Mountain/Lake District

Devotees of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright can quickly name two of his most acclaimed home designs: Fallingwater in Pennsylvania and Taliesin West in Arizona. They’ll also remind you of the Rosenbaum House (601 Riverview Drive, Florence. 256-718-5050, wrightinalabama.com) in Florence, the only home Wright created in Alabama and the only one of his plans in the Southeast that’s open to the public. Built in 1939, the low-slung one-story had about 1,500 square feet, but in 1948, the Rosenbaum family recruited Wright to design a 1,084-square-foot addition. The family lived in the home until 1999, when it was acquired by the city that raised funds to restore and open the property to the public.

Established in 1985, the 112-acre Huntsville Botanical Garden (4747 Bob Wallace Ave., Huntsville. 256-830-4447, hsvbg.org, @HSVBG) has long been a favorite of locals. Now the experience is even more pleasurable: In March, the property was enhanced with a $16 million, 30,000-square-foot facility that includes a welcome center, three event areas and Table in the Garden, serving lunch, brunch and to-go picnics. Just beyond its doors, visitors will find wooded pathways, open meadows, an aquatic garden, a children’s garden, a butterfly house, a nature center, a miniature railroad layout, vegetable and herb gardens, and a superabundance of flowers.

Odette (120 N. Court St., Florence. 256-349-5219, odettealabama.com, @odettealabama) has established a reputation for promoting locally sourced and house-made menus, from the charcuterie plates to the coffee. A few years ago, chef Josh Quick’s devotion to Southern cuisine earned him the chance to show off at the James Beard House in New York. Dine on house-ground beef burgers, crisp potato gnocchi, deviled eggs and whole fried okra for lunch, brunch, dinner and late night.

Gulf Coast

Another nominee for the state’s best steakhouse, Nolan’s (1140 Gulf Shores Parkway, Gulf Shores. 251-948-2111,nolansrestaurant.com, @Nolans_GS), features hand-cut filets, rib-eyes, tenderloins and prime rib that can be personalized with finishes such as a classic bearnaise or a roasted peppercorn cream. But being on the Gulf means plenty of attention is paid to local seafood, including shrimp, oysters, scallops, crab claws and soft-shell crabs that show up in the seafood feast platter. Can’t decide? Dig into the 12-ounce lobster tail paired with an 8-ounce filet.

As if the beaches and quaint seaside towns weren’t enough of a draw, the coast now has 520 more acres of fun. Just opened this year is Owa (10113 Foley Beach Express, Foley. 251-923-2111, visitowa.com, @VisitOWA), a $500 million complex about 10 miles from the beach. Owa means “big water” in the Muscogee Creek language. The property includes a 150-room Marriott hotel, shops, restaurants and a theme park with 21 rides of varying thrill levels and four roller coasters. The main attraction: the Rollin’ Thunder coaster that claims to be one of the longest coaster rides in the country. An indoor events center and a sports complex with 16 fields are set to open this month.

Just opened in June, Hotel Indigo (22843 Perdido Beach Blvd., Orange Beach. 251-981-1737, ihg.com/hotelindigo) serving the towns of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach bills itself as the Gulf Coast’s “first upscale beachside boutique” property. The setting is exceptional, between the sandy beaches and the natural charm of Gulf State Park. Inside, guests will find a fitness center, indoor/outdoor pool and 62 rooms, a few of which gladly welcome four-footed guests. The on-site restaurant and bar, Hunter’s Bend, serves breakfast and dinner dishes that showcase local seafood, produce and vendors; the Southern Grind Coffee House provides java and go-with goodies.

Montgomery

If just the thought of staying in a tent makes you start scratching, here’s an option that blends outdoors with not too terribly rustic camping. Head to Roland Cooper State Park (285 Deer Run Drive, Camden. 334-682-4838, alapark.com), about an hour southwest of Montgomery, where four new “tiny house” cabins are a step up from a traditional campsite. The 408-square-foot designs sleep four to six and come with furnishings and a full kitchen (even a fridge with an icemaker). Need more elbow room? The park also features five two-bedroom, fully furnished cabins. Those who prefer being close to nature will find 47 campsites with picnic tables, grills and electric and sewer hookups. Thirteen primitive sites are also available. The park is an ideal spot for fishing, boating and bird-watching.

Before she was the glamorous wife of celebrity author F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda Sayre was the belle of Montgomery society. Her husband called her “the first American flapper,” and the pair married in 1920. After traveling the world, the couple returned to Zelda’s hometown and lived in this two-story, Georgian-style house from 1931 to 1932, the last time they shared an abode with their only child as a family. Today the F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum (919 Felder Ave., Montgomery. 334-264-4222, thefitzgeraldmuseum.org, @FitzMuse) is the only museum devoted to them. The nonprofit that oversees the house not only has amassed a number of Fitzgerald artifacts; it also works to encourage young writers and to promote the reading of the author’s works.

Curious about how all the moving parts come together to produce a car? Wonder no more. These behind-the-scenes tours of the Hyundai factory (700 Hyundai Blvd., Montgomery. 334-387-8000, www.hmmausa.com) take the mystery out of the process. Spoiler alert: The Sonatas and Elantras the factory turns out are largely the effort of robots and human supervisors. See the steps from beginning to end during these free excursions offered from Monday through Thursday. An advance registration is required.