Plan a Trip to Huntsville for the Forrest Wood Cup
Places to check out while you’re in town for the Forrest Wood Cup on Wheeler
With the best anglers in the world fishing for $300,000 at the Forrest Wood Cup on Wheeler Lake Aug. 4-7, most eyes will be trained on the lake, takeoff at Ditto Landing, and weigh-in and the FLW Expo at the Von Braun Center. Of course, if you’re not out on the lake following the pros around, you might want to take a look at some of the other attractions that Huntsville, Ala., has to offer.
Huntsville Botanical Garden
One of the highlights of the Rocket City really has nothing to do with space at all. The Huntsville Botanical Garden opened to the public in 1988 and is home to 20 collections of plants, a nature center, the largest open-air butterfly house in the U.S. and quite a bit more. Open seven days a week, admission for adults is $12. Admission for children ages 3 to 18 is $8. If you like nature, the Huntsville Botanical Garden could be worth your time.
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
In the ’60s, Huntsville was one of the centers of innovation in U.S. rocket science and played home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. To this day, Huntsville remains a center of work and innovation for NASA and other rocket and space-related activities in the U.S.
Affiliated with the Smithsonian, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center includes the Davidson Center for Space Exploration, Shuttle Park and Rocket Park. Opened in 1970, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center has hosted nearly 16 million tourists, and it offers the chance to see artifacts of the space program and learn about the past, present and future of human space exploration. Open all week, admission for visitors age 13 and up is $23; $15 for children ages 5 to 12.
Huntsville Madison County Veterans Memorial
Located in downtown Huntsville, Veterans Memorial was officially dedicated on Veterans Day in 2011 and pays tribute to all U.S. military veterans. Among the most prominent features of the memorial are eight black granite markers with the names of more than 365 veterans from Madison Country who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. Around the memorial, a walkway with more than 5,000 individually engraved bricks paying tribute to veterans and their sacrifices adds a powerful dimension.
Huntsville Museum of Art
Located in Big Spring International Park, the Huntsville Museum of Art has a permanent collection of more than 3,000 pieces and is north Alabama’s leading visual arts center. The museum expanded in 2010 to house additional exhibits and features traveling exhibits and work from nationally and regionally acclaimed artists. The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday, and admission is $12 for adults and $5 for children 6 and up.
Burritt on the Mountain
Located on Round-Top Mountain, Burritt on the Mountain is the historic home and grounds of Dr. William Henry Burritt. Burritt willed his mansion and land to the city of Huntsville in 1955, and the property now also features nature trails that wind through the woods and around the mountain, a park with historic homes from the Cumberland Plateau that have been meticulously restored and a barnyard with native farm animals. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for children ages 3 to 18. The site is open Tuesday-Sunday.
Big Spring International Park
Located right in downtown Huntsville, Big Spring International Park is a vibrant green space. With ducks, geese and koi in the central pond, the park also displays gifts from Norway and Japan and hosts numerous public events throughout the year.
GET MORE INFORMATION
If you’re planning to travel to Huntsville or are even considering the trip and would like more information, the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau can provide additional details. You can call the main office at 256.551.2230, or visit Huntsville.org.