Discovering Decatur, Alabama’s rich tapestry of attractions becomes effortless when you choose Clarion Pointe as your gateway to this vibrant North Alabama destination. Positioned strategically off Highway 31, this newly remodeled hotel serves as more than just accommodation—it’s your entry point to experiencing everything that makes Morgan County special. From natural wonders to cultural treasures, from historic landmarks to modern entertainment, Clarion Pointe connects you seamlessly to the attractions that define Decatur’s unique character.
Gateway to Natural Attractions Along the Tennessee River
The Tennessee River flows through Decatur’s identity, shaping both its history and its present-day attractions. Clarion Pointe’s location provides convenient access to these waterfront attractions, beginning with Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, one of America’s premier wildlife destinations. This 35,000-acre refuge along the river serves as critical habitat for migrating waterfowl, with peak viewing during winter months when tens of thousands of ducks, geese, and swans gather in the wetlands.
The refuge features multiple access points, observation platforms, and miles of trails that allow visitors to explore diverse habitats from wetlands to hardwood forests. The observation building overlooks primary viewing areas where you can watch wildlife without disturbing natural behaviors. For photography enthusiasts, the refuge maintains a photography blind that permits close approaches while keeping photographers concealed, resulting in remarkable wildlife images.
Rhodes Ferry Park and Riverfront Access
Rhodes Ferry Park serves as Decatur’s primary riverfront gathering space, offering pavilions, walking trails, open lawns, and stunning views of the Tennessee River. Named for Dr. Henry Rhodes, an early Decatur physician and civic leader, the park hosts community events including the popular Paul Stroud Concerts by the River series during summer months. These free performances draw crowds who bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets to enjoy music against river sunset backdrops.
The park’s trails provide accessible walking and jogging routes along the waterfront, with interpretive signage explaining the river’s ecological and historical significance. Pavilions with picnic tables create perfect spots for family gatherings, while the open spaces accommodate everything from frisbee games to kite flying. The park represents Decatur’s commitment to public riverfront access, ensuring residents and visitors alike can enjoy this natural attraction.
Point Mallard Park – Comprehensive Recreation Destination
Point Mallard Park, spanning 700 acres along the Tennessee River, ranks among Alabama’s most comprehensive recreational attractions. The park’s aquatic center operates during warmer months, featuring a wave pool, lazy river, multiple water slides, interactive play structures, and a beach area. These aquatic attractions draw families from throughout the region, creating a destination that rivals larger theme parks while maintaining more accessible pricing and atmosphere.
Beyond the aquatic center, Point Mallard offers championship golf courses that challenge players with scenic hole designs incorporating natural terrain and water features. The hiking and biking trails wind through wooded areas and along the riverfront, providing exercise opportunities and nature connection. Sports facilities including tennis courts, ball fields, and multipurpose areas accommodate organized leagues and casual play.
Year-Round Point Mallard Attractions
While the aquatic center operates seasonally, Point Mallard’s other attractions remain accessible year-round. The trails offer particular beauty during fall foliage seasons and spring wildflower blooms. Winter visits provide quiet experiences on less-crowded trails, while the golf courses remain playable during Alabama’s mild winters. The park’s campground accommodates RV and tent camping for those seeking extended Point Mallard experiences.
Special events throughout the year transform Point Mallard into venues for community gatherings, from festivals to athletic competitions to educational programs. The park’s versatility and comprehensive amenities make it an attraction that rewards repeated visits across different seasons and for different purposes.
Cook Museum of Natural Science – Interactive Learning
The Cook Museum of Natural Science represents a world-class attraction that would enhance any city’s cultural offerings. This interactive museum engages visitors of all ages through hands-on exhibits covering topics from local ecosystems to global biodiversity. Rather than traditional passive viewing, the Cook Museum encourages touching, exploring, and interacting with displays designed to make scientific concepts accessible and exciting.
Exhibits include live animal encounters where trained educators introduce visitors to creatures ranging from reptiles to birds of prey. The immersive environments recreate different habitats, allowing guests to understand how organisms adapt to varied conditions. Interactive displays explain complex scientific principles through engaging demonstrations that transform learning into entertainment.
Educational Programs and Special Events
The museum hosts regular educational programs including summer camps, school field trips, and themed events throughout the year. These programs extend the museum’s mission beyond its walls, reaching community members who might not otherwise engage with natural science education. The museum’s gift shop offers educational toys, books, and nature-themed items that allow visitors to continue learning at home.
