Paving the Way: Making North Alabama More Accessible
Sponsored by Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association
Accessibility can become personal in an instant. A broken ankle, surgery, hearing loss or a new diagnosis can change how someone experiences a destination. Sometimes the need is temporary. Sometimes it is permanent.
Across North Alabama, the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA) and its tourism partners are helping more people explore through better travel information, adaptive equipment, and hospitality training.
Better Information, More Ways to Explore
In 2025, North Alabama became the first region in the state to achieve Accessibility Verified status through Wheel the World. Third-party reviews documented details such as entrances, surfaces and room features, helping travelers decide which locations fit their needs.
Practical improvements are making a difference, too. AMLA has distributed more than 50 wheelchairs to tourism partners, including 23 at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Meta Smart Glasses at participating museums and historic attractions can help visitors who are blind or have low vision read information and engage with their surroundings.
Through Tourism ALL-a-Bama, hospitality partners receive sensory tourism training and participate in practice stays for individuals and families affected by autism or sensory sensitivities.
The approach recognizes that accessibility is individual: one visitor may need mobility equipment, another a quieter environment or more detailed information.
A Birthday on the Trail
Plan Your Visit
North Alabama’s work is creating more opportunities for visitors and residents to participate.
“Accessibility is more than a project; it is AMLA’s mission,” said Tami Reist, president and CEO of AMLA. “We are committed to ensuring that North Alabama is not only beautiful and adventurous but also inclusive, inviting and accessible.”
More About: Accessibility in Action Across North Alabama — Download
Find travel resources and itineraries at Accessible North Alabama. Contact individual attractions before visiting to confirm equipment availability, reservations and accommodations for your needs.
