Drew, Koda, and I had a lot of fun exploring and eating our way through Huntsville. We've been hearing that Huntsville is beginning to boom, and the U.S. World and News Report ranked Huntsville as the #1 best place to live in the country in 2022! We decided to check out what all the talk is about!

We researched the city and quickly learned it has several breweries. If you don’t know this already, breweries are Drew’s love language (kidding... kind of haha). Our first stop in Huntsville was Yellowhammer Brewing. This brewery is located at Campus No. 805, which is an entertainment district that was created around an old school building that dates back to the late 1940s. We arrived at the brewery hungry after being on the road, so it worked out well that a local pizza joint called Earth and Stone Wood Fired Pizza is located within Yellowhammer Brewing. Their pizza and salads were great, but the bourbon chocolate Reese’s ice cream was the best part of the meal! So good! They also have ice cream without alcohol, but we had to try this bourbon ice cream.

Campus No. 805 would be a great place to go while visiting Huntsville. There is something for everyone there! Yellowhammer and Straight to Ale breweries are located there, as well as two arcade bars, indoor axe throwing, and a virtual golf course. There is a large, open grass area there that Koda loved running around on. Both breweries have dog-friendly patios.

We stayed downtown at Homewood Suites by Hilton, which is in a great location! Several great restaurants, a phenomenal cookie bakery called Cookie Fix, and a Publix grocery store are located around the corner, and it is an easy 15-minute walk to the main downtown area. The hotel is dog-friendly, and the staff was so welcoming to us and Koda! We walked with Koda to the main downtown area both mornings we were there. Downtown has many restaurants, local shops, and a great coffee shop called Honest Coffee Roasters.

Honest Coffee Roasters

If you love coffee like us, you should definitely go here while you are in Huntsville! Honest Coffee has several locations in Alabama and Tennessee, in case you have seen this name before. They serve high quality coffee, from beans to their house made syrups! They also serve acai bowls and other delicious breakfast and lunch food! I enjoyed the Bee’s Knees iced latte (salted honey and cinnamon) and one of their acai bowls, while Drew enjoyed a cappuccino and the Daybreak Bagel (open-faced blueberry bagel topped with almond butter, fruit, and chia seeds). So good!!!

We stumbled upon a small, historic district in the middle of downtown while walking. The buildings here are preserved original buildings from when Huntsville was first established. There is a tea shop called Piper and Leaf that is located within this area. They serve a variety of hot and iced flavored teas that were so refreshing after walking through the city!

Twickenham Historic District is a neighborhood in the downtown area that has streets filled with homes that date back to the early 1800s! It was so cool walking these streets, admiring the different architecture from a past time. It’s amazing that they can preserve homes for that long. Getting out of our car and walking in city neighborhoods is something we enjoy doing in each city that we visit. It’s cool to step away from the hustle and bustle and get a glimpse of what it’s like to live there.

MidCity District is a more modern area of Huntsville and about a 15-minute drive from downtown. There’s Top Golf, Dave & Buster’s, indoor rock climbing, Stars & Strikes bowling, The Camp (details below), Trader Joe’s, and so much more! We played Top Golf for an hour and had a ball! Top Golf can be expensive, so I recommend looking on their website under ‘Promotions’ in advance and planning around one of their offers to save money. For example, we went on half-priced Tuesday.

The Orion Amphitheater, also located in the booming area of MidCity District, is a beautiful outdoor venue that seats 8,000 people. Famous artists play here, among many other special guests. They also have fun community events here.

The Camp is an outdoor venue that is unique to Huntsville with live music, food trucks, coffee, and it’s dog-friendly! It doesn’t get much better than having all that in one place! There’s a farmers’ market there every Sunday during the months March - November. Check out their website for up-to-date events. I also find it helpful to search for businesses on Instagram or Facebook for up-to-date information.

If you’re visiting on a Wednesday in April - October, Burritt on the Mountain hosts a beautiful evening to watch the sunset. The event is 5pm-8pm and free admission! They have a full-service cash bar, as well as charcuterie boards and other snack foods to purchase. You can purchase food in advance also- a picnic basket for two or a charcuterie board for sharing- on their website. There is also live music while you wait for the sun to set. I recommend getting there when they open to get a good seat on the terrace.

