Huntsville

Huntsville is a city in northern Alabama that initially grew because of its cotton and railroad industries, but today it is best known for its military technology and aerospace industries. It was here that scientists designed and tested the Saturn V rocket that would send men to the moon for the first time. 

Huntsville’s transformation in the last few years alone is something to behold; anchored by Redstone Arsenal—not to mention, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, and a 3,800-acre research park filled with defense, space and technological pioneers—the city is a major player and hub for innovation and science in the deep South and has created a vibrant, urban ecosystem that matches up well with the mid-sized cities we’ve come to know and love.

Huntsville’s top visitor attraction is definitely the excellent U.S. Space and Rocket Center and it is also well-known as being the home of Space Camp. However, there is more than just space-related attractions to see here. Huntsville offers a range of cultural, historical, and culinary attractions, which include an excellent art museum, several quirky dining and entertainment venues, lush botanical gardens, three historical districts, regular arts performances, and a thriving craft beer scene.

Huntsville is growing at a rapid pace, meaning several new hotels have joined the fray in recent years, with more on the docket. We lucked out and arrived just weeks following the opening of the AC Hotel Huntsville Downtown, my first time staying at this boutique brand under the Marriott umbrella.

The AC brand intentionally emulates a European hotel, meaning minimalist in design, and the Huntsville outpost occupies a prime locale overlooking Big Spring Park and is walkable to the downtown square, Huntsville Museum of Art and the Japanese Bridge. Rooms are sleek and contemporary in style, and the downstairs lobby has a gift shop selling basic amenities in addition to pieces from local artists, as well as The Gemini Kitchen + Cocktails restaurant, which will be opening soon, and the AC Lounge.

The delightfully preserved antebellum Weeden House Museum & Garden, built in 1816, is a fascinating glimpse into the era before and after the Civil War. The majority of the furniture is period specific and original to the home. Notably, paintings and poems created by Maria Howard Weeden are on display across the building and feature some of the most accurate depictions of freed slaves who were living in Huntsville at the time.

Huntsville’s downtown is also steadily being populated with murals, sculptures and interactive art installations by Arts Huntsville, and you know we love that! The organization offers occasional tours to visitors who want to see them as well as a self-guided option via the Purple Cup Secret Art Walk, which because it’s within the Quigley Arts & Entertainment District, allows you to purchase and carry an adult beverage while cruising the neighborhood (hence the name). 

Featuring a menu that can be classified as Southern-influenced French cuisine, Cotton Row’s food is guided by seasonally available ingredients and a fine dining experience. The wine cellar doubles as an overflow room for lucky patrons while the upstairs, accessible from a separate entrance and kitted out with a full kitchen and several intimate conference rooms, is a nouveau space that just breathes luxury.

My friends in Huntsville say thatbthere are so many fun happenings throughout the weekend; among them, a cigar box guitar festival at Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment, a huge brew fest and so much more. But no matter the time of year you’re there, Lowe Mill is a wonder of creativity. The old textile mill, converted into the largest privately owned arts facility in the country in 2001 by a genetic scientist and businessman, is chock full of comic book illustrators, sculptors, clothing manufacturers and painters. With 148 booths and about 200 resident artists, the multi-floor complex transformed this disused building into a swarm of artistic synergy.

The Arsenal for the annual Rocket City Brewfest, which happens each spring, and enabled us to sample so many breweries like Innerspace we’d yet to discover. Von Brewski Beer Fest is another beloved local beer event we’ve attended—it’s held every winter in January and February—and even if you aren’t spending a weekend in Huntsville during either of these events, you can can take advantage of the dozen stops on the Downtown Huntsville Craft Beer Trail any time of year. This is something I definitely want to do when I visit my friends! 

Hope this helped !!!