Please note that the Public Health England team leading this policy transitioned into the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities on 1 October 2021.
Health inequalities are defined as avoidable differences in health outcomes between groups or populations – such as differences in how long we live, or the age at which we get preventable diseases or health conditions. Similarly, health disparities are described by Healthy People 2020 as:
a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic and/or environmental disadvantage.
Health disparities are said to adversely affect groups of people who have systematically experienced greater obstacles to health. Depending on the workforce, sector or organisation, different language is sometimes used to describe the same problem. The terms ‘health disparities’ and ‘health inequalities’ are sometimes used interchangeably.
The causes of health inequalities or disparities are complex, but are generally associated with variation in a range of factors that positively or negatively influence our ability to be healthy. This includes individual health-related behaviour, such as:
smoking and diet
access to services
social deprivation
access to work
education levels
social networks
how much control we feel we have over our lives
In recent times, progress has been made in improving key determinants of health for many people including:
driving down rates of smoking
introducing measures to address obesity
improving the quality of health and care services
increases in educational attainment
measures to improve housing quality
However, the benefits of this have not been felt equally across the population, resulting in some groups or people living in some areas continuing to spend more of their lives in poor health and dying sooner than others.
This All Our Health: health disparities and health inequalities resource highlights that everyone can contribute to addressing health disparities and health inequalities in the course of their everyday work or role. It has been created to help a wide range of organisations and professionals, including health and care professionals, practitioners, commissioners, senior leaders, managers, and voluntary and community sector workers to:
gain a broad understanding of what is meant by ‘health disparities’ and ‘health inequalities’
understand the causes of health disparities and health inequalities
implement the evidence-based actions and interventions that can be incorporated into everyday practice to address health disparities and health inequalities
consider who else they may need to work with to address health disparities and health inequalities
What health inequalities and health disparities are, and who is more likely to experience them
The most recent data on how long we live overall (life expectancy for local areas of the UK: between 2001 to 2003 and 2018 to 2020) includes some data from the coronavirus (COVID-19) period. It indicates that life expectancy for men has fallen for England as a whole, but there is significant variation across the regions for both men and women. For example, for men, life expectancy at birth has fallen in all regions other than the south-east and south-west, and, for females, there have been reductions in all regions other than the south-east, south-west and London.
Health inequalities
These differences in health outcomes are known as health inequalities – unfair and avoidable differences in health across the population, and between different groups within society. Health inequalities arise because of the conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work and age. These conditions influence our opportunities for good health, and how we think, feel and act, and this shapes our mental health, physical health and wellbeing.[footnote 2]
Figure 1 above shows the broad range of individual characteristics and societal factors that have been identified as contributing to health inequalities. These are:
socio-economic status and deprivation – for example, unemployment, low income, living in a deprived area, and factors associated with this such as poor housing and educational attainment
vulnerable or inclusion health groups – for example, vulnerable migrants, Gypsy, Roma, Irish Traveller and Boater communities, people experiencing homelessness, offenders or former offenders, and sex workers
protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 – the 9 protected characteristics are: age, sex, race, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment, religion or belief, and disability
geography – the characteristics of the place where we live, such as population composition, built and natural environment, levels of social connectedness, and features of specific geographies such as urban, rural and coastal
These factors (or domains) are complex and interact with each other to benefit or disadvantage people or groups, leading to differences in health outcomes. Individuals fall into more than one category and, subsequently, may experience multiple drivers of poor health at the same time.
Relevant terms
Figure 2: equality, equity and removal of structural barriers
Figure 2 above illustrates the characteristics of people or places associated with differences in health outcomes.
Some other key terms in health inequalities and health disparities are:
Equality
We want everyone to have equally good health. However, the term ‘equality’ is sometimes used to describe equal treatment or access for everyone regardless of need or outcome.
Equity
We want fair outcomes for everyone. What is important is addressing avoidable or remediable differences in health between groups of people.
Figure 2 above demonstrates that, to achieve health equity, some groups may need more or different support or resources in order to achieve the same outcomes.
Ideally, the barriers to good health would be removed for everyone, so adjustments wouldn’t be required – however, this is not always possible.
Access
Ensuring everyone can access services equitably (that is according to need) is a key priority for the NHS.
To achieve this, consideration needs to be given to access to information, services and support. Central to this is enabling people to access the right service at the right time for them, reducing variation in the avoidable use of urgent support such as accident and emergency services through better access to preventative care.
