If you’re not familiar with Fort Novosel (previously named Fort Rucker), it’s a pretty secluded base in Southern Alabama surrounded by small towns. The base itself is actually very beautiful (especially in the Spring!) with plenty of greenery, lakes, and trails, but there isn’t a ton of stuff to do in the local area. However, if you’re willing to spend a few hours in the car for weekend trips, there’s actually tons of options within a 2-3 hour radius. We unfortunately were there during the initial covid lockdown, so we didn’t get to do everything on this list, but I found plenty of options for if we were to go back that I thought I’d share.

Below are 58 places to visit while at Fort Novosel, starting with a few local spots and branching out to day/weekend trips in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

LOCAL SPOTS

1. Explore the Base. The base itself is actually very beautiful during Spring & Summer and has a large lake and plenty of trails in the wooded areas. We’ve found some beautiful areas just out exploring trails near the lake. You can also rent a boat or try out horseback riding on base!

2. Visit the Daleville Waterfall. There is a small but pretty waterfall about 5 minutes outside of base. It’s a short walk into a wooded area, and you’ll need to carefully lower yourself down into a creek area with a rope (there’s one there) to get a good look of the waterfall from below.

To get there, exit the Daleville gate and turn right on Holt Ln (across from the high school). Keep following the road down and you’ll see a trail one the left hand side leading into the woods. You’ll should be able to hear the water from the road.

3. Downtown Enterprise. If you picture a small town main street from a movie, that’s what downtown Enterprise looks like. There’s some local shops, restaurants, a cigar lounge, and even a boll weevil fountain in the middle of an intersection. Make sure to check out Corks and Cattle Steakhouse and Downtown Donuts.

4. Dothan Botanical Gardens. While definitely on the smaller side, it’s worth the $5 admission fee to check out. There’s a greenhouse exhibit, a rose garden, and lots of local plants outside; so the ideal time to visit would be Spring.

5. Grab Brunch in Downtown Dothan. This is my favorite downtown area of all of the local small towns. It’s a very small strip that has a few restaurants, shops, coffee shops, etc but it’s very cute. Grab Saturday brunch at KBC restaurant and then stop by the flower truck to make your own bouquet of fresh flowers.

6. Dothan Nurseries. If you’re in need of a new house plant, head to this beautiful nursery. Not only do they sell plants, but this nursery also features gardens and a butterfly exhibit, making it a great place to spend a few hours and even snap some photos.

7. National Peanut Festival. Similar to a state fair, this is a great local spot to go ride some thrilling rides and eat funnel cake (or peanuts)!

8. Aplin Farms. This local farm is great for seasonal stuff such as strawberry picking, sunflower fields, a pumpkin patch, etc but they also have a great farmers market on the weekends to get farm fresh produce locally.

9. Forever Wild at Beaver Creek Trails. This is a 10-mile trail system in Dothan that is great for biking, running, or simply getting some fresh air on a long walk.

10. Blue Springs State Park. This local spring features two sand-bottom swimming pools filled with natural spring water. It’s a great spot to cool off in the summer if you don’t feel like driving all the way to Florida.

11. Bama Slam. This is a local spot that is a ton of things all wrapped into one giant plot of land; it’s a bar, concert venue, mudding spot, and has a really cool swimming hole. The swimming hole features water slides, rope swings, water trampolines/obstacles, etc. which offer a bit more excitement than the local pool.

ALABAMA TRIPS

12. Autauga County Sunflower Field. (2.5 hrs) Just outside of Montgomery, this is one of the largest sunflower fields in the state. They provide clippers and allow you to go cut your own sunflowers for a small fee. Make sure to bring cash!

13. Montgomery. (<2hrs) Montgomery is the capital city of Alabama and has a lot of historical landmarks and museums regarding the Civil Rights movement that are worth checking out.

14. Alabama Safari Park. (<2hrs) This is a really nice drive-thru safari near Montgomery that’s definitely worth a visit. The animals are very friendly and have no issues sticking their heads IN your car to grab some extra food. Additionally, you can pay an extra $5-10 to feed the giraffes near the entrance/exit.

