The Ideal Girls’ Getaway in North Alabama for a Wheelchair User

I spent a lot of time near the coast of Alabama covering tennis tournaments. I never had a chance to check out the inner towns of the state. I found out North Alabama has been working hard to build up their accessibility with Wheel the World. I am now a full-time wheelchair user and finding accessible locations to travel to is a priority. I took two close friends, Amanda and Heather, as well as my service dog, Teddy. 

Our Accommodation

We stayed at AC Hotel in downtown Huntsville. It was located near every place we wanted to go, some within walking distance. Our room was set up well for a wheelchair traveler, with plenty of space to maneuver around, a large bathroom with a roll-in shower with a chair and hand shower, and a large vanity my power chair fit right under. 

The hotel is welcoming with a lobby bar, which also serves breakfast. Outside the bar is a patio with comfy seating and firepits we enjoyed at night. We made use of the complimentary coffee, water, and lavender sachets in the lobby. The AC Huntsville is also pet friendly. 

Walks Through History

The FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals is for anyone who loves music. The performers who have recorded reads like a list of top musicians, including Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Alicia Keys, Kenny Chesney, Steven Tyler, and Demi Lovato. Take a tour and you will hear all about it. 

Before leaving Muscle Shoals, make a quick stop at Wilson Dam Waterfall Walk. We weren’t able to see the waterfall on our trip, but it is worth reading about the Dam’s history and seeing the foliage. 

Burritt on the Mountain is a place to see the houses in Alabama’s history. You also want to take in the magnificent views. We didn’t have a lot of time since weather was dictating a change in our schedule, but you could spend hours there exploring. They have ramps throughout to make it accessible to wheelchair users. 

Alabama Constitutional Hall Historic Park & Museum recreates the place where the state’s constitution was signed. You’ll tour buildings representing those in Huntsville who lived in 1819. Directly across the street from Constitutional Hall is the Early Works Children’s Museum. 

The biggest surprise for me in North Alabama was the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. I found this lesser-known space center to be even more interesting than its Cape Canaveral counterpart. It is also home to NASA’s Space Camp. 

As a person with disabilities, I had to stop by Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, the birthplace of Helen Keller. You can tour through the houses and gardens of Keller and her family, and her long-time companion, Anne Sullivan. 

Artistic Delights in North Alabama

The Huntsville Museum of Art is extremely wheelchair friendly, with lots of wide areas to get around. They also have workshops and tours for the vision and hearing impaired, as well as quiet areas for those who need it. 

I enjoyed all of the art installations at the museum. My favorites include American Glass, Buccellati Silver, and American Modern and Contemporary. They also have an excellent exhibition by photographer Michael Grecco called “Days of Punk.” I highly recommend you get there before it ends in February.

The Huntsville Botanical Gardens is a lot more than flowers. The carefully landscaped grounds are easy to get around in wheelchairs and they welcome dogs. Although we didn’t get to visit the Butterfly House, I’m told it’s a must-see when in season. 

I also enjoyed rolling through the towns and seeing the artistic murals and creatively landscaped parks throughout each town in North Alabama. One that sticks out is Big Spring Park, which is right across the street from the AC Hotel. 

Places to Get Social

Campus 805 may sound like a place for students, but it has something for everyone, including eateries, a speakeasy, ping pong, a concert hall, pinballs & billiards, a tattoo parlor, two breweries and a distillery. It’s an old high school that still has lockers in the hallway and a gymnasium which now houses barrels and tanks. 

We had dinner at Ale’s Kitchen at Straight to Ale. Straight to Ale is one of the breweries and they also produce spirits through Shelta Cavern Spirits. I went for the Pumpkin Abides cocktail (Shelta Cavern Vanilla Vodka, Cream Liqueur, Coffee Liqueur, and pumpkin puree). The giant pretzel was light and fluffy. My ribs were tasty. Heather and Leslie enjoyed one of their signature dishes: Poutine, their Southern BBQ and Buffalo Chicken versions respectively. 

One of the most fun things I have done in ages was the Singalong Brunch at Bar Vista in the AC Hotel in Huntsville. Picture karaoke. First comes the Bloody Marys and Mimosas. Then, a selection of comfort food from which we ordered a Charcuterie Board, Mac ‘N Cheese Bites, Spinach Artichoke Dip, and a Pastry Basket filled with freshly made goodies. All this while the entire room is belting out songs in unison!

More to Eat and Drink in North Alabama

La Esquina Cocina is a Mexican restaurant with some contemporary twists. After enjoying their specialty margaritas, we feasted on chips and guacamole, fajitas, tacos (which come in a dozen options), and sauteed salmon, which Amanda loved. The Chocolate Crème Brulee is amazing. The restaurant is allergy friendly too. 

Valentino’s is a pizza lover’s dream. The options here allow you to really design your own pizza, whether you like thin crust, New York style, Sicilian, or Detroit. The waiter described each one to us and the list of toppings is huge. We started with Italian meatballs as good as they get and finished with scrumptious tiramisu and a cannoli for me. The seating and bathroom were easy fit me to navigate in wheelchair. 

Piper & Leaf Tea is a family-owned business that is booming. They use as many local ingredients (i.e., vegetables, herbs. I have never seen so many tea varieties, and they are all created here. It doesn’t end with picking a tea as they will show you the best way to brew it for maximum taste. Piper & Leaf ships around the country. 

The Salty Cod in Athens is huge, with a restaurant, butcher shop, and bakery, where you can find gelato and cakes straight from Italy. It was hard to choose, but I picked right with the Queen of Tarts—goat cheese, grilled pear, broccolini and caramelized onion in a tart, topped with cheddar cheese, prosciutto, and toasted walnuts. We loved the gelato and cakes that followed.

On the way out of town, we stopped at Isom’s Orchard. They have a big selection of fruit and vegetables. They are known for their fruit-filled slushies. The peach and cranberry combo was terrific. If you are there in the fall, get a donut. They also have one of the largest and warmly decorated handicapped bathrooms I’ve ever seen!