Things to Do in Montgomery, AL: History, Arts, and Family Fun

Few cities pack as much into a weekend as Alabama’s capital. If you’re searching for things to do in Montgomery, AL, you’ll find landmarks that shaped American history, a respected art museum, a lively riverfront, and plenty of ways to keep the whole family busy.

This guide walks through the Montgomery, AL attractions worth building your days around, with practical tips for each stop, a list of free things to do, easy day trips, and tips on how many days to spend. Whether you’re in town for one day or settling in for a longer stay, you’ll find ideas that fit your pace. For even more local ideas, see our page on exploring Montgomery from your campsite.

Before You Go: Tips for Visiting Montgomery

A little planning goes a long way in Montgomery. Keep these tips in mind as you map out your trip:

• Go in spring or fall if you can. Mild temperatures make it easier to walk downtown and enjoy outdoor spots. Summers are hot and humid, so plan outdoor stops for the morning or evening.
• Check hours before you head out. Many museums and historic sites are closed one or two days a week, and some offer tours only at set times.
• Group downtown stops together. Many of the city’s civil rights landmarks are close to each other, so you can park once and explore on foot.
• Leave room for reflection. Some sites cover difficult history. Give yourself time between stops, and consider how much younger kids are ready for.
• Start at the visitor center. The Montgomery Visitor Center downtown has maps, guides, and staff who can help you plan your day.
• Pick your home base early. Traveling by RV? Our guide to RV parks in Montgomery, AL covers what to look for in a campground near the city.

Staying at Montgomery Station RV Resort? You’re just off I-85, a short drive from the city’s top attractions.

Civil Rights History in Montgomery

Montgomery is where the Montgomery Bus Boycott began in 1955 and where the Selma to Montgomery March ended in 1965. The places connected to that history are some of the most meaningful places to visit in Montgomery, AL, and many are within walking distance of each other downtown.

National Memorial for Peace and Justice

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice is one of the most powerful sites in the country. Created by the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), this six-acre memorial on a hilltop overlooking Montgomery remembers more than 4,400 Black people killed in racial terror lynchings between 1877 and 1950. Their names are engraved on more than 800 steel monuments, one for each county where a lynching took place.

Walking through the memorial is a quiet, deeply moving experience. Many visitors say it changes how they understand American history.

Good to know: The memorial is outdoors, so dress for the weather and bring water in warmer months.

The Legacy Museum

The memorial is one of four Legacy Sites created by EJI. The Legacy Museum sits downtown on the site of a former cotton warehouse where enslaved Black people were forced to labor. Its exhibits trace the history of racial injustice in America, from enslavement and racial terror through segregation and into the present day.

The museum uses first-person stories, archival materials, and immersive exhibits. Most visitors spend three to five hours here, and it’s a good place to start before visiting the memorial.

Good to know: One general admission ticket covers all four Legacy Sites, and you don’t have to see them all in one day. Free shuttles run between the sites, and each site has free parking. The Legacy Sites are closed on Tuesdays, so check the Legacy Sites visitor information for current hours and tickets before you go.

Freedom Monument Sculpture Park

Freedom Monument Sculpture Park covers 17 acres on the banks of the Alabama River and focuses on the lives of enslaved people and the legacy of slavery in America. Visitors can arrive by a short boat ride on the Alabama River, which becomes part of the experience, or by free shuttle.

At the center of the park is the National Monument to Freedom, a towering wall inscribed with more than 120,000 surnames adopted by formerly enslaved people after emancipation. Sculptures by contemporary artists and original artifacts are placed throughout the grounds.

Good to know: Boats leave from downtown about every 20 minutes. Plan on one to two hours, and wear comfortable shoes, since the park is outdoors and spread across a large site.

Montgomery Square

Montgomery Square is the newest Legacy Site. It honors the decade from 1955 to 1965, when Montgomery’s Black community helped spark a movement for civil rights that reached around the world. The site sits on Montgomery Street, near the route where marchers completed the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965.

Located next to the Elevation Hotel and Convening Center, the site brings the era to life through art, sculpture, photography, and films featuring first-person accounts from activists and leaders of the movement.

Good to know: Montgomery Square is free to the public. It’s also close to the Rosa Parks Museum, so the two pair well on the same morning or afternoon.

Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery

The Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University’s Montgomery campus stands near the spot where Rosa Parks was arrested in December 1955 for refusing to give up her bus seat. Exhibits and multimedia displays walk visitors through her arrest and the 381-day bus boycott that followed.

