4 Alabama small towns for you to explore this summer

By Haley Laurence

Main Street Bakery and Cafe is just one of the businesses on Main Street in Hartselle. (Haley Laurence)Haley Laurence

Looking for a small town to explore on humid summer days? Luckily for us, Alabama has plenty of ‘em.

Here are four small towns you should visit when you would like to go out exploring on a random Saturday. (Note: I narrowed my list down to four, but I could have easily talked about a couple dozen, at least.)

What did I miss? Send me an email and let me know!

Hartselle

This small northwest Alabama town might be one of the state’s underrated gems. The Main Street area has a whole lot of charm – be prepared to take photos all day. There’s a mix of unique businesses to explore on the stretch of road, too. You’ll find dozens of boutiques and gift shops with a variety of offerings, from kids clothing to antiques. There’s even an equine country store (Whinny Wisdom) and a bridal shop (Something Blue Bridal Shoppe). Make sure to also check out PIZZA ED, which we named Alabama’s Best Pizza last year. (The Chicago deep dish pizza is divine.) And, of course, Freight House Restaurant serves Southern fare in a historic train station, making it one of the state’s most unique restaurants.

Camden

The small Black Belt town may only have a population of 2,000, but it has plenty of eclectic places to check out. Coast to Coast is a mainstay in the downtown area – not only is it a hardware store, but you can also find gifts, merchandise and even plants for your garden. It’s huge and has pretty much everything you need. Black Belt Treasures Cultural Art Center promotes the work of hundreds of Black Belt artists – pick up something for yourself and a friend. The Pecan Downtown serves hearty Saturday brunches and offers take-home meals. And Jackson’s Station – formally Jackson’s Fried Chicken – was in our top 5 fried chicken list last year. Try the COB sauce, trust us.

Fort Payne

The folks of Fort Payne have worked hard the past decade to renovate the small town, and it’s looking really lovely. The Main Street area on Gault Avenue is filled with bustling businesses and restaurants that should be on your bucket list. Boom Town Makers Market sells arts and crafts made by local artists. The Spot is an eclectic, charming coffee shop; Vintage 1889 serves up delicious food in a historic mill. Before you leave Main Street, make sure to take a picture with the Pete the Cat mural – it was painted by author/illustrator James Dean, who is a Fort Payne native. (And check out the statues of the country band Alabama, located right across the street.)

And, of course while you’re in town you have to check out the area’s natural beauty at DeSoto State Park and Little River Canyon National Preserve. Both should be on every Alabamians’ bucket lists.

Eufaula

Eufaula is mighty gorgeous – there’s a reason they filmed some scenes of Reese Witherspoon’s “Sweet Home Alabama” there. Lakepoint State Park shows off that beauty – and offers some pretty top-notch freshwater fishing, too. (We named it a top 5 state park back in 2016.) For decades, people from all over have been stopping at Donut King to get sweet treats on the way to the beach. (Yes, it scored high on our best doughnut list as well.) I know you’ll find something you love at Superior Pecans and Gifts. It has been in business for 90 years and sells specialty coffee, jams, pecans and more. And Cajun Corner is a New Orleans-inspired restaurant that is sure to please.