While Alabama's economy was primarily agricultural for the majority of its statehood, things have changed significantly in the past few decades. The state has become much more industrialized with manufacturing becoming a major factor in the fiscal and population growth of the state. What's jolted the economy since the 1990s is the state's growing automotive manufacturing imprint. Four major automotive manufacturing plants called Alabama home – Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, and Honda Manufacturing of Alabama.
Other key industrial outputs and exports for the State of Alabama included iron, steel, lumber, wood products, paper, plastics, apparel, electronics, and aerospace technology. Alabama also has a strong mining operation within the state, with coal being the main raw material excavated and exported. However, it’s still automobile manufacturing which has accounted for about one-third of the state’s industrial growth since 2012.
While agricultural outputs and exports aren’t the cash cow they used to be for Alabama, they’re still very important and significant to the health of the Alabama economy. The Cotton State may have dropped off in cotton production as of late, but the state still ranks in the top ten in the nation in total output. Other agricultural exports from Alabama include peanuts, corn, sorghum, various vegetables, peaches, soybeans, peanuts, nursery products, fish, cattle, eggs, and dairy products.
Alabama also makes significant money from the tourism and service industry. The 24th most populous state in the nation ranked 14th in a recent listing of the most popular states to visit in America. According to a recent estimate, 26 million different tourists visited Alabama in 2018 – 100,000 of which came from out of the country.
What’s the hubbub about in Alabama? For starters, Alabama is home to a wide variety of different attractions both natural and man-made. In addition to its 22 different state parks and 21 state forests, Alabama has a staggering 1,500 miles worth of inland waterways within its borders – the most of any state in the Union. As you can probably guess, this contributes to an extremely healthy fishing culture and an entertainment emphasis on water sports. The state also borders the Gulf of Mexico, and the beaches in the southwestern part of the state are extremely popular with tourists.
That’s not all for entertainment in Alabama. The Hangout Music Festival comes to the Gulf Shores every year and brings tens of thousands of visitors with it. The Alabama Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery is one of the ten biggest Shakespeare festivals in the entire world. And there are also a handful of amazing amusement parks to check out including Alabama Splash Adventure in Bessemer.
Other tourist attractions worth circling on your Alabama to-do list include Helen Keller's birthplace in Tuscumbia, the beautifully restored state Capitol in Montgomery, the Civil Rights Memorial and the Rosa Parks Museum and Library also in Montgomery, the Civil Rights Institute, and the McWane Center in Birmingham, the Russell Cave outside of Bridgeport, the USS Alabama in Mobile, and the Mound State Monument outside of Tuscaloosa. And if you’re someone who has dreamed about traveling to outer space, the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville will be right up your alley.
How are you going to get to all of these amazing attractions? While Alabama has its share of airports, rail services, and even the Port of Mobile off the Gulf of Mexico, a reliable vehicle is your best way of getting around. There are six major interstate routes in the state, tens of United States highways that pass through it, and a litany of highways and byways worth driving on just for the scenery alone. If you want to experience the Heart of Dixie and really hear it beat, shipping your car to Alabama is a really good option.
If you're going to be driving around that much, you're going to get hungry. Luckily for you, Alabama food culture is absolutely amazing. Southern cooking is the name of the game in Alabama, as is barbecue. From slathered ribs to sweet cornbread, you're going to be floored by the sights and tastes of the dishes served at local restaurants around the state. Be sure to try the fried okra and the fried green tomatoes. You surely won't be disappointed.
Are you a sports fan? Do you want to eat some amazing Alabama barbecue while catching a football or basketball game? While the State of Alabama doesn't have any professional sports teams in the four major American sports leagues, it does have several minor league teams and professional squads in a variety of different sports. Alabama has also played host to major golf tournaments, tennis tournaments, and racing events.
Speaking of racing events, Talladega Super Speedway in Talladega hosts several different NASCAR events. It’s also the sixth-largest stadium in the country and thirteenth-largest in the world with a seating capacity of 140,000. While that’s impressive, the fervor surrounding those events pales in comparison to the yearly Iron Bowl between in-state college football rivals. The games between the University of Alabama and Auburn University are cultural events of a different scale, and the blood rivalry between the two programs bleeds its way into everyday culture in the state.
And while the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and Auburn University in Auburn are two great choices for transplants looking to continue their higher education, they’re not the only universities worth mentioning or considering. Other celebrated and well-regarded universities in the state include the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Samford University in Homewood, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, and the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in Montgomery.
Now that we’ve given you an inside look at all the great things the State of Alabama has to offer, we’d like to boost your trivia cache about the Heart of Dixie. Let’s start with a look at the different inanimate and living symbols of Alabama:
We’ve got even more juicy trivia nuggets about Alabama to share with you. Below are some cool facts about the Heart of Dixie that you probably don’t already know:
While many states have an official beverage to their credit, Alabama is the only state to have nominated an alcoholic beverage for the honor. Back in 2014, the state officially named Conecuh Ridge Whiskey as the official beverage of Alabama.
If you want to see Alabama in full, you're going to need a vehicle of your own to make it happen. Shipping your car, van, or truck with Nexus Auto Transport will open up a wide world of possibilities in the Heart of Dixie. Whether you want to catch a football game in Tuscaloosa or go fishing off the Gulf of Mexico, you'll be able to do it all with a smile once your car is shipped to your place in Alabama on your terms.
