Each week, Alabama’s Department of Tourism shares a recap of how Alabama has made the news. Here are some interesting highlights:

LeisureGroupTravel.com, in an article about Alabama food: Alabama is an amiable state with a reputation for exceptional football and even better food. Which is a bold statement considering the University of Alabama football team is an absolute powerhouse.

The article, available here, highlights restaurants from the Capitol Oyster Bar in Montgomery to Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur to the iconic All Steak Restaurant in Cullman.

According to the Alabama Film Office blog,  “Star Trek: Discovery” has finally premiered and its star Alabama actress Sonequa Martin-Green, a Russellville native, is receiving rave reviews. But that’s not the only Alabama connection to the new “Star Trek” series.

Showrunner Bryan Fuller has said that one of his main inspirations for Martin-Green’s character is astronaut Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space. Jemison was born in Decatur, Alabama, about 47 miles from Martin-Green’s hometown.

 

RewardExpert says Birmingham is the best big city in Alabama, the Birmingham Business Journal reported.

“We evaluated all 460 cities and towns in Alabama based on 27 relevant data metrics to provide informed insights with travelers visiting the Heart of Dixie,” said RewardExpert CEO and co-founder Roman Shetyn. “We also determined which cities are best based on certain categories of interest, such as the top cities in Alabama for food, history and music.”
In the best big city category, the study highlights Birmingham’s high number of music venues and performing arts centers and wineries, as well as its food scene.

Anniston is Alabama’s best midsized city, according to the website. It boasts four golf courses, two Civil War historical sites, three music venues, Cheaha State Park’s 10-mile Cheaha Mountain Express bike trail, and Talladega National Forest’s Nobbin Creek Trail.
Orange Beach is listed as Alabama’s top off-the-beaten-track destination. Sitting on the Gulf of Mexico, the town provides tourists the opportunity to see exotic fish, visit shipwrecks and enjoy 13 music venues.