The Best Things To Do In Montgomery, Alabama

After Washington D.C., Montgomery makes a strong case as the city that has most influenced our nation’s growth. The birthplace of the civil rights movement, Alabama’s third largest city remains committed to honoring that legacy, while expanding its horizons to attract visitors hoping to reflect, relax, and revel in new adventures. Visit the city’s many civil rights landmarks, then continue your journey of learning at the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace & Justice. Enjoy classic Southern cuisine, upscale Italian, or Korean barbecue. Then, sip on a cocktail and peer out over the city from the rooftop of downtown’s newest jewel the Trilogy Hotel. Here are the best things to do in Montgomery.

What To Do In Montgomery, Alabama

The Equal Justice Initiative’s long-awaited projects The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, alone, justify a trip to Montgomery. Housed in a former slave warehouse, the Legacy Museum tells the story of slavery and racial inequality in America, from the time of the Transatlantic Slave Trade to today’s endemic of mass incarceration. After you’ve toured the museum, head outside to the adjoining National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the nation’s first memorial dedicated to honoring victims of racial lynching. On the six-acre site, more than 800 six-foot columns symbolize every county in the U.S. where racial lynchings took place. The names of victims are carved into the monuments.

Montgomery was the site for some of the most influential moments and events in our country’s struggle for civil rights. Take a tour of all the major landmarks, including the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. preached; the Dexter Parsonage Museum, where Dr. King and his family once lived; the Civil Rights Memorial and Center; the Rosa Parks Museum; and the Freedom Rides Museum. Want additional insight into what you’re seeing? Book a tour with historian and storyteller Wanda Battle or activist and artist Michelle Browder, who leads a trolley tour centered around civil rights and her Mothers of Gynecology monument.

If you need some time to decompress after a day of reckoning, head to the city’s lovely Riverwalk, where you can stroll by the famous Harriott II Riverboat, see Riverwalk Stadium (home to the Montgomery Biscuits minor league team), and maybe even catch the faint melody of a concert at the Riverwalk Amphitheater.

In addition to legendary civil rights champions, Montgomery also served as home to some of the country's most famous literary and music icons. Learn more about the F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald at the couple’s former home in the historic Cloverdale neighborhood. The museum even allows guests to stay in two period-decorated suites dedicated to the writers. While you’re in the area, check out the collection of locally-owned cafés, boutiques, and shops in this quaint neighborhood.

Head back downtown to find an all-encompassing tribute to country music pioneer Hank Williams at the Hank Williams Museum. Inside you’ll find the most complete collection of Williams memorabilia including his instruments, clothing, and personal items.

Montgomery’s latest development, an outdoor recreation complex anchored by a man-made whitewater course, debuts in July, bringing the great outdoors to the doorstep of downtown. Situated on 120 acres just of I-65 and on the Alabama River, Montgomery Whitewater will include mountain biking and jogging trails, kayaking, rafting, zip lines, ropes courses, climbing walls, a full-service restaurant, and beer garden.

What To Eat In Montgomery, Alabama

Birmingham may be Alabama’s culinary capital, but Montgomery certainly isn’t lacking in the department of delicious food. Vacations are cause for celebration, and there’s no better place to toast to your adventure than at one of the city’s fine-dining restaurants. Feast on internationally influenced Southern dishes made with local ingredients at Central. Escape to the Amalfi Coast with simple but elegant Italian fare at Ravello. Vintage Year, a wine shop turned fine dining restaurant, wows with its decadent steak and excellent wine list.

Lunch plans may begin and end at Martin’s Restaurant, a longstanding meat ‘n’ three known for perfectly crisped fried chicken. Vegetarians should try vegan café Plant Bae, and those looking for a break from the familiar should visit D’Road Café for Venezuelan breakfast and lunch.

Take advantage of Montgomery’s large Korean-American population and treat yourself to Korean Barbecue at locally-owned restaurants like So Gong Dong Tofu & BBQ, Kalim Korean BBQ, and Fish & BBQ Korean Restaurant.

When you need an afternoon pick-me-up or something to get you going in the morning, head to local roaster Prevail Union for a great cup of joe in a contemporary space. Hilltop Public House, on a hill overlooking downtown, caters to daytime drinkers with locally roasted coffee blends and pastries. Once the sun goes down, it transforms into a hip hangout with craft beer and cocktails. Other spirited beverages can be found at Common Bond Brewers and Goat Haus Biergarten, a hilltop Victorian home where folks gather for evening drinks and weekend brunch.  

Where To Stay In Montgomery, Alabama

Montgomery is spotted with cozy Airbnbs and has its fair share of nationally recognized hotel chains, but the newly opened Trilogy Autograph Hotel offers the best of both worlds. The city’s first boutique hotel, Trilogy honors downtown's history by transforming three historic buildings (two warehouses and a Greek Revival mansion) into one stunning community gathering space. Order the Duck Trilogy at on-site restaurant Kinsmith, then take an elevator to the impossibly cool rooftop bar Waterworks. There you’ll find lush plant walls, sky pods overlooking downtown, and a generous menu of beer, wine, and craft cocktails.