Public Sector Equality Duty
The Public Sector Equality Duty set out in the Equality Act 2010 applies to all public bodies and all those that carry out public functions.
The protected characteristics covered by the duty are:
age
disability
gender reassignment
marriage and civil partnership
pregnancy and maternity
race
religion or belief
sex
sexual orientation
Public bodies are required to have due regard to the need to:
eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010
advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it
foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it
Inclusion health
Inclusion health is a ‘catch-all’ term used to describe people who:
are socially excluded
typically experience multiple overlapping risk factors for poor health (such as poverty, violence and complex trauma)
experience stigma and discrimination
are not consistently accounted for in electronic records (such as healthcare databases)
These experiences frequently lead to barriers in access to healthcare and extremely poor health outcomes.
Deprivation
Deprivation describes a wide range of living conditions that impact on the lives of individuals and communities. People may be considered to be living in poverty if they lack the financial resources to meet their needs, whereas people can be regarded as deprived if they lack any kind of resources, not just income.
The Index of Multiple Deprivation is the official measure of relative deprivation in England that measures 7 domains of deprivation when combined and appropriately weighted. These are:
income
employment
skills training
crime
barriers to housing and service
living environment
health deprivation
disability
Geography
Health disparities and health inequalities are not spread equally across England. There are local variations in the concentration of pre-existing health conditions and chronic disease in certain geographies between different areas. Alongside and contributing to driving these are variations in protective factors, such as:
The reasons for these disparities are complex with influencing factors including the impact of existing social and economic inequalities, pre-existing disease and other societal factors.
Why take action on health disparities and inequalities
Health disparities and health inequalities impact on the physical and mental wellbeing, and the life chances of the individuals and groups most affected. Alongside the individual human costs, disparities and inequalities impact on society as a whole.
Prior to COVID-19, health inequalities were estimated to cost the NHS an extra £4.8 billion a year, society around £31 billion in lost productivity, and between £20 and £32 billion a year in lost tax revenue and benefit payments.[footnote 3]Health is therefore a major determinant of economic performance and prosperity.
Consequently, taking action on health inequalities:
improves the quality of lives of individuals
reduces cost to the NHS and social care system of treating and caring for people with preventable conditions
benefits the wider economy
Causes of health inequalities
A wide range of factors influence our ability to be healthy. These factors overlap with one another and are often outside the control of individuals themselves.
Figure 3: system map of the causes of health inequalities (adapted from the Labonte model)[footnote 2]
Figure 3 above demonstrates the complex interplay between the determinants of health (for example, income and housing), psychosocial factors (for example, isolation and social support), health behaviours (for example, smoking and drinking) and physiological impacts (for example, high blood pressure, anxiety and depression) of wider social determinants of health with psychosocial factors, individual health behaviours and the resulting physiological impacts (for example, high blood pressure, anxiety and depression).
The ability of individuals to lead healthy lives is influenced both by the wider determinants of health, and by individual factors (health behaviours) associated with people’s opportunities and experiences.
Linked to health behaviours, the concept of ‘health literacy’ refers to people having the appropriate skills, knowledge, understanding and confidence to access, understand, evaluate, use and navigate health and social care information and services. Improving health literacy by supporting patients to engage in shared decision-making can help to reduce health inequalities by empowering and enabling people to navigate individual and societal barriers to improving their health and managing health problems.
Different exposure to social, economic and environmental stressors and adversities, also known as psychosocial factors, work alongside factors related to our ability to cope such as:
Because the causes of health disparities and health inequalities are complex, overlapping and not equally distributed, it follows that, in order to address them, our actions need to focus on improving the health of those with the poorest health outcomes first, and fastest. Actions should be evidence based, outcomes orientated, systematically applied, scaled up appropriately and appropriately resourced[footnote 4] to ensure that the gap between populations is narrowed.
It uses the population intervention triangle (see Figure 4, below) to describe how local authorities and policy-makers (civic) can work alongside the NHS and other organisations (services), and with communities (community-centred interventions) to address health inequalities at a scale that makes a difference, and best meets local needs and circumstances. Actions can be targeted to specific population groups, for example:
Interventions should be applied proportionately to need – for example, through a proportionate universalism approach.
Figure 4: population intervention triangle[footnote 2]
Further guidance on community-centred public health (a core component of the population intervention triangle) identifies 11 elements of an integrated whole-system approach, incorporating a range of actions from neighbourhood work through to strategic leadership. Additional learning on community-centred approaches can also be found in Community-centred practice: applying All Our Health..