The museum works well for all ages, including kids who are learning this history for the first time. It’s a natural first stop before exploring the rest of downtown.

Good to know: The museum is on Montgomery Street, a short walk from Court Square and the Riverfront.

Civil Rights Memorial and Center

If you’re looking for a civil rights museum in Montgomery, AL, beyond the Legacy Sites, the Civil Rights Memorial and Center honors people who lost their lives during the Civil Rights Movement. The memorial outside, designed by Maya Lin, features water flowing over a circular stone table inscribed with names and key events from the movement.

Inside the center, exhibits tell the stories of the people honored at the memorial and invite visitors to reflect on the ongoing work for justice.

Good to know: The outdoor memorial sits in an open plaza that’s accessible 24 hours a day, so it’s a quiet place to pause even if you only have a few minutes. The center has its own hours and admission.

Freedom Rides Museum

The Freedom Rides Museum is housed in the former Greyhound bus station where Freedom Riders were attacked by a mob in May 1961. The riders were challenging segregation on interstate buses, and the violence here drew national attention to their cause.

An award-winning exhibit on the outside of the building tells the Freedom Riders’ story in their own words and images. Inside, exhibits show how buildings like this one were designed to keep people separated by race, and a video exhibit shares reflections from riders and witnesses.

Good to know: The museum sits at the corner of South Court Street and Adams Avenue downtown. Hours are limited and admission is charged, so check before you go.

Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church and Dexter Parsonage Museum

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. served as pastor of Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church during the bus boycott, and meetings here helped organize the movement. The church sits just down the street from the Alabama State Capitol.

A short drive away, the Dexter Parsonage Museum preserves the home where Dr. King and his family lived during those years.

Good to know: Both sites offer guided tours at set times, so call ahead or check their schedules before visiting.

Alabama State Capitol

The Alabama State Capitol sits at the top of Dexter Avenue and is a National Historic Landmark. Its history spans some of the most important moments in the city’s past, and its steps are where the Selma to Montgomery March concluded in 1965.

Next door, the Alabama Department of Archives and History houses the Museum of Alabama, with exhibits covering the state’s long and complex history.

Good to know: The Capitol and the Museum of Alabama are both good options if you’re looking for free things to do in Montgomery, AL. Check current tour times before you go.

Arts, Culture, and Local Landmarks

Montgomery’s story goes well beyond civil rights history. From a free art museum and a nationally known theater to a living history village and museums honoring a country music legend and a famous literary couple, these stops show the city’s creative side.

Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts

Set in Blount Cultural Park, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts is one of the oldest art museums in Alabama. Its collection includes American paintings and sculpture, Southern regional and folk art, works on paper, and pieces by well-known artists like Edward Hopper and Winslow Homer.

Families will appreciate the museum’s hands-on gallery, where kids can explore and create. The sculpture garden and the lake outside make it easy to pair your visit with a walk in the park.

Good to know: Admission and parking are free, which makes this one of the best free things to do in Montgomery, AL. The museum is closed on Mondays. Check current hours and exhibits on the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts visitor page.

Alabama Shakespeare Festival

Also in Blount Cultural Park, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival is a professional theater that stages hundreds of performances each year. Its season goes well beyond Shakespeare, with Broadway musicals, American classics, children’s productions, and world premieres.

Performances take place in the Carolyn Blount Theatre, home to the larger Festival Stage and the more intimate Octagon Theatre. It’s a beautiful setting for a special night out, whether you’re traveling as a couple or with kids.

Good to know: Arrive early and walk the park or the Shakespeare Garden before your show. Check the season schedule when you plan your trip, since shows run on set dates.

Old Alabama Town

Step back into the 1800s at Old Alabama Town, a living history museum spread across six blocks of downtown Montgomery. Dozens of 19th- and early 20th-century homes and buildings were saved from demolition, restored, and moved here to show what everyday life looked like in central Alabama.

On the Working Block, you can see a cotton gin, a blacksmith shop, a print shop, and a grist mill. Nearby, Lucas Tavern, built around 1818, once hosted the Marquis de Lafayette, and the Living Block includes a one-room schoolhouse, a doctor’s office, and a church.

Good to know: Old Alabama Town is open Thursday through Saturday, so plan around those days. Buy tickets at Lucas Tavern, then explore on a self-guided tour for about two to three hours. Children 12 and under get in free with a paying adult, and parking is free.

