Talladega
Talladega, Alabama
More Than Just Zoom Zoom
By: Judy Walton
DRIVE TIME: 2 hours, 35 minutes from downtown Chattanooga
GREAT FOR: Culture › Outdoors › History
BEST IF YOU HAVE:
2 days
The Alabama Superspeedway and Motor Sports Hall of Fame soak up most of the news, but this historic Alabama town, home of the nation’s oldest historically black college, also is a gateway to the great outdoors.
> WHAT TO DO:
Talladega Superspeedway
3366 Speedway Blvd.
256-761-4976
What’s dubbed NASCAR’s biggest and baddest track opened in 1969 and put this Middle Alabama town on the map. Its 2.66-mile track is the longest NASCAR oval, and tens of thousands of fans flock to the stands for events such as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and Camping World Truck Series. A recently announced $50 million infield redevelopment will enhance fan access, add new RV parking and make other improvements. Completion is expected in time for the October 2019 NASCAR race weekend.
» Adjacent to the speedway is the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame, where guests can take an hourlong self-guided walking tour through ranks of vehicles driven by racing greats like Mario Andretti, Dale Earnhardt and homegrown legend Charles “Red” Farmer.
DeSoto Caverns
5181 DeSoto Caverns Pkwy, Childersburg, Ala.
256-378-7252
Owned by the same family for more than 100 years, DeSoto Caverns has one of the largest accumulations of onyx-marble stalagmites and stalactites in the world. The Kymulga Cathedral Room room is as tall as a 12-story building and longer than a football field. Hourly tours allow guests to learn about caverns’ formation and their history. More than 20 attractions above ground, including a family fun park, panning for opals and the Lost Maze Trail, will ensure everyone can find something to enjoy.
A 2,800-acre mountaintop retreat at the highest point in Alabama, Cheaha Resort State Park offers a myriad of outdoor opportunities. Sitting atop Cheaha Mountain at 2,407 feet above sea level, the park is home to a lodge and restaurant that serves families and groups. The park includes a lake, a variety of accessible and extreme trails, nature programs and cultural heritage sites. From the park, visitors can access the Kentuck ORV-ATV Trail as well as a trailhead connector to the Pinhoti and Appalachian trails.
> DON'T MISS:
The nationally recognized Amistad Murals comprise six colorful panels charting the rise of African-Americans from slavery to freedom. Talladega College, which started as a school for black children in 1865 and claims the title of the oldest historically black college, commissioned Atlanta artist Hale Woodruff for the works in 1938. Now the college is building the Dr. William R. Harvey Museum of Art to house the murals, which are in storage. Opening is set for sometime this year.
> HISTORY AND CULTURE:
Talladega County Courthouse
1 Courthouse Square
256-362-1357
The oldest courthouse in continuous use in Alabama, the Talladega County Courthouse was built in 1836 and remodeled extensively after tornadoes and fires in the early 20th century by Chattanooga architect R.H. Hunt, many of whose buildings are still in use here, including the Hamilton County Courthouse.
Heritage Hall
200 South St. E
256-761-1364
The Heritage Hall Museum and Arts Center in the former Jemison-Carnegie Public Library building celebrates the history and heritage of Talladega. The 1908 Beaux Arts Classic building is home to a permanent exhibit and hosts multiple shows each year. Through May 31, guests can see Alabama’s heritage as shown through “Quilt Stories” in the special bicentennial exhibit.
» The museum is located in the Silk Stocking District. This 113-acre downtown area features architectural gems, both residential and commercial, in multiple styles including Queen Anne, Classical Revival, Carpenter Gothic, Colonial Revival and others from the late Victorian period. More than 120 properties in the neighborhood are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ritz Theatre
115 Court Square N
256-315-0000
Talladega’s Ritz Theatre was built in 1936 and is considered one of the best surviving examples of the Art Deco main-street theaters of the 1930s, according to its website. Resurrecting its heritage, the facility is Talladega’s only movie theater, but also hosts live cultural events.
> WHERE TO EAT:
COST KEY:
$: Under $10
$$: $11-$30
$$$: $31-$60
$$$$: $61+
The Daily Grind
709 E. Battle Street
256-480-3132
Cost: $$
Start your morning with coffee, tea and fresh, homemade pastries at this small space. A few tables are available to dine in but many folks stop by for carryout of breakfast croissants, cinnamon rolls, scones and other bakery treats.
Fincher’s Real Delite
521 East Street N
256-362-2174
Cost: $
This traditional American restaurant is renowned for its fried catfish and chicken fingers and “awesome!” hushpuppies, along with a daily meat-and-three. It flaunts its 1950s ambiance — from plastic-lettered menu boards to worn Formica tabletops and the Bear Bryant shrine in the back room — but local diners know Fincher’s is the place to go for good Southern food.
Pop the Top Soda Shop
704-B E. Battle Street
256-268-8036
Cost: $
An old-school soda shop that serves lunch or snacks: burgers and hot dogs, hand-scooped cones and cups, and creamy dairy treats.
La Posada Mexican Grill
216 Haynes St.
256-268-7325
Cost: $$
This family-run restaurant offers a large menu that includes the usual tacos, enchiladas and fajitas along with “Talladega specials” such as Mexican meatballs, morisqueta — potato taquitos with sliced cabbage, tomato, potato and cheese on rice with sour cream and tomatillo sauce — and flaming cheese served in a skillet with poblano peppers and pico de gallo. Diners liked the menu variety and praise the fresh, hot chips, the horchata and, especially, the friendly service.
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