February 19, 2007
Huntsville, Alabama: Constellation movie tourism
Constellation was filmed in Huntsville, Alabama. Now Huntsville plans to cash in on movie tourism by providing "self-guided 'Constellation Tour' maps that point visitors to sites that are shown in the movie". According to this article, Huntsville has more to offer tourists than just a few movie locations.
Chief among these is the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. It sounds pretty cool, with flight simulators that I guess people can experience. There's the Space Shot, a kind of ride that "rockets" you 140 feet into the air with four Gs. And then there's a roller coaster with Martians listening to country music - I guess you have to experience that one before you can grok it.
Alabama artist John Moore's mural was in Constellation and you can see it in EarlyWorks museum where you can also try on old costumes and blow up coal mines (simulations I hope).
This local article lists a few more places in Huntsville that were in the movie: "EarlyWorks Children's Museum, Huntsville Museum of Art, North Alabama Railroad Museum, State Black Archives and Museum, U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Melvin's BBQ, Humphrey's Bar & Grill, The Chop House and Glenwood Cemetery."
Digression: That last one, Glenwood Cemetery reminds me of what I wrote a few days ago when I blogged about Central Cemetery in Vienna, Austria. I said most people don't think of putting cemeteries on their travel itineraries, but here's another one. And then there's Pere Lachaise in Paris, a cemetery so cheerful that workers from nearby business go there for lunch.
Anyway, regarding Huntsville. The official Huntsville website has useful information for tourists. You can get discount coupons, sign up for good airfares delivered to you via email, create a travel itinerary online, find nearby golf courses, etc.
To me, Huntsville sounds good. There's stuff to do but it's not likely to be overly crowded with tourists. I don't know how hot it gets down there in the summer, but I'm definitely thinking that if I can't get to Europe (remember the airfares I was writing about a couple of days ago?) I might do a US city like Miami or Chicago and then something smaller, like Huntsville.
Posted by James Trotta at February 19, 2007 11:49 AM | TrackBack
Hello everyone,
Huntsville is a great place to visit. In fact this is the 25th aniversary of The US Space & Rocket center. There are weekly visits from notable astronauts. There are several different simulators. It is very amazing. You can learn so much and remember to bring your camera. There is a Moon Buggy race coming up. Contestants from all over come to test their skills....
Everything is worth the visit. The food, folks and fun. No place like Alabama... Home Sweet Home...rather "Sweet Home Alabama" LOL
Hope to see yall soon,
AJ
Posted by: AJ Cavanaugh at February 19, 2007 3:49 PMI don't know how, but apparently you can post a day before it happens. Today is the 18th of Feb. 2007 and you posted the 19th of Feb. 2007 at 3:49pm. AMAZING!
Posted by: Bruce at February 19, 2007 8:27 PMIt gets pretty warm in Huntsville in the summer...mid 90's... and VERY humid, but it's a very nice town. (and it's only about an hour away from The World Famous Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, TN.)(Oh yeah, and don't forget antique shopping in the town square of Fayetteville, TN which is on the way to Lynchburg!)
Posted by: Anna at February 20, 2007 12:27 AMAnna and AJ - thanks for the tips. That moon buggy race sounds very cool and I like anitque shoping.
Bruce - I'm in Seoul (14 hours ahead give or take an hour since we don't do daylight savings).
Posted by: James Trotta at February 20, 2007 1:33 AM