This Road Trip To Alabama’s Most Majestic Castles Is Like Something From A Fairytale

Alabama is home to several unique places and buildings, including castles. That's right! You don't have to travel to a faraway land to see these beautiful pieces of architecture. There are many castle-style structures located throughout Alabama, and we've decided to take you on a majestic castle road trip that'll lead you to six of our favorite castles in Alabama. Do note that many of these are private residences and can only be viewed from a distance.

The total mileage for this fairytale castles road trip is 963 miles, with an estimated drive time of 15 hours and 35 minutes. While this road trip begins and ends in Florence at Wesleyan Hall, due to its length, we recommend breaking this into separate adventures.

Ready for a dreamy road trip? Grab the full Google Map.

1. Wesleyan Hall, Florence

Wesleyan Hall, built in 1856, is a Gothic Revival castle-style building that's part of the University of North Alabama (UNA) campus in Florence, Alabama. Today, Wesleyan Hall is best known for its eerie string of hauntings. It's rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a Civil War general's son. Wesleyan Hall is located at Cramer Way, Florence, Alabama 35630.

2. Cook Castle, Fort Payne

Built in 1984 by Jeff Cook, a member of the country music group Alabama, Cook Castle is a 15,000-square-foot castle-style mansion that's open to the public for special events and available for overnight stays. This Fort Payne mansion even has a guitar-shaped swimming pool!

3. The Sterling Castle, Shelby

The Sterling Castle, located in Shelby, Alabama, is a wedding venue that guarantees to make all of your wedding dreams come true. Having your wedding at The Sterling Castle is the first step to living a life of happily ever after.

4. Quinlan Castle, Birmingham - CLOSED

Sadly, the Quinlan was slated for demolition in 2021. It is unclear at this time whether any of the structure still remains, and we have adjusted our road trip accordingly.

Quinlan Castle, located in Birmingham, Alabama, was built during the 1920s. It was originally used as an apartment complex. In 1984, Quinlan Castle was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

5. Hassinger Castle, Birmingham

Hassinger Castle, located in Birmingham's Redmont Park, was built in the 1920s by William and Virginia Hassinger. A few of its notable features include a rose garden, fish pond, and grotto. Note that Hassinger Castle is a private residence.

6. Storybook (Mosher) Castle, Fairhope

Mosher Castle, located in Fairhope, Alabama, was built by artist Dean Mosher. It's been featured on HGTV and in several publications. Every part of Mosher Castle was designed by Dean himself, down to the very last detail. There's even a moat and drawbridge on the property. Mosher Castle is a private residence, so keep that in mind if you happen to stumble upon it. The owners do allow exterior photos. Tours and rental bookings are available.

Have you ever seen any of these castles in Alabama in person? Who knew Alabama was hiding so much fairytale architecture?

For even more Alabama road trip ideas, we've compiled some of our favorites so that you have options year-round! Prepare in advance with our Ultimate Road Trip Packing List.

Save