Road Trip ~ Down South
 

I was planning to do the PCH from San Diego to Tacoma, however, I decided to shift gears to something a little bit different. I'll be going down south to New Orleans-> Mobile Al -> Redstone Arsenal and off to an internship at a national lab.
Here's a list that I've come up with so far, but what would you recommend?

• Birmingham - Barber Motorsports Track & Museum.
• Gulf Shores and Orange Beach - for the beaches
• Mobile - USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park
• Tuscaloosa - University of Alabama museums/Gorgas House/ Moundville
• De Soto state caverns/Cathedral Caverns
• Monroeville - To Kill A Mockingbird site
• Montgomery - Shakespeare Theatre and Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald House

Motorsports Hall of Fame at the Talladega Superspeedway, since you will already be in B'Ham and Childersburg area.

Dauphin Island, Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines.

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Which lab? Oakridge?

Huntsville is the biggest city in Alabama and actually in the foothills.

Go through Guntersville on your way to Redstone.

I think you have a great list thus far.

I’m certain you’ll get more in due time.

Funny Sea Story about the USS ‘Nama
My first ship was the USS Wisconsin in 1988 and I joined her at Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula.
It had the original ballistic computer for the 16” guns and I was Primary on it. We needed a few parts for the reactivation and there were none available anywhere in the world. The’bama had what we needed. Off we go to get them.
There were tours taking place and we ( one Officer, 2 Enlisted ) walked around them, ducked under the velvet ropes and began pulling panels. The Officer and the Tour guide explained what we were doing.
It was kind of surreal, pulling parts from a museum for a ship being reactivated.

Yeah, it can't be but a 45 min ride from Barber to Talladega, but 2 museums in a day?

US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville is pretty cool.

I’m at ORNL if you’re headed here…

Pensacola - National Naval Aviation Museum - top flight attraction.

Add in the Airforce Armament Museum at Eglin AFB.

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Wanna see something neat? Take a drive through DeFuniak Springs, Florida, and go to the old downtown area. There is a near perfect circle lake there with old Victorian style houses and the oldest working library in the state if I recall correctly.

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IF you are in to plant life and incredible landscaping, don't miss the walking tour of Bellingrath Gardens in Mobile and may as well follow it up with dinner at the Catalina in nearby Bayou LeBatre.

To kind of add to the above, if you like old houses and picturesque grounds, Eden State Park in South Walton County is a nice place to stroll.

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Wait, aren't you an old dude, internship?

See the Carlsbad Caverns in NM if you are going that way. I like to see the south too someday.

I've nothing to add as far as what to visit but I'd like to share this one bit based on my experience. Before you enter the caverns set aside your knowledge of how the formations came to exist and just be prepared to experience the awe of the cavern's majesty. The caverns that I have visited just blew me away.

Please consider Avery Island TX the home of Tabasco sauce.
It is also the place were the confederates got all the salt they used to make salted meat for the civil war.

Me too!!! Just down the hill from IROC
Have several ME interns coming in this month.
Where are you going?

I've been to the Desoto Caverns a few times, best place to be on a hot summer day. I think they still do a laser light show inside the main cathedral and they will turn out the lights to let you see just how dark it is, unreal.

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How dare you…Tabasco is from Avery Island Louisiana! 😉

National WW2 Museum in NO

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/visit/plan-your-visit?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwxeyxBhC7ARIsAC7dS 3-0eVikzDq2Qq1up56PeG032jcyPh5lEjGEdNGV0elpSTicUs8Tk FoaAsUoEALw_wcB

Was there last week with my son. He’s active duty Army and an aviator, so he loved it. I was kinda bored.

If you’re bringing your wife, or anyone of the female persuasion, stop by downtown Fairhope for lunch and a walk around. It’s geared toward women and most love it. Will be happy to meet for lunch as we live in the area. Just say the word.