TOP 10: Alabama’s most-read stories of 2023

Looking back over 2023, there were some standout stories that Alabama went crazy for. From small towns to state parks to Stephen King, here’s the top 10.

1. Small town in Alabama named one of the top fishing destinations in the United States

It’s no secret that Alabama is widely known for having a plethora of fishing hubs across the state. One spot, Bayou La Barre, was ranked in the top 10 most charming fishing towns by TheTravel. This Mobile County small town, dubbed “The Seafood Capital of Alabama,” reeled in a lot of attention.

2. New Stephen King movie filming in South Alabama—extras needed

Just in time for prime spooky season, we heard that a new Stephen King movie was getting ready to film in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Our audience jumped at the chance of being an extra in the film.

3. This Alabama State Park named one of the best places to visit in the South this Fall by World Atlas

Before the peak of the autumn burst, WorldAtlas named Alabama’s beloved Desoto State Park as one of the best places to visit in the South this fall. “Visitors love us year around but especially in the fall when the forest turns to bright red, orange, yellow and many shades in between,” said President and CEO of DeKalb Tourism John Dersham.

4. WorldAtlas named the cutest small towns in Alabama—see who made the list

From Muscle Shoals to Fairhope, WorldAtlas spotted some of the most adorable Alabama towns—and our audience couldn’t wait to see who made the list.

5. NEW: Alabama campground ranks among top 10 places to camp in the nation

Not only did Alabama rank #9 in The Dyrt’s 2023 Best Places to Camp: Top 10 in the U.S., but it was the #1 best spot in the Southeast. Cherokee Rock Village in Leesburg, Alabama is “primitive camping at its finest” according to the popular camping app.

6. Alabama restaurant makes national top 10 “everyday eats”

Apparently, any time an Alabama spot makes a top 10 list, our audience goes crazy. When Gambino’s Italian Grill in Fairhope made TripAdvisor’s “Everyday Eats — United States” list, our audience ate it up.

7. This wing joint just got ranked the best in Alabama

At the start of football season, a staple in gameday eats made a big impression on Cheapism. This site ranked Baumhower’s as the best wing joint in Alabama—a high honor in a chicken-wing-loving state.

8. These 12 small towns in Alabama were named US favorites by WorldAtlas

Alabama loves their small towns, as we can see from two of our top 10 stories from 2023. Our audience loved finding out if their favorite small town made WorldAtlas’ list.

9. Shipwreck in Mobile incorrectly identified as Clotilda

In November, Mobile residents and history buffs throughout Alabama were abuzz on the news that remnants of the Clotilda—the last known vessel to bring enslaved people from Africa to the United States—had emerged from the waters in the Mobile River. However, the ship that was seen was not the Clotilda, but a World War I steamer called Lake Ellijay.

10. The Cahaba River could be set free

In May, we let our audience know about The Nature Conservancy called the U.S. Corps of Engineers plans to re-connect the Cahaba and Alabama rivers, the most ecologically significant restoration project ever undertaken in North America.

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