10 Best Things to Do in Madison, Alabama

By VI Staff on April 20, 2019

Throughout the 20th century, Madison, Alabama grew rapidly as the result of military and aerospace activity in the region and has become one of the American Southeast’s fastest-growing cities. The city is home to more than 46,000 residents and is surrounded on all sides by Huntsville, which is home to attractions such as the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and Monte Sano State Park.

1.Rainbow Mountain Trail

Rainbow Mountain Trail is a mile and a half loop trail that offers opportunities for hikers, runners, and dog owners to explore the beautiful Rainbow Mountain region. The moderately easy trail is accessible year-round from a gravel parking lot and crosses creek beds and forested areas that are home to abundant flora and fauna. The trail intersects with several other trails along its route, including Jakes Trail and the Ja Moo Koo Loop Trail. At the end of the trail, an old playground is located near the intersection with Spring Trail. During the autumn months, the trail offers chances to see spectacular colorful leaf displays.

230 Stoneway Trail, Madison, AL 35758, Phone: 256-534-5263

2.Dublin Memorial Park

Dublin Memorial Park is a 60-acre park that offers a wide variety of opportunities for indoor and outdoor recreation, including an eight-lane swimming pool with a 62-foot water slide and a double-court gymnasium with volleyball, basketball, and walking track facilities. Nine soccer fields and seven tennis courts are offered outside, along with a community-constructed playground, nine-hole disc golf course, and a paved walking trail. The park hosts a variety of special events throughout the year, including an annual Fourth of July celebration that features live musical performances, children’s inflatables, and a fireworks show at dusk.

8324 Madison Pike, Madison, AL 35758, Phone: 256-772-9300

3.Insanity Skate Park

Insanity Skate Park is a 28-acre complex within walking distance of Madison’s historic downtown. Since its 2015 opening, it has become a top destination for family entertainment and events, offering a variety of indoor and outdoor attractions for visitors of all ages. A 4,000-square-foot laser tag arena hosts games for up to 24 players, while a roller skating rink serves as a venue for inline skating and roller hockey. Outside, the park’s 38,000-square-foot extreme skate park offer opportunities for BMX biking and skateboarding, with features such as a Skatelite Pro 12-foot halfpipe, concrete steel course, and back-to-back miniature vert ramps. Other attractions include a rock climbing wall, a miniature golf course, batting cages, and a full arcade showcasing over 45 video and redemption games.

100 Skate Park Dr, Madison, AL 35758, Phone: 256-319-0000

4.Madison City Farmers Market

Madison City Farmers Market is Madison’s premiere producers-only farmer’s market and has operated on Saturday mornings since 2007. The market is proud to exclusively sell items that have been grown or produced by Tennessee Valley residents within a 100-mile radius. It features a wide variety of produce and goods cultivated by local farmers and artisans, including the freshest area selection of vegetables, fruit, meats, cheese, and eggs. Vendors sell goods such as honey, relishes, jams, and baked goods, while artisans showcase handmade household items and arts and crafts. Pets are welcome at the seasonal market, which operates weekly between April and November, with the exception of major national holidays.

1088 Hughes Rd, Madison, AL 35758, Phone: 256-656-7841

5.Mad County Winery

Mad County Winery is a family-operated small-batch winery that produces fine wines and spirits under the Country Hick label. The winery was founded by Alabama resident Cotton Williams, who aspired to create unique Appalachian hillbilly-style wines using methods that shared similarities with the preserve-making process. Today, the company’s high-fermented wines are crafted from unique fruits such as cranberries, apples, peaches, and watermelon and feature bold, vibrant flavors unlike most standard grape wines. Wine variants include the company’s AlaBamaRita wine, which blends lemon, lime, and apple fermentations to produce a flavor similar to a margarita. Tours and tastings are available at the winery’s Madison tasting room.

121 Castle Drive N.W., Bldg D, Madison, AL 35758, Phone: 256-864-7775

6.The Alabama War Museum

The Alabama War Museum is housed within an historic two-story log cabin building and showcases a wide variety of exhibits related to the state’s military history. The family-friendly museum spans conflicts dating as far back as 10,000 B.C., detailing indigenous conflicts, battles with European settlers, and the state’s participation in major modern military conflicts. All artifacts on display from the museum’s private collection are certified authentic, with many available for visitors to touch and interact with in hands-on exhibits. International military artifacts are also showcased, with a focus on relics from the ancient Roman, Greek, Aztec, and Persian Empires.

30030 US-72, Madison, AL 35756, Phone: 256-520-6942

7.Madison Public Library

Madison Public Library is part of the 13-branch Huntsville-Madison County Public Library and is housed within a brand-new building that opened in January of 2018. The library has served the city for more than four decades and serves a population of more than 55,000 throughout the Madison region, the second-highest circulation of any library within the system. An extensive book and multimedia collection is available for checkout, and a computer workstation offers access to printing services and free wireless internet use. A teen gaming center and an interactive literacy center are available for young visitors, and a large outdoor movie screen offers seasonal showings of popular films. Storytime events, book groups, and public workshops are also offered throughout the week.

1160, 142 Plaza Blvd, Madison, AL 35758, Phone: 256-461-0046

8.Old Greenbrier Restaurant

Old Greenbrier Restaurant has been serving its famous Southern seafood dishes and barbecue since 1952 at a takeout stand opened by Jack Webb. In 1971, the business was opened as a full-service restaurant, attracting customers with rooftop performances by local country musicians. Today, the Madison favorite serves casual, authentic Southern-style cooking, highlighting menu options such as catfish, barbecue pork dinners, and homemade hush puppies. The restaurant also offers group seating by reservation for groups of 15 to 115 in its private meeting and dining rooms and provides catering upon request for private special events, including birthday parties, reunions, and corporate events.

27028 Old Hwy 20, Madison, AL 35756, Phone: 256-351-1800

9.Edo Japanese Restaurant

Edo Japanese Restaurant opened its doors in 1988 and has become Madison’s premiere Japanese cuisine restaurant and sushi bar today. The traditional-style restaurant is operated by restauranter Kiyo Honma, the former owner of Huntsville’s Japanese Kitchen, and serves a variety of homemade authentic Japanese dishes made to satisfy all five senses, prepared with the highest quality meats and seafood possible. Mix-and-match boxes and a la carte items are served at lunch, with a wide variety of noodle dishes, curries, tempuras, and sushi rolls available for dinner. A children’s menu is also available, along with a selection of traditional Japanese desserts.

104 Intercom Dr, Madison, AL 35758, Phone: 256-772-0360

10.Logan's Roadhouse

Logan's Roadhouse is a casual dining restaurant that encourages guests to relax with friends and family in an upbeat, social roadhouse environment. The restaurant chain was founded in Louisville, Kentucky in 1991 and now offers more than 200 locations throughout 23 states, including a Madison location on Madison Boulevard. High-quality mesquite-grilled steaks and American pub fare are served, along with a bar serving a variety of ice-cold beer selections. All tables receive complimentary all-you-can-eat buckets of shelled peanuts and servings of the restaurant’s famous yeast rolls. Daily happy hour pricing is available throughout the afternoon hours, and children eat free at the restaurant on Wednesdays. Reservations are recommended for groups of 10 or more.

8994 Madison Blvd, Madison, AL 35758, Phone: 256-772-0960