Anniston

The Anniston Museum of Natural History offers the chance to explore the wilderness of North America, the mysteries of mummies dating over two thousand years old, the African wild, and more across seven interesting exhibit galls. Visitors can get face-to-face with some majestic, and sometimes deadly, animals. The museum also includes one of the oldest exhibits featuring birds in their habitats in the United States. Outside the Anniston Museum of Natural History are nature trails, and the Changing Exhibit Gallery shows how different artists interpret nature. The Children’s Discovery Room provides hands-on activities with natural wonders of Alabama.

800 Museum Dr, Anniston, AL 36206, Phone: 256-237-6766

The Berman Museum of World History features a wide variety of fascinating objects on display across its several exhibit halls. From American western frontier and the Civil War to Asian art World War II, there are plenty of areas in the museum to explore no matter what visitors’ interest may be. Among the war artifacts on display is a West Gun used in World War I, of which only two exist today. Other items on display in the museum include Remington bronze sculptures, intricately carved jade sculptures, exotic and rare weapons used in Europe, and a unique collection of swords.

840 Museum Drive, Anniston, AL 36206, Phone: 256-237-6261

Romantic Activities and Attractions:

Unassuming and quiet Anniston, Alabama has made a name for itself in mountain biking and biking in general, and the Coldwater Mountain Bike Trail (pdf) has certainly helped further this. Coldwater Mountains is mecca for mountain biking in the southeast. One of the more exhilarating portions of the trail is the Bomb Dog Loop, named after a beloved sheriff deputy canine. The trail loop is 11.3 miles in length and beings at the Cold Springs Trailhead. Within the larger loop are three options named in a fairy-tale manner: Baby Bear (the easiest), Mama Bear (the middle level), and Papa Bear (the most difficult).

Freedom Riders Park is one of the newer units of the National Park Service. This park contains the former Greyhound Bus Station on Gurnee Avenue in the downtown area of Anniston, Alabama. The bus station was the site where segregationists attacked the bus carrying the Freedom Riders in May of the year 1961. The park also includes the site beside the highway where the bus was firebombed six miles away. The Greyhound Bus Station is also part of the historic Anniston Civil Rights and Heritage Trail. This trail consists of nine different historical sites associated with the civil rights movement in Anniston.

4992 Old Birmingham Hwy, Anniston, AL 36201, Phone: 404-507-5605

The Big Chair in Anniston was the result of Miller’s Office Supply wanting to call attention the company. The owner of the business, Leonard “Sonny” Miller, came up with the idea of building the largest chair in the world in a vacant lot next door. The massive chair is still standing today at thirty-three feet tall, and the seat itself is fifteen feet. Miller’s chair was name the world’s largest by Guinness World’s Records in 1982. The chair was made from steel, ten tons of it, and it is anchored in the ground by fifteen tons of cement.

Where to Eat

Classic on Noble is one of the premier restaurants for fine dining in eastern Alabama. The restaurant provides a casual and welcoming atmosphere where customers will feel at home while enjoying their meal. Visitors often come from far away to experience the wonderful atmosphere and dining, while quite a bit of locals dine at Classic so much that they are as comfortable at the fine dining restaurant as they are at their own houses. Classic on Noble also offers catering, delivering food to events, homes, and offices throughout the Southeast, regularly providing catering the states of Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia.

1024 Noble St, Anniston, Alabama 36201, Phone: 256-237-5388

Top O’ the River is a family-owned restaurant in Anniston, Alabama that first opened in 1982. The family that owns the restaurant opened a second one in 1983 in Gadsden, and a third restaurant in 2002 in Guntersville, Alabama. Top O' the River has long been known to serve some of the best seafood, specifically catfish, in the area. Customers can expect hearty portions for the various dishes offered, with everything made fresh daily. The catfish served at Top O’ the River is grain fed and farm-raised in Mississippi. The restaurant’s unique menu items and customer service is what sets them apart.

3330 McClellan Blvd, Anniston, AL 36201, Phone: 256-238-0097