Located near 2nd Avenue’s shopping district and the Princess Theatre, the Cook Museum anchors a cultural corridor where families can combine educational museum visits with lunch at nearby restaurants and exploration of downtown’s shops and galleries. This clustering of attractions makes downtown visits particularly efficient and rewarding.
Princess Theatre Center for the Performing Arts
The Princess Theatre has served as Decatur’s cultural centerpiece since beginning as a livery stable in 1887 before transforming into a silent film and vaudeville playhouse in 1919. The beautifully restored venue now hosts diverse performing arts programming that attracts audiences throughout North Alabama. Broadway touring productions, concerts, comedy shows, dance performances, and local theatre productions fill the calendar with options for various tastes and ages.
The theatre’s historic character adds atmosphere to every performance—ornate architectural details, period lighting fixtures, and careful restoration work create ambiance that modern venues can’t replicate. Attending performances here means experiencing not just the show but also the venue itself, a landmark that has entertained Decatur residents for over a century.
Supporting Local and Touring Arts
The Princess Theatre balances professional touring productions with support for local performers, providing stages for community theatre groups, school performances, and emerging artists. This commitment to both professional quality and community access ensures programming diversity while fostering local talent. The theatre’s schedule typically includes options every month, making it reasonable to plan visits around performances that interest you.
Pre-show and intermission periods allow guests to admire the theatre’s restored interior, chat with fellow attendees, and sometimes meet performers. The downtown location means dinner before shows at nearby restaurants becomes easy, creating complete evening entertainment experiences.
Historic Downtown District Attractions
The Old Decatur Historic District serves as an open-air museum showcasing Alabama’s largest concentration of Victorian-era homes. These beautifully preserved structures demonstrate various architectural styles popular from the early 1800s through the early 20th century, from elaborate Queen Anne Victorians to simpler craftsman bungalows. The homes earned the district designation as “Painted Ladies” due to their colorful restoration and maintenance.
Walking or driving through the district provides free attractions accessible any time. The tree-lined streets create pleasant environments for exploration, with historic markers providing context about significant buildings and residents. Architecture enthusiasts, photographers, and history buffs find endless fascination in the details—ornate woodwork, stained glass windows, varied rooflines, and decorative elements that demonstrate craftsman skill.
Bank Street Historic Shopping and Dining
Bank Street, Decatur’s oldest commercial district, offers attractions beyond shopping and dining. The historic buildings themselves warrant attention, many dating to the late 19th century with architectural details reflecting their era’s commercial building styles. Walking Bank Street means encountering structures that housed early banks, general stores, professional offices, and other businesses essential to a river trading town.
Today’s businesses maintain these historic buildings while serving contemporary needs. Antique shops allow browsing through collections housed in appropriate settings. Restaurants occupying century-old buildings add atmosphere to meals. The Old State Bank building, dating to 1833, now functions as a museum with exhibits on Civil War history and the Scottsboro Boys trial. Simp McGhee’s Restaurant, operating in a historic building since 1986, serves Cajun cuisine in an ambiance enhanced by the structure’s age and character.
Railroad Heritage and Museum Attractions
Decatur’s identity as a railroad town shapes much of its history and several current attractions. The Decatur Depot and Railroad Museum occupies the historic 1905 Southern Railway passenger depot, itself a beautiful example of early 20th-century railroad architecture. The museum features extensive model train layouts demonstrating historic rail operations, collections of rare model trains, and exhibits explaining Decatur’s railroad development.
The outdoor viewing platform allows watching modern freight trains pass along the same tracks that once carried passenger trains through this depot. The juxtaposition of museum exhibits about historic railroading and contemporary rail operations creates connections between past and present. For train enthusiasts, the museum provides hours of fascination, while general visitors gain appreciation for how railroads shaped city development.
Lafayette Street Cemetery Historical Site
The 1818 Lafayette Street Cemetery, recently restored and landscaped, offers free access to Decatur’s oldest burial ground. Located behind Simp McGhee’s Restaurant between the Old State Bank and Union Depot, this tiny pioneer cemetery contains graves of Dr. Henry Rhodes (for whom Rhodes Ferry Park is named) and other founding families. Informational pamphlets available at the site explain the cemetery’s significance and identify notable burials.
