This is a completely new facility, it took over two years to tear down the building, parking lots,…read moreand roads to reconstruct them all as brand new. That part is great. The restrooms are split in half where they can close half for cleaning and then switch to the other side. When they aren't cleaning, both sides used to be open. Now, they've gotten lazy and only half of the restrooms are ever open at once. So, when you have dozens of truckers and a lot of people in cars throughout the night, there sometimes is a line in the restrooms waiting for a toilet. There is a room with a lot of free travel information but it is locked up all night long. It's only open during 'bankers hours'. When the place is the busiest us when all of this information is locked up and inaccessible. It is unlike any other rest area in any other state - we've never seen all of this type of travel information locked up anywhere else. The locks on the toilet stalls are unusual. They have red and green blocks... From the outside they are very small and some of them aren't lined up or they are damaged. People can't always tell if they are available without looking for feet. From the inside, red means what? It is locked or unlocked? Safe or unsafe? If you check the lock before closing the door, there is no deadbolt to see moving... It's all internal to the door. On the inside, SOME of the stalls show a diagram of a locked padlock when it is in the red position and an unlocked symbol on the green. But some of them don't show the symbols or the red/green colors because these locks are junk and everything gets out of alignment. I've seen guys open the stall doors of occupied stalls many times because of these screwed up locks. Just the other day, a guy said it showed his door was locked but he got walked in on... You can't physically test them because turn the handle to open the door automatically unlocks the door in the process. So, yeah, for my job, I travel through here a few times every week. The next place to stop is more than 60 miles south. There is a bucees 30 miles south but you can't take trucks there.

Alabama welcome center located off the expressway that garners a lot of attention for having the…read morespace rocket during our in front of the facility. For rest stops you won't get much cooler outside decor than an actual real life rocket. The grounds also feature a Vietnam memorial and a Korean War memorial. So lots of cool historical things to check out on the grounds. The inside features a visitors center and a separate section with a mens and woman's room. The visitors side had a lady greeter who was very nice and asked for family size and zip code so they can keep track of visitors. The rocket garners a lot of attention. The bathrooms were pretty rough but nothing out of the ordinary compared to a normal welcome center or rest stop. The vending machines were in a separate exterior hut type area to the left of the main entrance. Overall pretty cool rest stop that is memorable for the rocket and cool war memorials as well. Someone told me this is the most visited place in all of Alabama. Kinda cool if true.

Ms. Linda was so helpful! Professional and very knowledgeable about all the things we came to find…read more She had great tips about the museums and times, costs and how to pack all the sights in efficiently! So many ideas, well be back! Happy Traveling from Seattle, Washington

Stop by and check out what the Florence area has to offer. The lady inside is super friendly and…read moretalking with her really made our day. Some interesting exhibits, brochures, and in a great area to walk or bike outside. Definitely stop in if in the area.

We were close by and decide to check it out. Definitely a quick stop, beautiful falls and a few…read morehikes. We just drove up and did the falls. Quick walk from the parking to the waterfalls.

Absolutely beautiful country side with lots to see and look at. A must see when in the area. The…read morelady in the office was so sweet and welcoming. Bathrooms and pavilions available for public use.

Beautiful and informative. They even have a small gift shop. Make sure to watch the short movie…read moreabout the canyon.

One of the best visitor centers we have been too. The staff is so nice and informative. They told…read moreus the best trails for kids and the gift shop is really nice as well.

Very helpful! And very informative good location right in the middle of town. They were out of…read moreannoyed and she called me when they got another in.

Upon entering... the cleanliness of the restrooms immediately impressed, setting a standard for the…read moreoverall visit. The lobby welcome center was efficiently managed, providing essential information to guide visitors. A helpful staff member was on hand, offering insights into the exhibits ensuring a well-informed exploration. Adjacent to the lobby, a curated selection of pamphlets was organized meticulously, offering additional resources for visitors. The ambiance was further enriched by a picturesque fireplace display complemented by a Civil War exhibit, which added historical depth to the experience. In essence, the Tennessee Welcome Center served as a comprehensive entry point, seamlessly integrating informational resources with engaging displays. RATINGS & LOGISTICS: - Atmosphere: 8/10 - Exhibit Quality: 9/10 - Service/Flow: 7/10 - Value: 8/10 - Would Return: Yes. definitly returning.

Welcome to Tennessee! I stopped here just to use the restroom and stretch out my leg. Yeah, I'm at…read morethat age. Lol Inside and outside of this welcome station both are well kept. I really appreciate the clean restrooms. I loved seeing all the cute dogs also on a potty break. This is a great place to stop while traveling!

Well, the Saturn V rocket is no longer here; however there are plans and funding for the U.S. Space…read moreand Rocket Center to oversee the construction of a replacement rocket. Sorority Sisters and I stopped here yesterday and the Welcome Center building itself appears to be brand new! I don't recall it having the current configuration; however, it's been a while since I've been here. The interior was spotless! The man working the counter was extremely friendly, and the entire interior smelled fresh and clean! There was a large screen TV over the interior counter, and rows and rows of organized pamphlets, maps, brochures, etc. with maps on the walls. The bathroom was modern, again, *clean* and well stocked with lots of stalls for the ladies and ample countertop space. The exterior grounds were equally spotless. There were people walking their dogs along the sidewalks, an employee picking up trash, and numerous covered, wheelchair accessible concrete patio tables available. There is a really pretty section in the front with an American flag, other flags and monuments, we did not browse through. This is a really nice rest stop to get a snack, or a drink, pick up some regional information, ask the clerk any relevant questions, and I think you are allowed to leave a vehicle there up to four days, however, make sure you check their website about that. Welcome to Alabama!

Very clean and well-maintained! Friendly staff welcomed us! Grounds were very nice and had covered…read morepicnic areas.

So many great trails to choose from here! There are some that aren't super advanced and have a…read morequick route and others that might take you several hours.

Parking was alright and the overlook loop trail which is rated as one of the top ten hikes in the…read morecountry by backpacker magazine was alright! I wouldn't have given it that high a rating but jt was a nice hike. When you first start the trail there is a fork for the loop, either you go down into the forest or go straight along the cliff. Most people we ran into seemingly walked down into the forest first, which meant they walked uphill most of the hike. We went straight along the cliff wall and ended up walking down hill for most of the 5 mile loop. It really was only the last half a mile that was uphill to get back to the start of the trail. I highly advise to go straight to make less work on yourself esp if you're elderly or with young families. I saw a few people turn around because the hike up was becoming too much. We had three children 5 and under who didn't feel tired until we were into the half mile uphill for reference on the different experiences you can have depending on the route you take.