When you’re taking care of an aging in place senior, keeping them physically and mentally active helps ensure that they will stay healthier, happier and more independent. Focusing their mind on interesting activities can also help prevent memory loss as new positive memories are created. Many at-home Alabama seniors like to get out and travel, and fortunately there are several fun and exciting in-state travel destinations that your senior might enjoy, starting with these 5.

U.S. Space & Rocket Center

Located in Huntsville, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center is a museum campus full of rockets, artifacts and achievements of the U.S. space program. Open 9 to 5 daily, admission prices vary depending upon the activities you’d like to take in. Here are a few of the attractions the center provides:

  • INTUITIVE Planetarium
  • National Geographic Theater
  • Bus tours of the Marshall Space Flight Center
  • Mars Grill (eatery)
  • Featured exhibits that change throughout the year

Noccalula Falls Park

Famous for its 90-foot waterfall, Noccalula Falls Park is tucked away in picturesque Gadsen. Named for a well-known Native American princess, the park is open from 9 to 5, March through October, and costs seniors only $4. For those who want to spend the night, campground or cabin accommodations are available. Other fun activities at Noccalula Falls Park include:

  • Huntington Train rides
  • Miniature golf
  • Black Creek Trails (hiking)
  • Petting Zoo
  • Botanical Gardens
  • Pioneer Village

Bellingrath Gardens and Home

According to their website: “There is always something blooming at Bellingrath Gardens!”. This 65-acre attraction in Theodore is the legacy of Southern aristocrats Walter and Bessie Bellingrath, with estate grounds that are covered in beautiful gardens that are filled year-around with colorful flowers including camellias, azaleas, roses, hydrangeas and many tropical varieties. But Bellingrath Gardens is not just about the flora, as there’s also plenty of other activities your senior might like, including:

  • Museum House
  • Conservatory
  • Live Oak Plaza
  • The Chapel
  • River Front Pavilion
  • Dwight Harrington/Exxon Mobil Bayou Boardwalk
  • Mirror Lake
  • Magnolia Café and Gift Shop

Garden-only admission is $14, while a Garden and Museum House pass costs $22. And, it’s open from 8 to 5 daily, except on major Holidays.

Gulf Coast Beaches

For seniors who like the ocean, the Gulf Coast’s famous sugar-white sand beaches and crystal blue waters offer lots of fun in the sun, including these 3:

Gulf Shores

This area is filled with treasures like golf courses, wildlife refuges, historic sites and fresh seafood. Overall, Gulf Shores provides the perfect getaway for people of all ages.

Orange Beach

This beach serves as the gateway to the region’s inner bays and bayous located north of Perdido Pass. For fun, there’s The Wharf, deep-sea fishing, Adventure Island, Orange Beach Golf Center, and more.

Dauphin Island

Accessible by bridge, this barrier island is located south of where Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico converge, and provides a relaxed, senior-friendly, setting for bird-watching and other popular attractions.

Ave Maria Grotto

Thanks to the creative imagination of Benedictine monk Brother Joseph Zoettl, Ave Maria Grotto is a don’t-miss historical site located in Cullman. Brother Zoettl died in 1961 after devoting his entire adult life to recreating 125 miniature versions of historical sites from around the world, which are now on display.

Built out of various materials, including donated items, the replicas found on the grounds of St. Bernard Abbey include:

  • St. Peter’s Basilica
  • Monteserrat
  • Lourdes Basilica Church
  • Roman Coliseum
  • Bethlehem Manger Scene
  • Tower of Babel
  • Catacomb of St. Domitilla

The grotto is open to visitors 9 to 6 during the summer, 9 to 5 in winter, and admission is $8 for adults and $6 for seniors. And, for those with a dog, leashed pets are allowed on the property.

We Help At-Home Seniors in Alabama Stay Active

Traveling with a senior around Alabama can be difficult when you have your own household to manage or live far away. When you need a hand, call Seniors Prefer Homecare. Our fully licensed and insured caregivers love keeping seniors active, starting with our family trusted companionship and transportation services. And, all our aides are well trained and carefully screened so that your senior can age safely and comfortably in place right where they want to be.

While serving as an extended family in your loved one’s home, our aides can also perform services like light housekeeping, personal hygiene, meals and medication reminders; all of which can be flexibly tailored in an affordable package that’ll put your mind at ease. To learn more about Seniors Prefer Homecare, or to schedule a FREE, in-home consultation in Huntsville, Tuscaloosa or AL, please visit: www.seniorspreferhomecare.com now!