A bustling and vibrant city, Bessemer is located 15 miles to the south of Birmingham, Alabama, offering an easy connection to Birmingham and all its many attractions.
Bessemer was established in 1886 by the iron and steel magnate Henry Fairfield DeBardeleben It quickly grew into a flourishing economic hub that earned it the title of “The Marvel City”. Nowadays, Bessemer attracts visitors from across the globe, all looking to explore its vast industrial heritage and explore its gorgeous trail and park.
Let’s take a look at the top activities to enjoy within Bessemer:
1. Bessemer Hall of History Museum
In an old railroad depot in the south, the Bessemer Hall of History Museum will help you open your eyes to the city’s history.
With a collection of documents, artifacts as well as photographs, and even furniture that date back to 1890, guests will soon get a fuller picture of the life of this region of Alabama.
There’s a Civil War collection and even an exact reproduction from Downtown Bessemer.
Also, there are rare artifacts that range from a 1911 Excelsior Motorcycle to Martin Luther King’s cellblock doors as well as a World War II typewriter taken from Hitler’s Eagles Nest!
2. Alabama Splash Adventure
Alabama Splash Adventure is the most fun, thrilling day-out for kids of all ages.
It’s an amusement and waterpark park, which means you are able to choose which time and place to go.
If you’re brave enough to go down the 216-foot slide known as Upsurge or take a ride on Kahuna Waves or go to Splash Island, you can take on all of it.
Or, if you want to remain on the dry ground and enjoy the excitement of Rampage, the world’s best wooden roller coaster. You can also go to the well-named Drop Zone, which lifts adventurous visitors up to 30 feet in the air, and is awe-inspiring with a series of falls and bounces.
If you’ve had enough of the big water slides and rides, take a break and relax with the Royal Express – the park’s train. Or, challenge your players at the thrilling Vault Laser Maze.
3. DeBardeleben Park
DeBardeleben Park is situated in the historic heart of Downtown Bessemer.
The park covers 4 blocks. You can take a relaxing walk, picnic, or even cycle.
It is also surrounded by structures that date to the 1890s when the city of ‘The Marvel started its rapid growth as a flourishing steel town.
The park’s name comes from the city’s founder Henry Fairchild DeBardeleben It’s an appropriate tribute to him, featuring beautiful trees, floral displays, and an outdoor pavilion.
The park also has the famous statue of “Spirit of America’s Doughboy’, a statue depicting the image of an American Soldier from the First World War.
A variety of events take place in the park all through the year, such as live music performances as well as Christmas parades. Bob Sykes annual Blues and BBQ Festival.
4. Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge
Within Bessemer’s city limits is the stunning Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge.
Thomas Spring, a 1,000m2 pond, is a safe haven for the darter of watercress an endangered colorful fish that can measure between 2.5 inches in length.
This unique species is found only in five places in Alabama in the dense aquatic vegetation. They can feed on insects larvae crustaceans, snails, and crustaceans.
Visitors are welcome to the refuge to take photographs of wildlife and for hiking, however, fishing as you might imagine is not permitted.
5. Alabama Wine Trail
Begin your wine tasting adventure along the Alabama Wine Trail.
Alabama Wine country can be found just a short distance from Bessemer.
It’s the ideal place to try amazing local wines in breathtaking locations.
One of the vineyards closest to Bessemer is the Ozan Vineyard and Winery where you can find the award-winning craft style wines, including white, red semi-sweet, and dessert.
Enjoy a tour of the vineyards to learn about the wine-making process, and then stop for an amazing lunch al fresco.
6. Bessemer Farmer’s Market
Every week, this amazing Farmer’s Market specializes in the sale of the product that is produced in Alabama.
Visitors can buy eggs that are free-range fresh produce, herbs, vegetables preserved foods, baked goods along with essential oils.
Vendors are willing to let you taste their tasty food including honey and fruits and honey, so you can experience the benefits of buying organic and fresh produce.
7. Gip’s Place
A unique Juke Joint Gip’s Place has drawn Blues music lovers and musicians from all over the globe.
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant have been known to perform here The duo of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page played unannounced here, as did Chuck Berry even gifted the owner Gip Gibson with his guitar! Gip Gibson, the owner Gip is an icon in his own right. who began his career by entertaining his neighbors in his garage at home in the 1950s.
He re-created his Juke Joint on the same concepts, and it would become an establishment that was filled with great beer, dancing, and amazing live Blues music.
Fans of blues music must consider Gip’s place at the top of their travel list.
However, if you need a fun evening out, and also the chance to make new friends and make new friends, then you must go to Gip’s Place.
