Alabama Destination Guide

Alabama Transportation

If the coast is your destination in Alabama, you should be able to find a connecting flight to Mobile Regional Airport from Houston, Dallas, Memphis, Atlanta, Charlotte or Orlando. If you want a direct flight, Birmingham International Airport serves all of Alabama and receives 72 daily flights from six major and five regional airlines.

Both airports have all the usual car rental services, but if you’re driving to Alabama’s Gulf Coast on your own, you’ll probably need to take I-65. Interstate 65 runs north/south through Montgomery, Birmingham and Decatur. If you are coming from Florida, Texas or the Southwest, you’ll take I-10 which runs through Mobile fromLos Angeles to Jacksonville. A short drive from I-10 will get you to Gulf Shores, one of Alabama’s most popular golf destinations.

Alabama FAQ

1. What is golf like in Alabama?

It is best known for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. This collection of eight golf facilities is the largest golf course construction project ever attempted. Five 54-hole facilities and three 36-hole facilities are scattered throughout the state. The courses are extremely varied and almost every facility features a nine- or 18-hole short course. While they make up the bulk of Alabama’s best and most popular golf courses, there are other courses that can‘t be overshadowed by the Trail. Kiva Dunes Golf and Beach Resort in Gulf Shores showcases the coast along Alabama’s panhandle. Kiva Dunes was named the second best new course in the US in 1995 by Golf Digest. For many, Kiva Dunes is still the best in Alabama.

2. Who’s idea was the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail?

Dr. David Bronner, who was the CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, came up with a plan to diversify the assets of the state pension fund by bringing more tourist dollars into the state economy. Bronner’s idea was to build some of the best public golf courses on Earth. To do this he lured Robert Trent Jones out of semi-retirement and allowed Jones to create what would be his final major project.

3. What other courses did Robert Trent Jones design?

Jones is best known for his work on Peachtree in Atlanta, the Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Spyglass Hill in Pebble Beach, Calif., Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minn., and Mauna Kea Beach in Kameula. He also made a name for himself redesigning some of the top courses in the country. He famously reworked Augusta National and Oakland Hills.

4. What are the green fees like for courses along the RTJ Golf Trail?

For as good as they are, the courses on the RTJ Trail are among the best bargains in the country. From Hampton Cove to Magnolia Grove, a round at any of the championship courses will run between $35 and $55.

5. What else is there to do in Alabama?

In 1993, with the opening of The Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham openly attempted to alleviate some racial tensions that had haunted the city since the 60s. The Institute offers a vivid account of the era through galleries and exhibitions. It also brings in traveling exhibitions from around the country. The Institute is home to large archives and offers free admission to children.