15. Mobile. (3hrs) Slighty Similar to NOLA, Mobile is known for having amazing seafood, similar architecture in their historic district, and the original Mardi Gras celebration in the U.S. You’ll also want to check out Battleship park and tour one of the historic ships.

16. Gulf Shores. (<3.5hrs) Regarded as the most beautiful beach in Alabama, this pretty spot is said to rival Destin, Florida’s beaches. Make sure you check out the annual music festival, Hangout Fest, in May.

17. Bamahenge. (3hrs) This is a small fiberglass exhibit at a Marina in Southern Alabama. It’s about 20 minutes outside of Pensacola, so I’d recommend making a day of it by heading to Pensacola afterwards for lunch.

18. Birmingham. (3hrs) Considered the best Alabama city by the locals, Birmingham has amazing restaurants, rooftop bars with stunning views, and a few cool museums like the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.

19. Stephens Gap. (5hrs) A famous cave here in Alabama that you can get to by either hiking down into it or repelling down. Be cautious though, as several people have died here from issues rapelling into it. You also need a permit in order to enter the property it’s situated on, and from what I’ve read, you ideally want to visit mid-morning in order to have ideal lighting in the cave.

*photo by @thelovelyescapist on IG

20. Lake Martin. (2.5hrs) A popular local vacation spot, this cute town is known for its amazing lake houses, restaurants that you can pull up to on your boat, an island full of goats, and tons of cool water sports.

21. High Falls Park. (4hrs) An easy hike that opens up to a 35-foot waterfall and swimming hole.

22. Cherokee Rock Village. (4.5hrs) I came across this on an Instagram travel page and it looked so beautiful. It’s large boulders on top of a mountain that you can hike and climb up. The area also features rock climbing and repelling as well.

23. Yellow Creek Falls Fish Camp. (4.5hrs) Another beautiful waterfall swimming hole located near Leesburg. You can also kayak and canoe down the creek in this area.

24. The Barn of Blooms. (4hrs) I came across this cute barn on Instagram and am so bummed I couldn’t visit and grab some pics. They have a ton of flowers & plants for every season.

*photos by @thebarnofblooms on IG

25. Ozan Winery. (2.5hrs) South of Birmingham is a full wine district filled with cute vineyards and wineries. This one stood out to me on Instagram thanks to it’s beautiful ivy covered walls that made it look like it belonged in Italy.

26. American Village Tulip Festival. (2.5hrs) American Village is actually one of those places that reenacts historical events from when our country was founded, has replicas, actors dressed from that time period, etc. However, they also have a tulip festival every spring where you can pay to pick your own tulips.

27. Imerys-Gantt’s Quarry. (3hrs) This isn’t really a place to go solely for this one location, as you can only view it from a few lookout points, however it would be cool to see on the way to another spot. It’s a marble quarry that’s filled with beautiful turquoise water that makes for a pretty amazing view. It’s located in Central Alabama.

28. Desoto Falls. (4.5hrs) As you can see, Alabama has a ton of waterfalls, and Northern Bama is actually nicknamed the “land of 1,000 waterfalls”. I believe this was the most popular waterfall I kept finding when I was searching waterfalls in Northern Alabama. It makes for a cool swimming hole in the summer but also looks beautiful in the fall as it’s surrounded by trees that all change to beautiful red and orange.

*photo by @just.in.kas on IG

29. Noccalula Falls Park. (4hrs) Another famous waterfall / swimming hole location in Bama, this one features a 90-foot waterfall, hiking, camping, caves, and a pioneer village.

30. Dismals Canyon. (4.5hrs) This is one of only a few places in the world where you can see dismalite glow worms. They’re only visible at night in a cave located in the canyon, so you’d need to camp out or stay local to take a night tour.

31. Cheaha State Park. (3.5hrs) This state park is home to the highest point in Alabama. You can actually drive all the way up to the top of Mount Cheaha or park and hike. There are also a few waterfalls in the mountains worth checking out.

