15 Fun Summer Activities in Huntsville, Alabama (From a Local!)

Looking for some fun summer things to do in Huntsville, AL? Whether you’re trying to beat the heat, keep the kids entertained, or make the most of long summer evenings, there’s more to do here than you might expect!

I grew up here and have so many summer memories of pool days and water parks and baseball games. And now, raising my own child here, I’ve discovered even more fun Huntsville activities during the summer!

Summer in Huntsville means slower mornings, afternoons built around either being in the water or in the A/C, and then evenings where you can get outside again. It’s a mix of small-town traditions and growing city energy, plus lots of access to the great outdoors!

Here are the best Huntsville summer activities to help you plan days that feel fun, doable, and memorable for the whole family!

Looking for kid-focused fun specifically? There is a lot on this list, but you can also check out my post about the best things to do with kids in Huntsville.

1. Visit a North Alabama Water Park

Colorful twisting water slides tower above a crowded wave pool at an outdoor water park on a sunny day. Families relax in lounge chairs and splash in the shallow water beneath bright blue skies filled with fluffy clouds. — WildWater in Cullman

We have some great water parks around North Alabama! I always try to make sure my kiddo and I have at least one water park day during the summer.

Here are some you can choose from:

Point Mallard in Decatur – 30 minutes from Huntsville. This was one of my favorites as a kid, and I’ll admit I haven’t been there in years. It’s on my list to check out at some point this summer!
Spring Valley Beach in Blountsville – One hour from Huntsville. There are so many great slides and a HUGE pool for kids to enjoy.
WildWater in Cullman – One hour from Huntsville. This is another one with a lot of fun slides, but it is a bit on the smaller side. This does make it a little more manageable for families though because most things are in a pretty concentrated area.

2. Splash at the Showers Center Splash Pad

When my kiddo was a toddler and preschooler, this splash pad was a STAPLE of our summer days!

It has plenty of space for kids to splash in, a mini slide perfect for little kids, and it’s enclosed so you don’t have to worry about little kids getting by you. Plus there are shaded picnic tables for the parents!

We would go here in the mornings before it got too crowded and too hot and bring a picnic lunch. It was always a hit!

3. Kayak the Flint River

Person kayaking down a calm brown river surrounded by dense green trees and overhanging branches on a sunny day. The peaceful waterway winds through a lush forest with reflections shimmering across the water. — Kayaking the Flint River!

Another way to get out on the water is to kayak the Flint River!

The Flint River runs from Tennessee down through Alabama to the Tennessee River. But there is a perfect section just west of Huntsville for families to paddle. It’s an extremely gentle river that’s relaxing to float along and doesn’t require a lot of effort.

If you have kayaks you can bring your own, or rent kayaks through NACK or Brown Bear Canoe & Kayak Rentals. They will put you in the river and pick you up! When we’ve paddled this river before, we went through NACK and had a great time!

4. Hike the Trails at Monte Sano State Park

When I go hiking during the summer in Huntsville, I like to go on up on the mountains where it is hopefully at least a couple degrees cooler!

One of the best spots is Monte Sano State Park! There are all kinds of trails up here (I especially love the Stone Cuts Trail), a great playground for kids, picnic tables, and more.

This is a great place to spend the day outdoors during the summer!

5. Enjoy the Madison County Nature Trail

A peaceful green lake reflects tall trees and a covered wooden bridge under a bright blue sky in Huntsville, Alabama. The calm water and easy shoreline setting make it ideal for a kid friendly hiking stop. — Madison County Nature Trail on Green Mountain in the Spring. I love this trail for ALL seasons!

Another one of my favorite family-friendly local trails is up on Green Mountain. This easy 1.5 mile loop trails travels around a mountaintop lake and it’s perfect for the whole family.

And there are fun things to see along this trail too: a covered bridge, an old log cabin, and a small chapel.

It’s also a great place to bring a picnic or have a small group gather. At the front of the trail there are TONS of picnic tables right by the lake.

Bonus: It’s free!

6. Visit the US Space & Rocket Center

Massive Saturn V rocket standing upright against a bright blue sky at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. The white rocket with bold red "USA" lettering towers above visitors and nearby exhibits, showcasing the city’s space exploration history. — The Saturn V Rocket at the Space & Rocket Center is Huntsville’s most notable landmark!

Going to the US Space & Rocket Center is a great way to get inside the air conditioning during the summer!

There is so much to space history (and future innovations!) explore here. See rockets and Mars rovers, watch a show in the Planetarium, and stand under a Saturn V rocket and a Space Shuttle! Plus there are several fun rides like Moon Shot and a G-Force Accelerator.

7. Take the Kids to EarlyWorks Children’s Museum

The history-focused EarlyWorks Children’s Museum is another favorite activities with kids during the summer!

Besides the interactive history exhibits (a keel boat you can go on, props and costumes to use, and a storytelling tree), there’s also a room just for toddlers and preschoolers with all kinds of hands-on activities.

My kiddo is a little old for this museum now, but she still loves having an excuse to go back with her younger cousins!