Hank Williams Museum

Country music fans shouldn’t miss the Hank Williams Museum, dedicated to the legendary singer-songwriter who lived in Montgomery from 1937 until his death on New Year’s Day in 1953. The star attraction is his baby blue 1952 Cadillac, the car he was riding in on his final journey.

More than 30 display cases hold his suits, boots, hats, awards, and his Gibson guitar. A statue of Hank Williams stands about a block away, and his grave at Oakwood Cemetery is only a few minutes’ drive from the museum.

Good to know: The museum is on Commerce Street downtown and is open daily. Photos and cell phones aren’t allowed during your visit.

Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum

Book lovers can visit the Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum, the only museum in the world dedicated to the famous Jazz Age couple. Zelda grew up in Montgomery, and the Fitzgeralds rented this house in the Old Cloverdale neighborhood in 1931 and 1932. During their stay, Scott worked on Tender Is the Night and Zelda wrote part of her novel Save Me the Waltz.

Exhibits include letters, photographs, first editions, personal belongings, and several of Zelda’s own paintings. It’s the last surviving home in Montgomery where the couple lived.

Good to know: The museum is open only a few days a week, so check its hours before you go. Old Cloverdale has restaurants and shops nearby, making it easy to pair with lunch.

Family Fun in Montgomery, Alabama

Not every stop has to be a museum. These things to do in Montgomery, Alabama are great for families and anyone who wants time outdoors.

Montgomery Zoo and Mann Wildlife Learning Museum

The Montgomery Zoo is home to hundreds of animals from five continents, including African elephants, Bengal tigers, cheetahs, giraffes, chimpanzees, and pygmy hippos. Shaded walkways make it manageable on warm days, and kids love the petting zoo, Parakeet Cove, and rides on the Zoofari Skylift and miniature train. Next door, the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum houses one of the Southeast’s largest collections of preserved North American wildlife.

Admission includes Waters of the World, an aquatic exhibit with fish, turtles, and stingrays, plus daily keeper talks at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. For something more memorable, book a small-group, behind-the-scenes experience with the zoo’s elephants, giraffes, or other animals.

Good to know: Rides and behind-the-scenes experiences cost extra, and experiences must be booked at least 48 hours ahead. See the zoo’s animal experiences and encounters page for current schedules. Plan at least half a day, and arrive early in summer to beat the heat.

Riverfront Park

Riverfront Park stretches from the banks of the Alabama River up to downtown, right beside the historic Union Station Train Shed. Historical markers along the way share the area’s past, and the Riverwalk Amphitheater, set in a bend of the river, hosts outdoor concerts throughout the year.

Families can cool off at the splash pad in summer, and dog owners can stop by the Rotary Dog Park. Seasonal events include the Riverbend Brew Fest in spring and the Riverwalk Wine Festival in fall, and the park glows with lights during the holidays.

Good to know: The park is free to explore and sits next to Riverwalk Stadium and the Harriott II dock, so it’s easy to pair with a ballgame or a cruise.

Harriott II Riverboat

The Harriott II is a riverboat styled after the paddle-wheel boats of the 1800s, docked beside the Riverwalk Amphitheater. Cruises along the Alabama River feature live entertainment, food, and drinks, and some include a full dinner, making it a relaxing evening out for couples, families, and groups.

The river views, especially around sunset, are a highlight, and after a cruise you’re steps from downtown restaurants and nightlife.

Good to know: Buy tickets in advance, since cruises can sell out and tickets are nonrefundable. Cruises that include a meal must be booked at least 48 hours ahead, and a cruise may be rescheduled if too few tickets are sold. Board through the tunnel entrance to Riverfront Park at 255 Commerce Street. Military guests receive a 10% discount on individual tickets.

Montgomery Biscuits Baseball

The Montgomery Biscuits, the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, play at Riverwalk Stadium downtown. The ballpark is built into a century-old train shed, and the original structure still lines the first-base side, giving it a look you won’t find at any other stadium.

Games are packed with family fun. Snap a photo with mascot Big Mo, watch for biscuits launched into the stands from the Biscuits Cannon, and stay for post-game fireworks on select nights. The stadium also has picnic areas and a kids’ playground.

Good to know: The season runs from April through September. Check the schedule for fireworks nights and promotions before you buy tickets.

Montgomery Whitewater

Montgomery Whitewater is a 120-acre outdoor adventure park near downtown, built around an Olympic-standard, man-made whitewater course. Guided rafting trips run through Class II to IV rapids, and visitors can also try kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and solo inflatable kayaks.