*photo is by @a_williamsphotography on IG

FLORIDA TRIPS

32. Spend the day Exploring 30A. (<2hrs) Definitely my favorite spot to visit in Florida. This strip of highway along the coast features several small beach towns that are each unique. Some of my favorite towns in 30A are:

Alys Beach is super aesthetic and reminds me of a mixture of Dubai and Greece with it’s stunning white mediterranean architecture. The beach and pool are private to guests only, but you’re able to visit the restaurants and shops and walk around admiring the homes.

Rosemary Beach reminds me of a cute European town with it’s white and brown buildings and cobblestone streets. The beach here is also private to guests staying locally in the town.

Seaside offers a public beach, and reminds me of what I would picture a stereotypical beach town from a movie to be. It features pastel beach homes, cruiser bikes literally everywhere, and a cute courtyard with little food trucks and shops. There are a few more little beach towns as well, but those are the three I’ve spent the most time in.

33. Destin. (2hrs) Destin is a beautiful beach town known for it’s emerald green/turquoise water. It can definitely get a bit touristy at the local boardwalk, but they have a ton to offer such as fishing, boating, and beautiful beaches.

34. Crab Island. (2hrs) Located along the bridge that connects Destin to Okaloosa Island, Crab Island is a sandbar that people flock to during the summer, anchoring their boats into a huge party area.They also typically have vendor boats that you can walk through the water to that sell food, ice cream, and drinks.

35. Okaloosa Island / Ft Walton Beach. (2hrs) A cute beach area located across the bridge from Destin. This area is much more laid back and less expensive to stay at. Be sure to check at Burrito Del Sol for some amazing shrimp tacos and grab a drink from The Gulf. The military beach here is also an amazing location right on the strip of turquoise water. Drive like you’re going to Destin and it’s just before the bridge, you’ll need to show your mil ID to park.

36. Pensacola. (<2.5hrs) Another Beach town along the panhandle, Pensacola has a super cute downtown area full of great restaurants, bars, & baseball games (the stadium is right by the water) and doesn’t really have any touristy spots like Destin or PCB. We typically frequent 30A and Destin the most since they’re a bit closer, but Pensacola is definitely worth checking out.

37. Panama City Beach. (2hrs) Panama City is a beautiful area located East of Destin/30A. To be honest, it’s personally not my favorite; it’s very touristy and can get pretty wild during Spring Break season. However, it’s nicer during the other seasons and has a ton of kid friendly places like a zoo, Ripley’s, and Dave & Busters.

38. Go tubing at Bear Paw Adventures. (<1.5hrs) Dusten and I used to float down the river almost every weekend during the summers in San Antonio, so I was reallyyy excited to find river tubing in Northern FL. The experience is slightly different, because they actually give you huge boating tube instead of a small circular tube. We were able to both comfortably lay out with a full size cooler between us and still had room. The first half of the river is spring water and is crystal clear, the second half of the float you merge into a regular river which can be quite shallow in some areas but with very dark water.

39. Ponce De Leon Springs. (1hr) We checked out these springs on the way to Florida and they were super beautiful but small. You’ll need to get there early as it gets a bit crowded quickly and there isn’t a ton of space. The springs themselves are pretty deep and have an area where people can jump off or dive. There’s also a side creek that’s very shallow for small children.

40. Vortex Springs. (1hr) This is one of the largest diving facilities in Florida and also has water slides for kids to enjoy at the springs.

41. Cypress Springs. (1hr) I’ve been wanting to check these springs out as they look super beautiful and spacious. You need to take a boat to the springs though, so you can either take a motorized boat or rent kayaks and canoes.

42. Navarre Beach. (2.5hrs) This is a gorgeous, but secluded Beach in between Destin and Pensacola. There’s a few restaurants/bars to check out, but it’s mostly nice beach homes and condos.

