Coming from Nashville heading towards Mobile, AL. Looking for a place to stop along the way? Any family friendly, cheaper ideas?
Not in Huntsville.
A drop out of your way, but tons of fun if you have the time is the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, AL, where all items that are lost on airplanes and airports are sent to be resold, often at great prices. We've gone twice and enjoy immensely - and gotten some great buys - both times. A little out of the way in a different direction is Helen Keller's home in Tuscumbia, AL, which includes the water pump where she learned to read. DD had read a book about her, and it was one of the highlights of our road trip for her. If you like football or Mercedes, head to Tuscaloosa to see Bear-Bryant stadium and/or the Mercedes factory.
Back on your more direct route, we found much more to do in Montgomery than Birmingham. Besides the state capitol, there's a monument where Rosa Parks was arrested (and a phenomenal museum there as well), and Alabama Safari Park, where you get to drive through and feed the animals - kids will love it! There's also the first White House of the Confederacy across the street from the capitol, which we did a quick self-tour of and I recall being free.