Whenever friends and family from out of state come to Alabama, I always want to take them somewhere unique and incredible – somewhere that’ll make ‘em say, “Wait, this is in Alabama?”

Luckily, we have plenty of places here that can make people shed any preconceived notions about our beautiful state – and will probably want to make them pack their suitcases and move here.

For the purpose of this list, I left out the really big obvious choices, like the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville and the sandy shores of the Alabama Gulf.

As always, I would love to hear more about the places I left off this list. There are far too many to list, and I’d love for you to email me where you take out-of-towners.

Rattlesnake Saloon

Tuscumbia

I gotta start this list with my dad’s go-to spot to take his out-of-state friends: Rattlesnake Saloon. The Tuscumbia attraction is one of the state’s most unique locales. It’s part watering hole, part restaurant, part live music venue. Best of all: It’s located inside a cave, and it’s just a fun, breathtaking experience.

And it’s not just my dad (and his friends) who give it an A+. Alabamians adore the Rattlesnake Saloon – it’s a bucket list item to so many people, and people from all over make the trek to the unique spot.

Here’s the deal: Drive (or get a ride) to the venue’s parking lot. You’ll park and ride a “taxi” the venue provides to the cave.

After that, only good times await!

(Note: Make sure to check the schedule – the Rattlesnake Saloon isn’t open during the coldest winter months or on some inclement weather days.)

READ MORE: The ultimate Alabama watering hole

Dismals Canyon

Phil Campbell

Dismals Canyon may be one of the state’s best-kept secrets, and I really wish I could keep it that way. The area is like being in your own little world, in the best possible way.

The area is filled with lots of rich biological and geological beauty (and plenty of plant life). Explore one of Dismals Canyon’s gorgeous walking trails, where you’ll pass waterfalls, natural bridges and more.

But the best part of Dismals Canyon? The Dismalites. The tiny, glowing larvae give off a light show you won’t see anywhere else. Promise.

The area is a National Natural Landmark, so it’s on private land and not always open to the public. (Check the hours.) But when it is, it’s a marvel.

READ MORE: Check out some of the sights at Dismals Canyon

Spectre

Millbrook

I’ve written about (and visited) Spectre so many times, that I sometimes forget that it’s a uniquely Alabama place until out-of-town friends mention wanting to visit it. The fictional town built for the 2003 “Big Fish” movie set is still on Jackson Lake Island to this day (though some of it has been damaged by the natural elements).

Not only can you see some of the buildings from the film, you can also pet the goats that roam the island. Yes, I said pet goats.

Make sure to check the area’s open before you journey there – if there’s recently been bad storms, it’s sometimes hard to access the island.

READ MORE: The ghost town of Spectre

Wilderness Park/Bamboo Forest

Prattville

Most people don’t know that smack dab in Alabama is a bamboo forest. But you can find just that in Prattville – and it’s been there since the 1940s.

Some of the bamboo in the forest grows up to 60 feet tall, according to the state’s tourism department, making it one of the state’s most serene walking trails. On hot, humid Alabama summer days, there’s nothing like walking under bamboo to cool you off (or at least not be quite as miserable.)

READ MORE: A bamboo forest in Alabama

Bat Cave

Scottsboro

Did you know that Alabama is home to the largest bat emergence east of the Mississippi River? Well, now you do – and you can watch the emergence yourself.

A couple-ish miles west of the Scottsboro city limits, you can observe more than 250,000 gray bats exit Sauta Cave.

You can’t go into the cave – it’s a protected area – but there’s a viewing area to watch the bats emerge around sunset. June through August are the best months to view the bats.

Pro tip: Bring a rain jacket or poncho with a hood. There will be hundreds of thousands of bats flying over you. You get what I’m saying.

Jules J. Berta Vineyards

Albertville

I’m not going to lie – I was a little skeptical about trying Alabama wine until I recently made the venture to Albertville to try Jules J. Berta Vineyards.

The wine was excellent (I highly recommend the wine slushie flight), but it was more than that. The pizza served here would probably enter my top 10 pizzas in the state (my mother-in-law gushed about the pineapple and ham pizza, the only pineapple and ham pizza she’s ever liked) – but that’s still not why I fell in love with the place.

The area was cozy, there was lots of shade, and the tables were filled with families, bachelorette parties and sorority alumni get-togethers. It truly felt like a tiny slice of Europe, right off the busy U.S. Highway 431.