The Yellowhammer State didn’t earn the moniker Alabama the Beautiful for nothing. From white-sand beaches on its southern coast to majestic mountains up north, the state is overwhelming blessed with gorgeous scenery. As one of the country’s top five most biodiverse states, Alabama’s great outdoors offer not only a breath of fresh air and beautiful views aplenty, but also a chance to get acquainted with a huge range of biomes and species. With more than 50,000 square miles to explore, you could spend years crisscrossing the state and still have more to see. Dense forests, Appalachian foothills, intricate cave systems, winding rivers, sparkling lakes, marshy swamps, and expansive plains-you name it, Alabama has it. And that’s not even mentioning all the hidden gems in the state’s large cities and tiny towns.