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Guide to Huntsvil-Decatur, USA - Alabama
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Huntsvil-DecaturHuntsville-Decatur
In the northernmost quarter of Alabama sit two cities of regional renown: Huntsville and Decatur. Both are considered close brothers (or sisters), the latter of which shares a name with the largest body of fresh water in the state, Lake Decatur. Somehow it seems odd that the less tourist-friendly sibling (Decatur) is known by more people, but maybe we just have to chalk it up to the phenomenally widespread idea of "southern root." On to the basics. Huntsville, similar in size to its neighbor, is where the goodies reside. You can spend days at sites such as its IMAX theatre inside Space Camp, its historic depot (train station cum museum, and its quite bounteous Museum of Art, and its numerous little parks, along with its proximity to one of Alabama's state parks, Monte Sano, are all serene spots on an otherwise conventional city platform. Decatur, well, Decatur is generally the place to go if you've been absent from southern hospitality too long. Don't get us wrong, the city has been one of the quickest to embrace technological and sociological trends roaming the nation, but trek over to the rural-esque outcrops (Or should we say originators?) near the city's limits and you'll come to know the colonial and revolutionary imagery that has ingrained this region in so many minds over the decades, even centuries. After all is said and done, Huntsville and Decatur seem to have unofficially joined into a bind through which each shares and/or provides for one another in various aspects - and through various means. They've both got their strengths, as well as weakness, making a visit to each nothing less than mandatory if the full monty is what you desire.
When to go:
If you're to worry about one thing in particular before or during your trip to Huntsville-Decatur, it's humidity. The cities both on and near Lake Decatur are hosts to steamy summers, and along with the heat comes thick air that rarely ever shifts its nature. The shoulder months are considered ideal for their lack of an intense sun, but if so much as a bead of perspiration finds its way to the surface of yourself or someone within close distance of yourself, mosquitoes will dine. Within the cities themselves, the environment is not too burdensome, but you may see museums and other indoor attractions with a heightened interest than you might normally show.
Getting there and around:
Huntsville International Airport, a venue for domestic and greater North American travel, offers easy access to the usual array of services - rental car agencies; currency exchange; food court - and a short drive will have you at one of the cities' hotels in little time. Taxis are recommended if your destination is rather distant, though the airport's shuttle system will get you to most major sites in the area. The county in which Huntsville and Decatur reside is host to a well-connected public transit system not at all inferior to those found in Birmingham and Montgomery. If the cities' major attractions are what have caught your eye, private means of travel are unnecessary. Flipping the coin, if, by chance, you're considering a full tour of Lake Decatur's surroundings, a vehicle and a detailed guide are worth the premium.
Attractions:
If Rauschenberg and Benton are familiar names, you might want to scoot over to Huntsville's Museum of Art while you're in the area. Comprised of rotating exhibits featuring local, national, and foreign creations, this is the thought to be one of Alabama's choicest supplies of oiled canvases and pottery.
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