Bessemer Review

Vacationing in Sweet Home Bessemer, ALABAMA on any budget!

Bessemer, Alabama is a great place to vacation for families who like amusement parks and discount shopping. 

For those who like roller coasters and water theme parks, get your swimsuit on underneath your shorts and shirt and head to Alabama Adventure Park for lots of rides, water slides, musical attractions and fun.  To get $3 off admission, buy a specially marked 12 oz. can of Coca-Cola from local retailers.  Food World is a nearby spacious and well-stocked grocery store where you can probably pick up a 12-pack or 6-pack of Coca-Cola with the specially marked $3 off admission cans. 

While you're at Food World, don't forget to check the Mini Dollar Store that is directly behind the Produce Section which is right at the entrance of Food World.  I found a large size 32 oz. Lander Strawberry Essence Bubble Bath for only $1.25 and it smells just like strawberry candy.  =)  They have toys and kitchen gadgets and lots of other nifty little things in that Mini Dollar Store. 

For those who like discount shopping, Watermark Outlet is right next door to the Alabama Adventure Theme Park and has lots of designer outlets including Ralph Lauren, Liz Claiborne, Banana Republic, 9 West and lots more. 

If designer shopping is a little out of your price range, there is a Big Lots Closeout Store just up the road a little from Food World.  There are also two very nice thrift stores in the area.  A very spacious one is right across the street from Food World and another one is on 18th Street in Bessemer. 

Actually, 18th Street and 19th Street in Bessmer are One-Way Streets so, coming from Food World on the Super Highway, you'd have to turn right to get onto 18th Street where there is more shopping and The Bright Star between those streets and turning left onto 19th will take you past Lowe's Hardware, Jack's fast food restaurant and just about a half mile or so from there is the other Thrift Store.   The Bessemer Fleamarket is a busy and fun place to shop on weekends and is located on the streets behind McDonald's and Harry & Billie's Lounge.

If you need a drugstore for medications or other health supplies or medical emergencies, Walgreens and CVS are also right in the area.  If you need a hospital, Medical West is located on the Super Highway and can be accessed either by directly driving up the Super Highway past Big Lots a couple miles on the left or, from the interstate, the closest exit is Academy Drive where you just need to access the Superhighway from there and look for it on the right in approximately 1 mile.

Everyone's favorite fast food joints are in the area as well including KFC, McDonald's and Rally's.  If you're looking for something more "Alabama-ish" to eat you can try Bob Syke's Barbecue a very famous local barbecue establishment.  There is also a muffaletto shop nearby and for very fine dining (5 star) The Bright Star is nearby as well. 

If you're one of those people who can't go anywhere without checking out the local Wal-Mart, there's a Wal-Mart a little further south at the Academy Drive exit where there are also many more restaraunts (including Burger King) and also a few places for lodging.

If your family vacationing needs include camping and/or golf, look no further than Tannehill State Park and the famous Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail -- both in the Bessemer area.

If you're fortunate enough to be visiting Alabama for more than a day, consider some of the other attractions in the Birmingham area like Vulcan Park, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and EWTN and Our Lady of the Angels Monastery.  About 2 hours north up interstate 65 from Birmingham, Cullman, Alabama has the Ave Maria Grotto that includes a "Miniature Jerusalem" made from recycled bits of glass. 

Other attractions in Alabama include several attractions about Helen Keller throughout the state, Huntsville Space Center and other notable cities like Talladega, Tuscaloosa, Selma, Montgomery and Mobile. 

C'mon and see us y'all.  =)