On dry land, the park has a high ropes course with ziplines, a bouldering wall, and trails for walking, running, and mountain biking, making it a great fit for active families and groups.

Good to know: Montgomery Whitewater ended its 2026 season after Labor Day, and public operations are paused through the winter for maintenance. Check its website for reopening dates, age requirements, and bookings before you plan a visit.

Blount Cultural Park

Inspired by the English countryside, Blount Cultural Park is home to the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, but it’s worth a visit on its own. Walk the paved paths and trails around the ponds, watch for herons and egrets, or explore the Shakespeare Garden near the theater.

Dog owners can visit the Hannah Daye Ridling Bark Park near the Vaughn Road entrance, which has separate areas for large and small dogs.

Good to know: The park is free and open daily from dawn to dusk. Pack a picnic and pair your visit with the free art museum.

Free Things to Do in Montgomery, AL

Traveling on a budget? Here’s a quick look at stops from this guide that don’t require an admission fee:

• Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts: Free general admission to the galleries and sculpture garden.
• Blount Cultural Park: Walking paths, ponds, the Shakespeare Garden, and a dog park.
• Alabama State Capitol: Free self-guided and guided tours of the historic building, plus a walk along the Dexter Avenue corridor.
• Museum of Alabama: Exhibits on state history at the Alabama Department of Archives and History, plus a hands-on Children’s Gallery for families.
• Montgomery Square: The newest Legacy Site, honoring the decade from 1955 to 1965.
• Civil Rights Memorial: The outdoor memorial is open for quiet reflection.
• Riverfront Park: River views, walking paths, and seasonal events.
• Montgomery Visitor Center: Maps, guides, and trip ideas downtown.

Admission policies can change, so check each attraction’s website before you go.

Day Trips From Montgomery

If you have an extra day, a few worthwhile trips are an easy drive away. About an hour west, Selma is where the 1965 voting rights march began at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Head east on I-85 to Tuskegee to visit the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site at Moton Field, an easy drive from Montgomery Station RV Resort, formerly the Montgomery KOA Journey. To the north, the small town of Wetumpka offers kayaking, tubing, and rafting on the Coosa River.

How Many Days Do You Need in Montgomery?

With one day, focus on downtown. The Legacy Museum alone can take three to five hours, so pair it with the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and save other stops for another trip. A weekend gives you time to add the Rosa Parks Museum, the Dexter Avenue corridor, and a family or arts outing like the Montgomery Zoo or the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. Planning a weekend getaway? Browse our camping options for your trip, including RV and tent camping.

With three days or more, add a day trip to Selma or Tuskegee, or slow down with a riverboat cruise and a visit to Old Alabama Town. If you’re bringing an RV, ask about longer RV stays in Montgomery.

Make Montgomery Station Your Home Base

After a full day of exploring, it helps to come back to a place where you can relax. Montgomery Station RV Resort sits just off I-85, making it a convenient base for seeing the city and taking day trips around the region. With RV sites, tent camping, and extended stays, it’s easy to find a setup that fits your trip.

For events, dining, and seasonal happenings around the city, Experience Montgomery, the city’s official visitor site, is a helpful resource while you plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top things to do in Montgomery, AL?

Popular stops include the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the Legacy Museum, the Rosa Parks Museum, the Civil Rights Memorial and Center, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, the Alabama State Capitol, and the Montgomery Zoo.

Are there free things to do in Montgomery, AL?

Yes. The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Blount Cultural Park, the Alabama State Capitol, the Museum of Alabama, Montgomery Square, the Civil Rights Memorial, and Riverfront Park are all good options that don’t require an admission fee.

Is Montgomery a good destination for families?

Absolutely. The Montgomery Zoo, riverboat cruises, Biscuits games, Montgomery Whitewater (when it’s open for the season), and the hands-on gallery at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts are all popular with kids.

What is the best time of year to visit Montgomery?

Spring and fall offer the most comfortable weather for walking and outdoor activities. Summer is hot and humid, so plan outdoor stops early or late in the day.

Are the civil rights sites suitable for children?

Many are, especially the Rosa Parks Museum. Some sites, like the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, cover difficult and emotional history, so parents may want to review what to expect before visiting with younger kids.

Plan Your Montgomery Getaway

From powerful history to art, theater, and family outings, there are plenty of things to do in Montgomery, AL. Give yourself time to take it all in, and make your stay easy with a comfortable place to come back to each night.

Ready to start planning? Book your site at Montgomery Station RV Resort today.