It’s the birthplace of iconic country band Alabama and at one point was known as the “Sock Capital of the World,” yet Fort Payne is one of the South’s 10 most underrated destinations, according to the good folks at Southern Living who keep tabs on these sorts of things.

Author Tara Massouleh McCay wrote that the South is littered with places like Fort Payne which “get far less attention but are worthy of our time all the same.”

Fort Payne, a city of about 15,000 people which sits roughly 70 miles southeast of Huntsville, finds itself among the 10 most underrated destinations alongside locales such as Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky; Crystal River, Fla.; and the Virginia wine country.

“This small North Alabama town may not seem like much,” McCay wrote, “but when you consider its incredibly high concentration of stunning natural attractions all located within one easy-to-navigate area, it’s a bit of a wonder more people haven’t caught on to its charms.

“DeSoto State Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve, and Little River Falls are just a few of its many outdoor-focused points of interest. In fact, Little River Canyon is known as the Grand Canyon of the East. We admit it’s not quite as magnificent as the one out west, but it sure is a lot easier to get to—and you won’t have to battle crowds to get the perfect picture.”

What McCoy doesn’t mention is Fort Payne is also home to the Alabama Fan Club & Museum, which celebrates the homegrown band which became the most successful in country music history.

The city’s also has a reputation as the “Sock Capital of the World” after hosiery mills sprang up in the city in 1907, with the city at one point producing 50% of all socks in the U.S.

It also has a role in the infamous “Trail of Tears,” the forced relocation of Cherokee Indians in 1838 during which thousands of Native Americans died from exposure, disease and starvation while en route to a reserve in Oklahoma.

Today, Fort Payne works to educate new generations on the tragedy of the Trail of Tears with markers designating the route.

Here’s Southern Living’s complete top 10 most underrated places:

• Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
• Crystal River, Florida
• Mississippi Gulf Coast
• Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
• Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, West Virginia
• Fort Payne, Alabama
• Virginia wine country
• Black Mountain, North Carolina
• Knoxville, Tennessee
• Terlingua, Texas