When the weather gets warmer and the days grow longer, it’s not unusual to see a steady stream of vehicles towing bicycles and boats through the gates at Oak Mountain State Park.

“We’re 10,000 acres full of things to do,” says Anna Jones, activity director at the park, located south of Birmingham just off of Interstate 65 in north Shelby County.  The park percolates with activity throughout the year, and especially around spring break.

“This is an affordable, fun option for people who may not want to spend a lot to travel out of the state. There’s so much you can do here,” she said. “There’s golf, biking, hiking and archery. We have a petting farm and an interpretive center, too. You can come here and enjoy the beach swimming or just relax.”

Alabama offers 22 parks throughout the state (although Bladon Springs, Chickasaw and Roland Cooper state parks remain closed because of a budget shortfall), providing a wide range of activities for the enjoying the great outdoors.

Cathedral Caverns State Park (Alabama State Parks Service)

Cathedral Caverns State Park, located in Woodville, not far from Lake Guntersville, is included on Paste magazine’s list of the 25 Top Parks in the Country.  It’s in a competition to be named one of the top caves in the country, said Lamar Pendergrass, park director.

“This is a popular place for people in Alabama and from surrounding states,” he said. “We had a lot of folks coming over from Mississippi last week when a lot of the schools there were on spring break. We get people here Tennessee and Georgia, too.”

Cathedral Caverns has been a state park since 1987, but it has operated in its current format since 2000.

“We have guided tours. We don’t allow anyone to go into the caves alone,” Pendergrass said. “It takes about 90 minutes for the tour.”

Many visitors make park tours their first stop before visiting other nearby sites. Others camp out on the park grounds.

“We’re not too far from Lake Guntersville and Desoto (State Park), so sometimes people may come here, then go to another park to camp or enjoy their activities,” Pendergrass said.

Camping is a huge attraction at many of the state parks.

Oak Mountain has cabins, RV campgrounds and primitive camping. With many school systems in Alabama on spring break in late March and early April, reservations in the RV area are filling up, activity director Anna Jones said.

“We love to see it full,” Jones says. “The more the merrier.”

Here are a few more state park options for spring break and the coming warm weather months:

Gulf State Park (Alabama State Parks Service)

Gulf State Park

Located on the pristine waters of the Gulf of Mexico, this park is one of the most popular in the South. It includes 2 miles of beach property, a championship golf course, saltwater and freshwater fishing, and even a zip line.

Cheaha State Park

This 2,799-acre mountaintop resort is Alabama’s highest point. Visitors have several lodging options: a luxurious lodge, primitive camping or mountain chalets. The park, surrounded by the Talladega National Forest, abounds with beautiful scenery all year.

Desoto State Park

This park is all about fun and adventure.  With 3,502 acres of trees, streams and trails, the park offers kayaking, biking, hiking, rock climbing and more. There are also classes on wilderness survival. Primitive camping and cabins are available.

Lake Guntersville State Park

Located on Alabama’s largest lake, this park on the banks of the Tennessee River includes more than 36 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. It also offers boat rentals, fishing, a beach and an outdoor nature center.