The 2008 Official Alabama Vacation Guide

s home to two sports hall of fame museums, the country’s oldest ballpark, great golf, championship ﬁshing, and the latest in motorsports racing, Alabama’s Metropolitan region is primed for celebrating the Year of Alabama Sports. In Birmingham, tour the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, where sports heroes and their memories live forever. Visit Rickwood Field, the nation’s oldest ballpark, and view America’s largest motorcycle collection at Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. The AMA Superbike Championship in April and the Grand American Rolex Series in July occur at the adjacent Barber Motorsports Park. Metropolitan Birmingham also boasts a variety of ﬁne restaurants, exciting nightlife, museums, historic sites, and shopping. Birmingham’s minor league Barons play at Regions Park in Hoover. Travel to Talladega, where NASCAR oﬀers thrilling racing adventures at the Talladega Superspeedway in April and again in October. Be sure to visit the International Motorsports Hall of Fame while you’re there. Experience the tradition of University of Alabama football when players take to the ﬁeld at Bryant Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa each fall. Visit the museum on the campus dedicated to Alabama’s legendary football coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant. Enjoy some of America’s best bouldering at Horse Pens 40 in Steele. Spend the day on the Cahaba River near Birmingham, a delightful place for the ultimate kayaking or canoeing experience. For amateur ﬁshermen or pros vying for a championship bass, an abundance of opportunities awaits. Visit Shelby County, home of Lay Lake, a popular site for bass tournaments, and Tallapoosa County, distinctive for great ﬁshing on Lake Martin and great camping at Wind Creek State Park. Golfers have a choice of 30-plus facilities in the region, including three on the Robert Trent Jones Trail: Oxmoor Valley and the Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort in the Birmingham area and Silver Lakes in the AnnistonGadsden area. cities: ANNISTON 58 | BIRMINGHAM 62 | GADSDEN 70 | NORTHPORT 75 | TUSCALOOSA 77 Alabama’s Metro Region is no place to be bored! Get up close and personal with your favorite Birmingham Baron at Regions Park in Hoover (1) or study prehistoric monsters at the Anniston Museum of Natural History (2). Birmingham’s nighttime skyline is a sight to behold (3), as are the artifacts and memorabilia at the Paul “Bear” Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa (4). PHOTOS: ATD 1 2 4 3 { A story by grey brennan

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The 2008 Official Alabama Vacation Guide

How to Use Your Vacation Guide State Map Welcome Alabama - The State of Sports Alabama - Sports Shrines Alabama - It's Your Turn Alabama Adventure Revved Up Alabama - Year Of Sports Alabama - Baseball Alabama - Civil Rights Alabama - Happy Trails Pugskin Pride Food and Wine Trail Alabama Mountains Alabama Mountains Map June Walking Tours Metropolitan Metropolitan Map The Race Is On Sports Trivia River Hertitage River Heritage Map Sports Trivia Gulf Coast Gulf Coast Map Shopping Civil War Trail State Park Amenities State Park Map Campgrounds Outfitters Hunting and Fishing Licenses Hunting Lodges Information Sources Attraction Index City Index Advertiser Index

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