11 things these 2 love about Huntsville, their new home town, incl. Straight to Ale
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We’ve been hearing for a while now how fast Huntsville is growing, so we wanted to talk to some people who moved there recently to find out more about the hip and happening parts of the city. Meet Ashley and Jay, who moved to Rocket City in December 2020 and find out how they found their new home and why they love it.
Meet Ashlee + Jay
Originally from New England, these two were living in Florida when they decided they needed a change of pace.
“It was nice, but it was just too sunny and warm all the time. We were looking for some seasons again, but a milder winter.”
Ashlee + Jay
Since Jay works for a defense contractor, Huntsville was a natural choice. They moved in December 2020 and haven’t looked back.
How RealtySouth’s relocation services helped Ashlee + Jay make Huntsville home
Once they decided to move, Jay’s employer gave them a list of real estate companies that could help. RealtySouth called back right away—at 5PM on a Friday evening. The timing of the call let Jay and Ashlee know they meant business, so that’s who they chose to work with.
Realtor Haley Temple ended up being their personal tour guide, the one who helped them find their house, and ultimately, a friend.
Ashlee walked me through what the process was like:
“It was awesome. We came here for a short weekend trip because we’d never been here and didn’t know the area at all. She drove us around from Madison to Owens Crossroads, showing us everything so we could get an idea of what we were looking for.
It wasn’t just houses, either. She also recommended restaurants and places to hang out. It was a general tour of Huntsville along with looking at houses. That was different from other Realtors, and why we really liked her. Having Haley as our tour guide was definitely a bonus.”
Because Jay’s job started in December, they got a short-term apartment rental, then spent a month or two working with Haley until they found their house.
Here’s what RealtySouth had to say about their Relocation Services:
“Our Relocation Certified Agents demonstrate their commitment to service excellence at every opportunity. Having professionals like Haley supporting employees and their family units relocating into Alabama is invaluable to RealtySouth Relocation. Haley understands how important her impact is to ensuring an excellent experience, with as little stress as possible. We are proud to be considered a trusted partner to many organizations throughout the state.”
Jonathan Cohen, Vice President, Relocation and Business Strategy, RealtySouth
Since Jay and Ashlee have been in Huntsville for five months now, we were curious to find out about some of their favorite hangout spots.
Jay + Ashlee’s Huntsville favorites
“We like that it’s a growing area. It’s nice to see these new restaurants popping up everywhere.”
—Ashlee and Jay
1. Honest Coffee
Every good day starts with a good cup of coffee, right? Jay and Ashlee love to grab a latte or a coffee at Huntsville’s Honest Coffee and walk around downtown.
Location: 114 Clinton Ave. E #106, Huntsville, AL 35801
Follow: Website | Facebook | Instagram | (256) 813-4678
2. Stovehouse
Back in the 1930s, the Martin Stove factory made heaters and stoves. Now, visitors can find restaurants, live music, shopping, bars and more. Kamado Ramen is one of Jay and Ashlee’s fave spots.
Location: 3414 Governors Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805
Follow: Website | Facebook | Instagram | (256) 801-2424
3. Commerce Kitchen
When you’re in the mood for some Southern casual fine dining, this is the place to go.
Location: 300 Franklin Street SE, Huntsville, AL 35801
Follow: Website | Facebook | Instagram | (256) 382-6622
4. Char Huntsville
This spinoff from an original steakhouse that started in Jackson, Mississippi more than 20 years ago, has modern Southern cuisine and steak and seafood. They’ve also got a piano bar and a jazz trio that plays during Sunday brunch.
Location: 931 Bob Wallace Ave, SW, Suite 201, Huntsville, AL 35801
Follow: Website | Facebook | Instagram | (256) 384-4465
5. Bridge Street Town Centre
If you like The Summit in Birmingham, you’ll love Bridge Street Town Centre in Huntsville. They’ve got shops, restaurants, a pop jet fountain (how fun!), movies and more.
Location: 365 The Bridge Street, Suite 106, Huntsville, AL 35806
Follow: Website | Facebook | Instagram
6. Campus No. 805—The South’s Premiere Brewery & Entertainment Venue
This hotspot used to be an actual campus—for almost 60 years. Now you’ll find breweries, restaurants, live music, venues and a big park. In other words, it’s a great hangout spot.
Location: 2620 Clinton Ave NW, Huntsville, AL 35025
Follow: Website | Facebook | Instagram | (256) 519-6212
7. Straight to Ale Brewery
Alright so this one, although it’s located within Campus No. 805, deserves its own spot. Gotta love their Lynyrd Skynyrd-inspired slogan: “Southern Born, Southern Brewed!” This brewery was founded in 2009, and is now one of Alabama’s largest production breweries.
Location: 2610 Clinton Ave NW, Huntsville, AL 35805
Follow: Website | Facebook | Instagram | (256) 801-9650
8. Burritt on the Mountain
On top of Round Top Mountain, Burritt on the Mountain includes Burritt mansion, a historic park, nature trails, geocaching and more. It’s got beautiful views, and Wine Wednesday is one of the highlights of Ashlee’s weeks.
Location: 3101 Burritt Drive SE, Huntsville, AL 35801
Follow: Website | Facebook | Instagram | (256) 536-2882
9. Rocket City Trash Pandas
Since Ashlee and Jay are big baseball fans, they were thrilled to find out that Huntsville was home to its own minor league team.
“We’re excited—we haven’t been to a game yet. But having the Trash Pandas at Toyota Field is another bonus of moving here.”
Follow: Website | Facebook | Instagram | (256) 325-1403
Ashlee said that one of the final things they love about Huntsville is that it has great hiking, mountain biking, waterfalls and scenery. The AllTrails app helps them find new trails to explore.
10. Hays Nature Preserve
With more than 10 miles of trails and greenways following the Flint River, this area is great for exploring, and it’s part of the North Alabama Birding Trail.
11. Indian Creek Greenway
This is the final one of Ashlee and Jay’s favorites that they’ve discovered so far.
Location: Harvestwood Court, Madison, AL 35758
Follow: Website | Instagram
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