The following sections set out information to inform the actions that different organisations or sectors can take to play a part in addressing health disparities and health inequalities.
You may wish to focus on the sections relevant to your organisation or role, or to review the whole content to gain wider understanding of the role of different sectors and workforces in addition to your own.
NHS
The 2019 NHS Long Term Plan set out that action to drive down health inequalities is central to everything that the NHS does.
The NHS operational and planning guidance also builds on previous guidance to prevent ill health and tackle inequalities, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its disproportionate impact on certain population groups who were already facing disadvantage and discrimination.
Building on this and contributing to the government’s mission to level up health, NHS England and Improvement (now NHS England) launched the Core20PLUS5 approach to support focused action on improving health inequalities, both at a national and system level. This approach is focused on action in the following areas:
Core20: the most deprived 20% of the national population as identified by the national Index of Multiple Deprivation
Plus: ICS-determined population groups experiencing poorer than average health access, experience and/or outcomes – this area should be informed by ICS population health data
5: 5 clinical areas of focus. These are:
continuity of carer for maternity
annual health checks for those living with severe mental illness
chronic respiratory disease management, with a focus on COVID-19, flu and pneumonia vaccination uptake
The Local Government Association highlights the contribution of different determinants of health on health outcomes, setting out the important role of local authorities in prevention including through their specific public health duties and action on the wider determinants of health.
Local authorities duties, functions and interests cover a broad range of activity, from improving health through:
Organisations in these sectors are often trusted by and have good reach into many of the most marginalised communities.
ICS implementation guidance on partnerships with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector provides further insight on how VCSE partnership should be embedded in how the ICS operates, indicating that VCSE is a key strategic partner with an important contribution to make in shaping, improving and delivering services, and developing and implementing plans to tackle the wider determinants of health.
This includes the potential for businesses to act as anchor institutions,working alongside public and voluntary sector organisations to utilise their spending power and scale social value.
In addition, community businesses can make an important contribution to improving health.
Wider public sector
All public sector organisations have a role to play in addressing health disparities and health inequalities. For many services, the communities they serve are often those that have the poorest health outcomes.
This section sets out some key considerations against priority areas for action identified by national and regional public health teams. It includes prompts for everyone to consider, as well as specific suggestions for different professional and occupation groups.
Everyone
Ensure you are aware of your organisation or sector’s approach or potential role in addressing health disparities and health inequalities.
In addition, you can review the information above for your organisation or sector, the 6 priority actions for health inequalities below and the suggestions for your occupational group, and consider what you could do in the scope of your role.
Six priority actions
1. Have a clear vision and strategy with measurable goals, co-ordinating action at all levels (for example, across organisations or professional boundaries) with a clear focus on priority groups
Ask yourself:
what is your vision? What are you trying to achieve?
what would success look like for you or your organisation?
do you have a clear strategy and plan for achieving your vision?
do you have the right resources, and a timeline and plan?
who else could be involved?
is there a system, organisational or professional plan or guidance?
do you know your priority groups?
have you identified SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) goals and measurable targets?
are your plans joined up across organisations or with other teams?
2. Put in place effective system leadership and accountability for action on health inequalities
Ask yourself:
who leads on action on health inequalities and health disparities?
what’s your leadership role (whatever your level) – for example in your team, profession, organisation, multi-agency group, sector or network?
what do you do to support others to take a leadership role?
what does your organisation expect of you or others in respect of action on health inequalities? How are people held to account?
are you involving and co-producing change with those who are experiencing healthcare inequalities through engaging communities in design, implementation and evaluation?
3. Use data and evidence systematically to identify root causes, effective solutions and assess progress
Ask yourself:
what information do you have to identify the problem you’re trying to address?
what’s the scale of the problem and the root causes?
how do you know that your planned action is likely to be effective?
how will you know when you’ve achieved your goal or outcomes?
how can you contribute to data collection – are you systematically recording health inequalities and equality data in your routine practice?
4. Ensure you or others have the knowledge, skills and capability to embed action on health inequalities as a core part of all roles
Ask yourself:
do you, your team or organisation have the knowledge, skills or training to take the required action?
how could you acquire these?
who else could help?
what’s included in job descriptions?
have you considered health literacy and shared decision-making? Do clients have the appropriate skills, knowledge, understanding and confidence to access, understand, evaluate, use and navigate health and social care information and services?