While small, the cemetery represents an important historical attraction for those interested in Decatur’s founding and early development. The recent restoration work cleaned and landscaped the grounds, making it accessible and interpretable while maintaining respectful atmosphere appropriate for a burial site. Visitors exploring historic Bank Street can easily include the cemetery in their walking tours.
Alabama Center for the Arts Cultural Attractions
The Alabama Center for the Arts functions as both a four-year art college and community cultural venue, creating attractions that showcase student work and host professional exhibitions and performances. The galleries present rotating exhibits throughout the year, ensuring return visits reveal new artwork. The variety spans traditional to contemporary, representational to abstract, ensuring diverse artistic perspectives.
The center’s expansion plans include a modern music and dance building and renovation of the Eyster Key building for graphic design and multimedia programs, demonstrating commitment to growing Decatur’s arts infrastructure. Visiting during exhibition openings or performance nights provides opportunities to meet artists, students, and faculty while experiencing the creative energy that defines the center.
Carnegie Visual Arts Center
The Carnegie Visual Arts Center, housed in Morgan County’s first public library building from 1904, serves as an art museum and education center. The historic Carnegie library represents beautiful early 20th-century architecture while hosting contemporary art exhibitions and educational programming. The main gallery presents different exhibits throughout the year, showcasing regional artists and varied media from paintings to sculptures to mixed media installations.
The center’s educational programs include art classes for various ages and skill levels, workshops with visiting artists, and outreach initiatives bringing art education to underserved populations. These programs extend the center’s mission beyond exhibition to active participation in creating and understanding art.
Seasonal Festival and Event Attractions
Decatur’s events calendar creates attractions that vary throughout the year, providing reasons to visit during different seasons. Spring brings the Carnival Frolic running events attracting participants for races through downtown streets. The Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic in May fills the sky with colorful balloons while ground attractions include arts and crafts vendors, an auto show, food vendors, and live entertainment.
Summer features Paul Stroud Concerts by the River with free performances at Rhodes Ferry Park. The Morgan County Decatur Farmers Market operates Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from April through November, with special event days celebrating seasonal harvests—Strawberry Day, Corn Day, and Watermelon Day add festive themes to market shopping.
Fall and Winter Seasonal Attractions
Autumn brings the River Clay Fine Arts Festival, where juried artists display and sell work while live music and children’s activities create festive atmosphere throughout downtown. The festival attracts artists from throughout the Southeast, ensuring high-quality artwork across various media. December’s Decatur Christmas Parade marks the holiday season’s beginning with floats, marching bands, and Santa’s arrival filling downtown streets.
The historic downtown decorated for holidays creates attraction in itself, with businesses extending hours and offering special events. Window shopping along illuminated Bank Street and 2nd Avenue during holiday seasons provides free entertainment while supporting local businesses. The combination of decorations, special events, and holiday atmosphere transforms downtown into seasonal attractions.
Culinary Attractions Throughout Decatur
Decatur’s restaurant scene constitutes attractions worthy of visits specifically for dining experiences. Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, operating since 1928, represents championship barbecue recognized nationally for its distinctive white sauce. The restaurant attracts barbecue enthusiasts from throughout the region, some making dedicated trips specifically to experience this legendary establishment.
Simp McGhee’s on Bank Street provides upscale Cajun dining in a charming historic building, creating atmospheric attractions beyond just food. The restaurant honors its namesake, a legendary riverboat captain, while serving consistently excellent seafood and beef preparations. The Brick Deli & Tavern occupies a century-old building with colorful history including time as a speakeasy, adding character to the substantial sandwiches and craft beer selection.
Diverse Dining Destination Attractions
Cross-Eyed Owl Brewing Company, Decatur’s oldest brewery, attracts craft beer enthusiasts with locally brewed offerings in a welcoming taproom. Hard Dock Cafe along the Tennessee River combines casual dining with waterfront views, making meals scenic experiences. Let’s Do Lunch draws crowds with creative salads and sandwiches, including their cornbread salad featured in “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die.”
International flavors create culinary attractions representing various traditions—Josie’s Mediterranean Cafe, Francesco’s Italian cuisine, and various other establishments ensure dining diversity. The concentration of quality restaurants within downtown’s walkable area means you can easily sample multiple establishments during extended visits.