8. Explore Art at Lowe Mill

If you’re into art, you HAVE to go to Lowe Mill! It’s the largest privately owned arts facility in the United States and it’s full of artist studios, shops, classes, exhibits, and more. You can wander the halls and pop into studios to actually see artists at work!

Plus there are restaurants and fun drink spots like the Fizzy Flapper (an old-fashioned ice cream parlor) and Piper & Leaf (a local tea company that I love…I drink their tea at home regularly!). There’s also a record store, a plant store, and a non-profit cat rescue!

You can explore Lowe Mill anytime they are open (Wednesday to Saturday 11 to 7), but certain studios might hold different hours so you’ll want to check if there is a specific spot you want to visit.

9. Enjoy Evening Concerts in the Park

Large crowd gathered on the grassy lawn outside the Huntsville Museum of Art during an outdoor community event in Huntsville, Alabama. Families and groups sit in lawn chairs and blankets under a warm evening sky surrounded by trees — Enjoying the evening at Concerts in the Park!

Concerts in the Park at Big Spring Park is one of my favorite long-standing Huntsville summer traditions! I used to go with my friends when I was in high school, and now I love going with my family!

Concerts in the Park take place every every Monday evening starting in June through the first Monday in August.

They have such a great variety of music! Different weeks feature different acts, from Latin to Caribbean to folk music and more. I love seeing the variety of their line up every year.

The concerts are free! But be sure to bring folding chairs and/or picnic blankets. I love brining a picnic dinner (or picking up a to-go order from a downtown restaurant) and enjoying our food at the concert.

10. Go To a Trash Pandas Baseball Game

It’s so funny to me what a cross-country sensation our minor league baseball team, the Trash Pandas, has become. We were traveling once and saw someone with a Trash Pandas shirt and assumed he was also from Huntsville. But no…he just liked the mascot!

Anyway, summer and baseball go hand-in-hand so head to a Trash Pandas baseball game during the summer! Besides the game, there is always something fun going on like inflatables on Sundays, live music before the games on Thursdays, and fireworks on the weekends!

11. Go To a Huntsville City Football Club Game

Huntsville also has a soccer team! And fun fact: the soccer stadium is actually where our minor league baseball team used to play (RIP Huntsville Stars).

The Huntsville City Football Club games can be super fun to go to as well with special themed nights (like Star Wars Might or Space Night). Plus, the complex around this stadium is getting built up with all kinds of shops and restaurants, so you can easily make a whole evening of it. So add this to your sports events for the summer!

12. Go Underground at Cathedral Caverns

Massive underground cave filled with towering stalagmites and hanging stalactites illuminated by warm golden lights. The intricate rock formations stretch across the cavern ceiling and floor, creating a dramatic natural landscape deep inside the cave system. — Cathedral Room at Cathedral Caverns

Aside from getting in the water, another way to keep cool in the summer is to go underground! And at Cathedral Caverns in Woodville (about a 30 minute drive from Huntsville), the cave is a constant temperature of 60 degrees. So even in the summer, you’ll need a light jacket!

To enter the cave, you’ll have to be on a guided tour. The tours last about 1.5 hours and take you deep into the cavern, where you’ll see things like Goliath (one of the largest stalagmites in the world!), a “frozen” waterfall, and, of course, the incredible cathedral room.

I love Cathedral Caverns as a day trip from Huntsville!

13. Imagine It’s Winter at the Huntsville Ice Sports Center

Truthfully I’m a little hesitant to share this one because the more people who go ice skating during the summer means the more crowded it is when I’m there trying to practice my figure skating.

But going ice skating at the Huntsville Ice Sports Center is another great way to keep cool during the summer! And since most people don’t think about ice skating during the summer, it’s usually not that crowded.

Huntsville actually has a pretty big ice sports community, so we have a huge ice plex with two sheets of ice and an arena and curling center being built.

Most days there are public skating hours from 2:30 to 4:00 during the week and from 1:00 to 2:30 on the weekends. It’s costs $12 and of course they have skates you can rent there too.

14. Get a Scoop of Ice Cream

Hand holding a waffle cone stacked with three scoops of rich chocolate ice cream filled with chocolate chunks at night. Blurred lights and parked cars in the background give the dessert shop scene a cozy evening atmosphere. — A scoop of chocoholic chunk from Handel’s. This is my favorite flavor!

Because summer = ice cream of course!!!

Here are some of my favorite places to get ice cream in Huntsville:

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream — This is our go-to spot! I will never turn down a cone of chocoholic chunk! Be aware that their serving sizes are VERY large though!
Big Spoon Creamery — My favorite downtown spot! This ice cream is out of Birmingham, and it’s soooo good! They have lots of unique flavors and seasonal flavors too.
The Yard Milkshake Bar — Near the Trash Panda’s stadium, this is the spot for outrageous milkshakes topped with cookies and brownies and more!

15. Dine Around Town During Restaurant Week and Culinary Month

During the first full week of August Huntsville celebrates Restaurant Week and the whole month of August in Culinary Month!

Local restaurants offer special menus and events during Restaurant Week and Culinary Month. This is a great time to try some of those Huntsville restaurants you’ve been meaning to try!