Photo tour: Beautiful Alabama

The Court Square Fountain in Montgomery is topped by a statue of Hebe, Goddess of Youth and Cupbearer to the Gods and was built in 1885 over an existing artesian basin.

This "Welcome to Sweet Home Alabama" road sign sits along Interstate 10 in Robertsdale near the state border with Florida. "Sweet Home Alabama" is a popular 1970s Lynyrd Skynyrd song and also the name of a 2002 movie starring Reese Witherspoon. Now the state of Alabama is using it as a slogan.

Auburn University in Auburn was established in 1856 as the East Alabama Male College. In 1872, the school became the first land-grant college in the South.

Birmingham, the largest city in Alabama, is nestled at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It was once the primary industrial center of the southern United States and earned the nickname "Magic City."

Caney Creek Falls is located inside Bankhead National Forest. Caney Creek Falls are considered by many as the best waterfalls in the state.

At 2,407 feet above sea level, Cheaha State Park, located on top of Cheaha Mountain, offers breathtaking views.

Fall foliage is reflected in the lake at Cheaha State Park, which is about halfway between Birmingham and Atlanta.

Bayfront Park, on Mobile Bay in Daphne, is known for its beautiful sunsets and good fishing.

A bird family walks along West End Beach on Dauphin Island. The barrier island is known for its beautiful turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico, white sand beaches, walking trails, bountiful wildlife and history. The entire island is a designated bird sanctuary.

The historic Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church in Montgomery has along history in the Civil Rights Movement, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., led the congregation from 1954 to 1960.

Gulf Shores is situated on the Gulf of Mexico and is home to turquoise waters and white sand beaches. It's also known for its fresh seafood, especially oysters.

Big Spring Park in downtown in Huntsville is known for its gorgeous blooming cherry blossoms during the spring months.

Huntsville, known as the Rocket City, is home to what is touted the largest space museum in the world, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The Saturn V rocket, which made it possible for humans to land on the moon, was designed in Huntsville.

This is a view from the top of what is left of the bridge that once crossed Lahusage Dam, which was built to create Lake Lahusage near Mentone.

Forested uplands, waterfalls, canyon rims and bluffs, pools, boulders and sandstone cliffs make for beautiful geographic diversity at Little River Canyon National Preserve in northern Alabama.

Southern live oaks are abundant in the South and are unable to survive freezing temperatures. Their sweeping limbs plunge toward the ground before shooting upward. These live oaks are near Bon Secour, north of Gulf Shores.

Mobile has a beautiful skyline that reflects off the bay and also has museums, French architecture, fresh seafood, and it knows how to throw a party. The country’s first Mardi Gras was celebrated here and is still celebrated each year.

The Old Railroad Bridge between Sheffield and Florence is a pedestrian bridge that offers a beautiful view of the Tennessee River on Pickwick Lake. It began as a toll bridge for trains, wagons and livestock in 1839.

In addition to the white-sand beaches and clear water of the Gulf of Mexico, Orange Beach is known for its golf courses, scenic hiking and biking trails, kayaking and more.

The soft sand, pristine waters and warm sun on Orange Beach help visitors relax.