FUN TIMES
Family fun is in the plans with visits to any of several Wiregrass destinations, like Adventureland Theme Park with its arcade, go-karts, bumper boats, batting cages and mini golf. Corndodgers Farm in Headland offers pony and wagon rides, a corn maze and other old-fashioned fun. Water World in Dothan features a water slide, 450,000-gallon Rip Tide Wave Pool, Twister Slides and Kids Cove.
MILITARY MARVEL
The United States Army Aviation Museum at Fort Novosel displays a vast collection of military aircraft and artifacts. Each piece tells the evolution of Army Aviation from 1908 to the present.
HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS
Abbeville’s Methodist Church features “Soldier in the Window,” a stained-glass image of a World War I soldier holding his rifle while being watched over by an angel. Other historical finds include The Cherry St. AME Church. Organized in 1877, it is the “Mother Church” of Alabama’s AME denomination. The E.R. Porter Hardware Museum commemorates a hardware store that was in business from 1889 to 2014. In addition, the Bethune/Kennedy House in Henry County was constructed by physician Calvin Bethune in 1870. The home is in the Alabama Register of Historic Places. In Abbeville, you can see the home where Rosa Parks grew up.
ART ATTRACTION
The Wiregrass Museum of Art showcases artists from throughout Alabama and the Southeast. The facility is housed in what was Dothan’s electric and water plant.
GARDEN STROLLS & MORE
Dothan Area Botanical Gardens offers permanent and seasonal displays of flora and fauna throughout the year on 50 acres of gardens and paths. Also, while walking through Dothan, stride the 30-second journey across the World’s Smallest City Block. As mentioned in “Ripley’s Believe it or Not,” the diminutive parcel is 38 feet long and 27 feet wide. Murals of the Wiregrass displays Dothan’s significant citizens of local, state and national acclaim.
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
And it does, at the Dothan Civic Center and Opera House. Since 1975, the center has hosted top entertainment by performers from across the world. Other entertainment venues include the Southeast Dance Co. and The Uptown.
UNDER THE OAKS
Now in its seventh year, Under the Oaks in Headland offers a mix of music, community connections and small-town charm.
OF MONUMENTAL INTEREST
The Joseph Monument and Memorial honors the Biblical origin of Dothan’s name, as read in Genesis 37:17. “For I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” Another statue of note is the replica of the Statue of Liberty in Abbeville.
PARKS TO PONDER
Landmark Park features the Wiregrass Region’s history with an 1890 farmstead that includes farm animals, a smokehouse, cane mill, general store and one-room schoolhouse. Headland’s Tom Syrup Farm teaches the history of the family’s syrup business. The farm, worked and owned through seven generations, includes a general store and café.
LIBRARY FUN
In Abbeville, a library awaits, to teach young minds and lifelong learners. While exploring hands-on STEM learning, young and old alike peruse regional history and imagine bold futures.
PARKS TO PLAY IN
Eastgate Park is 200 acres featuring spacious grounds for picnics, flying kites, pickleball, a walking trail and children’s playground. Eastgate also hosts weddings, reunions, birthday parties and more. James Oates Park’s 87 acres feature two six-field baseball/softball complexes. Each field features AstroTurf infields. Rip Hewes Athletic Complex features a 10,000-seat football stadium. The stadium received a $14 million renovation in 2021. Other features include two softball fields and a high school/college basketball field. Westgate Park is Dothan’s largest recreation center. It features a community center, five-field softball complex, four-field baseball complex, BMX track and numerous other facilities. The Doug Tew Therapeutic Recreation Center has been transformed with a $1 million renovation. The facility now houses programs and events for those with special needs.
GREAT OUTDOORS
Lake Eufaula abounds with some of the best fishing in Alabama. In Headland, Southern Cross Ranch embraces all things equestrian. The horse ranch offers riding lessons, training and boarding.
STAY ON TARGET
Ravenwood Sporting Clays offers skeet shooting on a 43-acre woodland course for beginners to experts.
FORE!
The Wiregrass loves golf. A centerpiece for the little white ball is Highland Oaks. The 36-hole complex features some of the longest and most classically designed holes on the Robert Trent Jones Trail. Other golfing greats include Roundabout Plantation Golf, Dothan National Golf Club and Hotel and Dothan Driving Range and Golf Shop. In addition, the five-star rated Headland Country Club offers golf, a pool and clubhouse.
This article appears in the July 2025 issue of Business Alabama.
