Montgomery Whitewater, a rafting and kayaking adventure park, has only been open for a year, but the 120-acre park in Alabama is already garnering national attention.
Time magazine recently included Montgomery-Whitewater on its list of “The World’s Greatest Places for 2024.” The list, released Thursday, highlights “incredible destinations to visit and stay in this year,” with an emphasis on “new and exciting experiences.”
Time Magazine has highlighted 50 places to stay and 50 places to visit, ranging from luxury hotels to wilderness campgrounds, and Montgomery Whitewater is the only Alabama destination to make the list.
“Alabama hasn’t historically been a whitewater rafting destination,” writes Terry Ward. “But now they can paddle at Montgomery Whitewater Park, designed by former Olympian and world champion kayaker Scott Shipley and featuring one of the world’s most advanced man-made, recirculating whitewater channels. One of only three of its kind in the U.S., the facility opened in July 2023 with a mission to make outdoor activities and a healthy lifestyle accessible to all. (Admission is free for visitors who just want to enjoy the green space, walking paths, and bubbly whitewater views.) In addition to flatwater paddling, whitewater rafting, surfing, and kids’ summer camps, a partnership with the Alabama Scenic River Trail and the YMCA offers free water safety and beginner kayaking instruction to locals as young as 18 months of age.
“Additional programming is scheduled to begin in September to engage women of color in outdoor activities at the birthplace of the U.S. civil rights movement,” the description continues. “The project has been thoughtfully designed in other ways, including backflow collection features that will reduce water loss by 95 percent and a system that will capture and filter the 12 million gallons of water that power the course’s rapids. Future plans for the park include adding zip lines, rock climbing, ropes courses and mountain biking trails, as well as direct access for boating and swimming on the Alabama River, Montgomery’s main waterway that runs through the heart of downtown.”
Montgomery Whitewater, a park with a restaurant and outdoor bar and activities like rafting and kayaking, opened July 7, 2023. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)
Montgomery Whitewater, a park with a restaurant and outdoor bar and activities like rafting and kayaking, opened July 7, 2023. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)
Montgomery Whitewater, a park with a restaurant and outdoor bar and activities like rafting and kayaking, opened July 7, 2023. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)
Montgomery Whitewater, a park with a restaurant and outdoor bar and activities like rafting and kayaking, opened July 7, 2023. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)
Montgomery Whitewater, a park with a restaurant and outdoor bar and activities like rafting and kayaking, opened July 7, 2023. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)
Montgomery Whitewater, a park with a restaurant and outdoor bar and activities like rafting and kayaking, opened July 7, 2023. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)
Montgomery Whitewater, a park with a restaurant and outdoor bar and activities like rafting and kayaking, opened July 7, 2023. A crowd watches a program that included Rep. Terri Sewell, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed and other speakers. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)
Montgomery Whitewater, located at 1100 Maxwell Blvd., was named to Time’s list, which also features such far-flung destinations as Kamba African Rainforest Experiences in the Congo, Hassan Fathy’s New Gourna Village in Egypt, Saka Museum in Indonesia and Dive Tutukaka in New Zealand. Closer to home, Time recommended visiting Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Florida, the International African American Museum in South Carolina and CPKC Stadium in Missouri.
See the full list of “The World’s Most Amazing Places in 2024” here.
