Decatur

Decatur is the largest city in Alabama and the county seat of Morgan County (with a portion also in Limestone County). It is known as "The River City" and is located in northern Alabama along the Tennessee River on the banks of Wheeler Lake. Decatur's early success, like that of many southern cities in the early nineteenth century, was based on its riverfront location. Railroad routes and boat traffic propelled the city to the forefront of North Alabama's economic environment. The city quickly grew into a major economic center in the Tennessee Valley, serving as a transportation and cargo hub between Nashville and Mobile, as well as Chattanooga and New Orleans.

Your trip to Decatur should include a stop at Point Mallard Park, a family water park with the country's first wave pool. Flint Creek, which flows into the Tennessee River, has waterslides, a lazy river, and a sandy beach. Visit the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, which is adjacent to the water park and contains 35,000 acres of natural wildlife and habitat. Decatur has several museums to visit, including the Cook Museum of Natural Science, an interactive museum that explores natural sciences in the region such as rocks, bugs, and wildlife. If you take the time to walk through Decatur's Albany Historic District, you will see many late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century homes with exquisite architecture all in one place. The neighborhood is on the National Register of Historic Places.