist for the city of Decatur

The tour focuses on the architectural history and neighborhood stories of the old Decatur Historic District. The tour begins at Frazier Park, located at 309 Cherry Street NE.

April 29: Garden Tour, led by the Historic Decatur Association

The public is invited to a peak into some of the residents’ private gardens. The tour begins at Westminster Presbyterian Church, located at 801 Jackson St, SE.

All tours are free, family-friendly and involve easy walking. Reservations are not required, and tours are held rain or shine.

decatur walking tour

Florence Walking Tours

Free guided tours are offered each Saturday in April at 10:00 a.m. Self guided tour brochures are available from the Florence/Lauderdale Visitor Center. For more information, call 256-740-4141.

April 1, 2023- Walnut Street Historic District:  Tour begins at corner of Hermitage Drive and Walnut Street at 10:00 a.m. This tour is led by Billy Warren. The Walnut Street Historic District boasts tree lined sidewalks, diverse architecture and elegant homes. The Tour will begin in the UNA Tennis Courts parking lot on Hermitage Drive. 

Walk by 29 beautifully restored houses that originally comprised the Walnut Street Historic District and were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Parking available at tennis courts on Hermitage Drive.

April 8, 2023- Florence City Cemetery: Tour begins at 705 E. College Street, Florence, AL 35630 or entrances on Tennessee Street.  This tour is led by Harry Wallace.

The tour of the Florence City Cemetery, established in 1818, features many unique headstones and famous grave sites among the rolling hills and towering trees. Florence City Cemetery contains graves belonging to early settlers, two former governors in the O'Neal family, along with other prominent community leaders and families. Tour begins at 10:00 a.m.

April 15, 2023- UNA Campus: Tour begins at the Harrison-Plaza Fountain near the lion habitat at 10:00 am. This tour is led by Billy Warren. 

The Historic University of North Alabama campus tour will feature iconic buildings such as Wesleyan Hall which pre-dates the Civil War and the Memorial Amphitheater which is a memorial to UNA students who served in the military during war. A tour of UNA's campus would not be complete without stopping by to see the impressive habitat of the university's lion mascot. 

April 22, 2023 - North Court & Seminary Streets: Tour begins at Rogers Hall, 1 Harrison Plaza, Florence, AL at 10:00 a.m. This tour is led by Billy Warren.

The North Court Street and Seminary street Tour will feature Rogers Hall, Coby Hall, the Governor O'Neal Home, Connor Place, Wakefield, the Robert Dean Martin Home, the Medical Arts Building Pope's Tavern, two Sears & Roebuck houses and many other homes.

May 6, 2023- Forks of Cypress Walking Tour:  Directions to the site are as follows: take Cox Creek Pkwy. to Jackson Road and turn right. ( no traffic signal at intersection) Go approximately 2 miles and you will see a historic marker which identifies the Forks of Cypress. Enter through the farm gate. Tour begins at 10:00 a.m. This tour is led by Harry Wallace.

The Forks of Cypress Plantation was one of the oldest antebellum mansions in Alabama. It was built in 1822 by James Jackson, one of the first settlers in Lauderdale County and a friend of Andrew Jackson. Bring your lawn chairs for the beginning portion of the tour. Park along the road or enter the gate to park in the field leading to the columns.

forks of cypress vanessa bowser(photo: Forks of Cypress by Vanessa Bowser)

Huntsville Walking Tours

April 1 - Twickenham Historic District. 10am departure from Alabama Constitution Hall Park Confectionary Shoppe (109 Gates Avenue SE). 

April 8 - Twickenham Historic District. 10am departure from Alabama Constitution Hall Park Confectionary Shoppe (109 Gates Avenue SE).

constitution village

Madison Walking Tours

April 15 - Historic Downtown Madison. 10am departure from the Roundhouse Gazebo on Front Street.

April 22 - Historic Downtown Madison. 10am departure from the Roundhouse Gazebo on Front Street.

downtown madison clock tower

Mooresville Walking Tours

​Mooresville will be on display during Saturday mornings in April as part of the Alabama Tourism Department's April Walking Tours initiative. The entire town of Mooresville, Alabama is on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of Alabama's most important and intact villages. Historic homes and buildings, gracious gardens and tree-shaded streets make a visit to Mooresville seem like a step back in time. Meet at 9:45am at the Mooresville Post Office. These walking tours are free. (Please note: this is a walking tour only - no vendors, exhibitors, events, home tours.) ​

mooresville walking tour

Sheffield and Tuscumbia Walking Tours

Each Saturday in April, free guided walking tours of historic districts take place in Sheffield and Tuscumbia. Led by knowledgeable guides, the historic tours travel past structures that date prior to the Civil War. Tuscumbia boasts one of the state’s best collections of antebellum structures and Sheffield offers Victorian and Craftsman-style homes and structures.

Admission is free. For more information call (256) 383-0783.

Coldwater Books Tuscumbia

Listen to our Unexpected Adventures in North Alabama podcast episode about April Walking Tours!