Alabama

An illustration of a fish

What's in Season

Scales on and slathered in compound butter, the white flaky fish is an early spring triumph

A man in a bookshop

Our Kind of Place

The Alabama Booksmith runs on first editions and the verve of its unforgettable proprietor

A rocket park

2026 Bucket List

Huntsville steps back into the spotlight

White sauce chicken on a plate

2026 Bucket List

And celebrate a century of standout ’cue

A window seat of a train looks to marsh

2026 Bucket List

New and improved rail lines make a case for the scenic route

a cyclist on a trail

Travel

Revel in autumnal scenery and burgeoning whistle-stops while cycling the Silver Comet and (newly expanded) Chief Ladiga

A collage: Clockwise, from top left: Rick Hall and Clarence Carter at FAME; Paul Simon at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio; Aretha Franklin at FAME; Etta James at FAME.

Music

A new book and Country Music Hall of Fame exhibition tell how a small Alabama community helped put Aretha Franklin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Willie Nelson, and other greats on the map

A portrait of a man in a clothing store. He wears ties around his neck

Arts & Culture

A style enthusiast’s formal argument for dressing up

flattened musk turtle

Conservation

The tiny flattened musk turtle lives within a single watershed in Alabama, and biologists are racing to study it before it’s too late

A coach and football players cheer on a field

Arts & Culture

“No matter how many dynasties the Tide stack on top of each other, Auburn fans will always be able to pierce their armor with two. Little. Words.”

Inside a restaurant with big ceiling windows and checkered tables

Food & Drink

Celebrity photographer Miller Mobley brings his eye for set creation to the restaurant world with custom stained glass, millwork, and faux finishes

A man with a guitar

Music

Elvis, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, and more make our list of some of the most famous—and infamous—performances in music history

A bowl of ice cream

Recipe

Bill Briand shares a family recipe from the menu of Little Bird, his forthcoming restaurant in Fairhope, Alabama

A woman stands by a rack of pastries

Fork in the Road

A young Alabama chef brings community and flawless croissants to a funky strip

Three photos: a stack of brownies, a cake, two cookies

Seven Southern

These top-notch bakeshops let flour-free customers have their cake—and pies, cookies, donuts, croquetas, and biscuits—and eat them too

An illustration of a woman standing in a landscape under the stars

This Land

An Alabama odyssey helps fill in the blank spaces

Three photos of desserts: chocolate bars, fried chicken-shaped ice cream bars, caramels

Food & Drink

From inventive ice cream to old-school cakes, these victors will satisfy your sweet tooth

A wall-shaped monument, inscribed with approximately 122,000 names

2025 Bucket List

A new sculpture park completes a stunning trifecta

White lilies in a pond

2025 BUCKET LIST

The springtime star of Alabama

Quilts hanging on a clothesline

2025 BUCKET LIST

A historic arts enclave lets it all hang out