Domaine South Restaurant

We loved this restaurant located in the heart of downtown! They now have two locations. They opened up a new location right around the corner from the original that seats triple the number of people and offers an expanded menu! They serve build-your-own charcuterie boards, along with entrees, sandwiches, and small plates that are subject to change since they use local and seasonal ingredients. Everything was so delicious, and the service was great! They also have a full bar with a great selection of wine and cocktails. You can sit indoors or outdoors overlooking Big Spring Park. Their original location is now a sandwich and wine bar called Le Petit Bijou which I have not been to, but I’m sure it's great as well!

Huntsville is known for the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. In fact, a rocket is one of the first things you see when entering Huntsville city limits! Huntsville is nicknamed “Rocket City” because it is where rockets were developed that put astronauts on the moon! Even still, Huntsville is building rockets, such as the Artemis I, that are allowing for space exploration to the moon and Mars. Besides the interesting history and innovation that goes on there, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center is the largest space museum in the world. It is home to the first American satellite, Explorer I, and it has the original capsule trainers for two space missions! It also contains a variety of exhibits that are fun for kids. On top of all that, it is home to the U.S. Space Camp which has graduated five astronauts. Check this place out for a fun, family-friendly tourist attraction that includes a little bit for everyone! Admission is a bit pricey at $30 per person, but be sure to check out their website for promotions.

The Nook is a German-style bar that serves over 400 different beers! 80 beers are on tap, 36 being local to Huntsville. The ceilings are low, the lights were slightly dim, and the bartender had a German accent. It really did feel like we were walking into a German pub! They have two separate outdoor patios, one that is dog friendly. They had stringed lights hung above the patio, and I imagined it being cozy at night. We enjoyed the atmosphere, our beers, and friendly service. I got a grapefruit Radler from Austria, and Drew got a Hefeweizen from Germany, both on draft. We would definitely go back there! If you like beer, this should be a stop for you!

Gold Sprint Coffee Shop

Gold Sprint coffee shop was a winner! The coffee was top notch, and we ate the best breakfast burrito here! I loved the vintage decor, and Koda was so happy that he could join us there on the back patio. They have unique, house-made syrups for their drinks, which I think is so cool! I got the bergamot syrup and loved it! Bergamot tastes slightly citrusy. They also have vanilla, mocha, and caramel that are house-made as well!

Restaurants:

Domaine South at 200 Westside Square
Le Petit Bijou by Domaine South
Campus No. 805
Earth and Stone Wood Fired Pizza
Stovehouse – like Campus No. 805, this is one place with multiple restaurants, venues, & other businesses
Phil Sandoval’s Mexican Restaurant
Urban Cookhouse
Melt

Entertainment:

U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Huntsville Botanical Garden
Monte Sano State Park
Burritt on the Mountain
Big Spring Park - you will find the Huntsville mural here!
Huntsville Trash Pandas AA Baseball
Ronnie Raygun’s Pinball Arcade at Campus No. 805
Pints & Pixels at Campus No. 805
Civil Axe Throwing at Campus No. 805
X-Golf Huntsville at Campus No. 805 (virtual golf course; craft beer, wine, and food)
The Orion Amphitheater – check website for a list of upcoming concerts and events
LOWE Mill Arts & Entertainment – art classes, outdoor markets, concerts, and more
Top Golf
High Point Indoor Rock Climbing
The Camp
Farmers’ Market at MidCity
Free yoga at MidCity

Activities Outside the City:

Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro
Walls of Jericho 8-mile hiking trail in Estillfork

Coffee:

Honest Coffee Roasters
Offbeat Coffee Studio
Gold Sprint

Sugar:

Cookie Fix

Bigfoot’s Little Donuts

Oscar Moon’s Milkshake Shop

L’Etoile Patisserie

Beer:

Yellowhammer

Straight to Ale Brewing

The Nook

Rocket Republic

Green Bus Brewing

InnerSpace Brewing

Salty Nut Brewery

Fractal Brewing

Mad Malts Brewing

The Brewers Cooperative

Huntsville, Alabama