Perched atop Lookout Mountain in the northeast corner of the state, tiny, terrific Mentone is one of Alabama’s most idyllic small towns.

With its natural beauty, colorful characters and nostalgic charm, it is, as a sign outside Mentone’s beloved Wildflower Café says, “the town time forgot.”

And no matter the season, it’s the perfect Alabama weekend getaway – a little nippy in the fall, fireplace weather in the winter, just right in the spring, and not too brutally hot in the summer.

We cannot wait to get back there.

If you, too, are planning a visit, please keep reading to discover five things we love about marvelous Mentone.

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Shopping for sundries at Mentone Market

Find out why Southern Living named Mentone Market one of the South’s best general stores. A Mentone institution for more than 80 years, the market is a one-stop shop for residents and tourists alike, whether they’re dropping in for a quick bite to eat, doing a little last-minute grocery shopping, or looking for that special, Alabama-made gift. Lunch service is available on Fridays and Saturdays, and the menu includes pulled pork, Tuscan chicken and BLT sandwiches, as well as seasonal soups and pizza by the slice. And in the gift shop, you’ll find such Alabama goods as ceramic mugs from Prodigal Pottery in Chelsea, fig butter and muscadine jam from Dayspring Dairy in nearby Gallant, and Zkano organic cotton socks, made just down the road in Fort Payne, the onetime “Sock Capital of the World.”

Mentone Market is at 5872 Alabama Highway 117. The phone is 256-634-4686. For more information, go here.

Basking in the glow of the fall colors

Mentone is marvelous no matter what the season, but it is especially resplendent in the fall, when the trees show out with vivid orange, yellow and red leaves. To bask in the glow of the autumnal splendor, take Scenic Drive north from downtown to Brow Park, which offers a spectacular view from the brow of Lookout Mountain. The park includes a walking path and covered pavilions for picnickers. Or, if you’d rather hop on a pontoon boat, the Mentone Scenic Boat Cruise is the perfect way to view the fall foliage.

RELATED: 6 Alabama small towns you should visit this fall

Taking in the view at DeSoto Falls

An eight-minute drive from Mentone along either Alabama Highway 117 or County Road 89, DeSoto Falls is one of the tallest and most spectacular waterfalls in Alabama. Named for the Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto, the 107-foot waterfall is part of DeSoto State Park, and it is accessible via a paved path that leads from the DeSoto Falls Picnic Area parking lot and down a set of stairs to a scenic, railed overlook. As many times as we’ve seen it over the years, it still takes our breath away.

The DeSoto Falls Picnic Area is open daily during daylight hours. For directions and more information, go here.

RELATED: 13 gorgeous Alabama waterfalls and how to visit them

Browsing for local art and crafts

For a town its size – a little more than 300 people – Mentone has more than its share of artists and craftspeople, many of whom will display their works at the annual Mentone Fall Festival this Saturday, Oct. 19. But if you miss the festival, the Mentone Arts Center is open year-round and offers workshops and classes in everything from painting and photography to glass beadmaking and linocut printmaking. Find a piece of local art to take home with you in the center’s gallery and gift shop. Also, Moon Lake Village, which opened in 2022 on the former Moon Lake Elementary School campus, has become a community gathering space that is home to such studios and shops as OtherWorld Gifts, Faith and Mustard Seed and Coming Up Violets.

RELATED: Alabama’s best art townsx

Winding down with dinner at the Wildflower Café

We’ve written about the wonders of the Wildflower Café and its flower-child owner L.C. Moon many times, so it’s always a must-stop whenever we make the trek to Mentone. Treat yourself to a slice of the café’s famous tomato pie, a cheesy, savory dish that is well worth the drive. Be sure you save room for a piece of that decadent peanut butter pie, which is one of our must-try Alabama dishes. And if you’re lucky, you might get to hear Moon belt out a tune or two with some of the house musicians.

The Wildflower Cafe is at 6007 Alabama Highway 117. The phone is 256-634-0066. For more information, go here.

RELATED: The story behind Mentone’s Wildflower Cafe and the woman who keeps it funky