Shopping District Attractions
The Bank Street shopping district attracts antique enthusiasts, collectors, and browsers seeking unique finds unavailable at standard retail chains. The concentration of antique shops creates treasure-hunting opportunities where you might discover anything from Victorian furniture to vintage jewelry to rare collectibles. Shop owners’ expertise adds value through knowledge about provenance, history, and fair pricing.
The 2nd Avenue shopping district attracts different audiences with contemporary boutiques, home décor shops, bookstores, and art galleries. The district’s location near the Cook Museum and Princess Theatre creates shopping opportunities that integrate easily with other downtown attractions. Window shopping along 2nd Avenue provides free entertainment while discovering local businesses’ character.
Farmers Market Seasonal Attraction
The Morgan County Decatur Farmers Market constitutes a seasonal attraction operating April through November. Beyond produce shopping, the market provides community gathering spaces where you meet local farmers, bakers, and artisans while supporting regional agriculture. The special event days celebrating seasonal harvests—Strawberry Day, Corn Day, Watermelon Day—add festive atmosphere and themed activities that enhance simple shopping trips.
The market’s location and operating schedule (Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays) make it accessible for visitors staying at Clarion Pointe, with early morning visits providing fresh selections before crowds arrive. The combination of local food, handcrafted items, and community atmosphere creates attractions that reflect authentic regional culture rather than manufactured tourist experiences.
Parks and Green Space Attractions
Beyond Point Mallard’s comprehensive offerings, Decatur maintains numerous parks providing green space attractions throughout the city. Wilson Morgan Park features a giant wooden castle playground that attracts families, extensive sports facilities accommodating organized activities, and walking trails winding through wooded areas. The park’s amenities create attractions for various ages and activity preferences.
Etta Freeman Park, Walden Oaks Park, and Casa Grande Garden provide additional green spaces throughout downtown and residential areas. These parks offer quiet retreats for reading, picnicking, or simply relaxing outdoors. The distribution of parks throughout Decatur means green space attractions remain accessible regardless of where you’re exploring.
Turtle Statue Scavenger Hunt Downtown Attraction
The Downtown Decatur Turtle Statue Scavenger Hunt creates a free attraction that combines exploration with education. Ten hidden turtle statues throughout downtown wait to be discovered, with each statue’s location teaching something about Decatur history or significant buildings. Families find this attraction particularly engaging, as children enjoy the treasure hunt aspect while learning about the city.
The scavenger hunt encourages thorough downtown exploration, leading visitors to areas and buildings they might otherwise overlook. The interpretive materials accompanying each turtle statue provide historical context, transforming a simple game into educational experience. The attraction’s free access and self-guided nature allow participation any time during downtown visits.
Business and Industry Attractions
While not typical tourist attractions, Decatur’s industrial base creates practical attractions for business travelers and those interested in manufacturing and technology. Major employers including Nucor Steel, United Launch Alliance, Daikin America, and 3M represent significant operations that occasionally offer tours or informational opportunities for groups and educational visits.
The concentration of advanced manufacturing and aerospace industries in the Decatur area reflects Alabama’s broader economic development success. For business travelers, the proximity to these operations from Clarion Pointe eliminates commuting hassles while allowing focus on professional objectives.
Gateway to Regional Attractions Beyond Decatur
Clarion Pointe’s location serves as gateway not just to Decatur attractions but to broader North Alabama destinations. Huntsville, approximately 30 minutes away, offers the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville Botanical Garden, historic downtown, and numerous other attractions. Day trips from your Decatur base allow experiencing Huntsville without navigating its larger city traffic and parking challenges.
Other nearby destinations include scenic small towns with antique shopping, additional state parks and natural areas, and various historical sites throughout the Tennessee Valley. Using Clarion Pointe as your consistent base eliminates repeated hotel check-ins while allowing wide-ranging exploration throughout the region.
Your Gateway to Decatur Experiences
Clarion Pointe serves as more than lodging—it’s your gateway to experiencing everything Decatur, Alabama offers. The hotel’s convenient location off Highway 31, modern amenities, and genuine Southern hospitality create the perfect foundation for exploring the diverse attractions that make this North Alabama destination special. From natural wonders along the Tennessee River to cultural treasures in downtown’s historic district, from recreational attractions at Point Mallard Park to culinary experiences throughout the city, Clarion Pointe connects you effortlessly to them all.
Book your stay today and discover why travelers choose this newly remodeled hotel as their gateway to Morgan County attractions. Your Decatur experience awaits, and the perfect entry point is ready to welcome you.