8. Doughboy Monument at DeBardeleben Park
Spirit of the American Doughboy is a copper sculpture designed by E.M. Viquesney.
It was erected to honor soldiers who died in during the First World War and an inscription on the plaque reads, ‘To honor the memory of all the World War heroes who died so that our civilization wouldn’t die on the planet’. The statue shows a doughboy holding a firearm on the one and a grenade on the other and, due to its popularity that it was re-created and exhibited in more than 140 U.S cities.
9. Red Mountain Park
If you’re looking to return to nature after several days of visiting, Red Mountain Park offers biking and hiking trails that go through historical sites and lush forests.
It is located just six miles away from Downtown Birmingham The park is home to excellent running trails of various lengths, as well as fantastic mountain biking trails.
If you’re a lover of local historical events, Red Mountain Park was originally an iron ore mining area The remains of this are still visible across the trails.
If you’re looking to meet new people while you’re there go through the ziplining events, or join 60 fellow fitness lovers on the running trail on Tuesday nights.
10. Moss Rock Preserve & Waterfall
The preserve’s natural 349 acres with wildlife, waterfalls, and lush forest is the perfect spot for relaxation and leisure.
There are more than 12 miles of running, hiking, and climbing trails from which you can admire stunning cascading waterfalls.
Start at Boulder Field and walk the sloped hill that ends at Hurricane Creek. Hurricane Creek.
It’s a serene spot to enjoy taking a picnic by the flows of water and waterfalls as well as an image of the park’s numerous wildlife.
11. Autobahn Indoor Speedway
The best method of getting your adrenaline pumping is to go to Autobahn Indoor Speedway.
This fantastic indoor track located in Bessemer is the perfect spot to host a celebration, or family or friends’ day trip.
Take a ride on a safe electric Italian pro-kart and navigate through the race track, achieving speeds up to 50 percent of a mile.
You can race against a team of your friends, or raise the fun by participating in a Blindfold race, or Pit Crew Challenge, there’s something that everyone can take pleasure in.
12. Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q
Locally owned and operated, Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q serves the famous southern BBQ food in Bessemer since the year 1957. Their BBQ sauce tastes so tasty that at Bob Sykes’ it’s been chosen as the top BBQ sauce across all of Alabama State.
The famous grill restaurant is known for its southern BBQ pit-to-plate dining which means if you love hamburgers, beef, pork chicken, ribs, or even a burger This is the perfect place for you! Every portion of meat is cooked with the aroma of smoky, fragrant charcoal, giving the authentic southern flavor that we all love and know.
The popular BBQ place also offers an array of delicious desserts for those who have sweet tooth.
13. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park
The park is spread across 1500 acres and the three counties of Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park are the perfect location to explore the past and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature.
The first settlers in the area discovered that this beautiful forest-lined valley was an important ore source and could make use of the abundant resources nature offered to build profitable businesses in the region.
In the current park, you can go back to the 1800s to witness what life was like back then.
Explore exhibits that showcase the lives and professions of craftsmen, blacksmiths, and millers. You can also travel by train to the original cotton gin and farm.
Explore visit the Iron and Steel Museum in order to explore the artifacts and enormous stone furnaces used in past times, prior to taking a hike across the woods to experience peace and peace in the park.
14. Historic Downtown Bessemer
Bessemer was established in 1886 by the pioneer industrialist Henry Fairfield deBardeleben.
His goal was to create a comfortable urban area that would attract people from other cities to the US to work in his steel and iron factories.
He bought his first commercial property within the same year the new president arrived. Within just a couple of months, Bessemer had become a city of 1,000 residents.
The number grew to 4,000 living in Bessemer within a mere two years.
The city’s growth reached such a rapid pace that new buildings were appearing at every street corner to help the city’s growing population.
If you visit Historic Downtown Bessemer and follow the path, you’ll be able to observe many of Bessemer’s oldest structures that are still standing.
15. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
If you’re planning to visit your destination in the Deep South, you may want to know details about Civil Rights Movement.
Fortunately, there is a place for you to do that. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute you are able to do that.
The exhibit shows the way in which black and white life are interspersed throughout Alabama from the 1800s until the present day.
A number of galleries tell the real story of daily life and the brutality that rocked Alabama during the 1960s and 1950s the period when it was the year that the Civil Rights Movement was truly acknowledged in the very first instance.
Don’t overlook The Processional Gallery which displays life-size figures of people of all races and ages taking part in the “Walk to Freedom”.
Also, check the Top 17 Things to Do in Auburn of Alabama