43. Seacrest Wolf Preserve. (<1.5hrs) Just like the name suggests, you can pay to visit with wolves at this small sanctuary. If you’d like to grab photos for the gram and have a more personal experience, a one-on-one tour will cost you around $250 a person. However, you can save by doing a group tour. Worth noting though that the group tour only provides one photo posing with the wolves.

44. Devil’s Den. (4.5hrs) This is a famous spot in Florida that has an underground spring that’s great for snorkeling or scuba diving.

45. Brook’s Farm. (<2hrs) In the Spring, you can pick your own strawberries and enjoy some homemade strawberry ice cream or strawberry shortcake. It’s a bit of a drive, but the countryside views on the way there are super beautiful in the Spring.

GEORGIA TRIPS

46. Atlanta. (3.5hrs) Probably the most well known city in Georgia, Atlanta has a TON of stuff to do. From their world famous aquarium, pro sports games, tons of shopping, city parks, and more, you’re sure to have more than enough to do for a weekend getaway.

47. Rock City Gardens. (5hrs) Located in Northern Georgia, this beautiful mountain top park features waterfalls, rope bridges, gardens, and a view that allows visitors to see into 7 different states.

*photo by @of_these_mountains on IG

48. See Cherry Blossoms in Macon. (3.5hrs) This small town has over 350,000 cherry trees and holds a cherry blossom festival at the end of March every year.

49. Columbus. (2hrs) This small Georgia town has a super cute riverwalk area lined with restaurants and shops, and also offers whitewater rafting and ziplining down their centralized river. Definitely worth checking out.

50. Providence Canyon. (2hrs) Known as “the little Grand Canyon of Georgia” this area features a few small canyons you can hike down into. I will mention, they’re very small (more of a photo backdrop), so ideally I’d make this part of a trip to another spot like Columbus. We went camping nearby for the weekend and spent one morning at the canyon and then the evening in Columbus.

51. Take a weekend getaway to The Ritz Carlton on Lake Oconee. (5hrs) Probably one of the prettiest hotels I’ve seen, this beautiful lake getaway reminds me of all of the stereotypical lake house summers I saw in movies growing up.

52. Helen. (5hrs) A super cute german town located in the mountains of Georgia. It makes for a cute backdrop while you enjoy beer and pretzels, and also offers amazing hikes and river tubing.

53. Visit a Hindu Temple. (3.5hrs) North of Atlanta is a stunningly beautiful Hindu temple (Hindu Temple of Atlanta) that’s open to the public to visit and take photos at.

54. See the World Famous Christmas lights at Callaway Gardens. (3hrs) This beautiful drive-thru Christmas light exhibit was featured in National Geographic as one of the best Christmas light shows to see. You can drive through yourself or park and take a trolly.

55. Cloudland State Park. (5hrs) This is a really beautiful state park located in the North Georgia mountains. All of the photos I’ve seen feature stunning mountaintop views and waterfalls. I’d recommend visiting in the Fall so you can see all of the Fall leaves.

*photo is from @exploregeorgia on IG

4-DAY WEEKEND TRAVELS

56. New Orleans. About a 5-hour drive from base, NOLA is a great destination for a 4-day weekend mileage pass. You’ll want to explore the French Quarter, eat some amazing cajun food and beignets, and enjoy a hurricane slushy or two.

57. Savannah. Located about 6 hours away on the coast of Georgia, Savannah is said to be one of the most beautiful cities in the U.S. Every single person I’ve met who has been to Savannah has loved it, and for good reason. This city features beautiful architecture, city parks filled with oak trees and Spanish moss, amazing southern food, open container laws so you can enjoy your wine outside, and more. As a bonus, Everything in the historic downtown area is walkable and they also have a trolley; so there’s no need to worry about a weekend DD.

58. Nashville. Located about 5.5 hours away, the capital of Tennessee (and the capital of country music) has a ton to offer for a weekend getaway. This lively city is filled with amazing restaurants, bars, museums, and more.

For more travel tips, check out my Instagram and Tiktok page.

xoxo