5. Use systematic assessment tools
Ask yourself:
6. Undertake comprehensive engagement and involvement including magnifying community voice
Ask yourself:
Frontline health and care professionals
Frontline health and care workers have millions of contacts with people at risk of poorer health outcomes every day. As a frontline worker, you can address health inequalities by:
supporting individuals through their clinical or social care practice
influencing the design of services
supporting people to adopt healthier behaviour
advocating for wider changes
Your work can also contribute to addressing the social conditions of people’s lives such as poverty, disability, damp or overcrowded housing, or a poor diet, making a difference to the communities in which they work.[footnote 6]
While the framework was developed for and with allied health professionals, many other frontline professionals may find the approach relevant to their area of work.
In addition to reviewing the allied health professional framework, you can:
Team leaders or managers
Team leaders and managers have an important role in actively seeking out and enabling teams to embed evidence-based action targeted at those with the poorest health outcomes.
As a team leader or manager, you can:
Commissioners
Commissioners play an important role in addressing health inequalities as resourcing decisions and service models can have an impact on health outcomes.
In particular, you can:
VCSE sector
The VCSE sector plays an important role in enabling people to improve their health and in addressing determinants of health.
As a VCSE worker, you can:
Senior, strategic or system leaders (including local councillors)
Leaders make an important contribution to prioritising and embedding whole-system action to address health disparities and health inequalities.
undertake a needs assessment – for example, a joint strategic needs assessment to identify priority need, issues and actions at sufficient scale to make a difference, setting goals and targets to measure impact
use HEAT and HiAP approaches to take account of health inequalities in all decision-making
Understanding need – why take action on health disparities and health inequalities
Facts and figures
Data tools and resources can help you to understand more about the causes and impact of health disparities and health inequalities at a national level and in your local area.
A guide to using national and local data to address health inequalities provides an overview of data sources for health inequalities, and their uses. This is updated periodically and can be used alongside local joint strategic needs assessments and other data sources to develop plans to address health inequalities.
The following tools may also be of use:
Measuring impact
There are a range of reasons why it makes sense to measure your and your organisation’s impact, and demonstrate the value of your contribution. This could be about sharing what has worked well in order to benefit your colleagues and local people, contribute to growing the evidence base for health inequalities, help in prioritising future resource allocation or for individual professional development.
The following resources can help with evaluating individual, organisational or programme impact:
Further reading, resources and information about good or emerging practice
Further information on health inequalities in specific population groups can be found in other All Our Health resources.
It can be hard to read up on all of the local laws when going on holidays, but road experts are urging Brits to learn the meanings behind local road signs to avoid accidents and fines
A survey has found most UK drivers don’t recognise key road signs abroad(Image: Getty Images)
Before you embark on your European road trip, make sure you’re up to date on the local driving laws. A new survey has revealed four in five British drivers admit they struggle to understand key road signs when driving overseas – which can have serious consequences.
In a research conducted by road experts at Ready Set Supplied, an overwhelming 80 per cent of the 440 Brits surveyed failed to correctly identify standard signage used across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and other EU countries.
Furthermore, the study also found that 87 per cent of Brits do zero preparation before driving abroad – which includes failing to glance at local driving regulations. This means that millions of drivers are using guesswork to interpret restrictions and other unfamiliar signs. It comes after UK drivers were warned over ‘avoiding’ road instead of having to follow new rule.
Failure to recognise road signs can lead to accidents or fines(Image: fhm via Getty Images)
These findings come amid concerns that poor sign recognition is contributing to avoidable fines, missed turns and even potentially dangerous driving decisions when abroad.
Meanwhile, problems can also arise from the fact that sat-navs and Google Maps offer turn-by-turn directions, which don’t help drivers interpret symbols on unfamiliar roadside signs. Crucially, some of these can carry legal implications or even indicate unusual rules.
A spokesperson from Ready Set Supplied said: “Most UK drivers wouldn’t dream of driving here without understanding basic road signs. But as soon as they cross the Channel, that caution seems to disappear. The assumption is that it’ll all just make sense when you get there.”
Misunderstanding road signs can have serious consequences. These include fines for illegal parking and causing confusion, which can lead to both legal trouble and road safety issues.
This can also be dangerous when it comes to signs give advance warning of hazards like narrow passes, slippery road conditions or mandatory detours.
Experts warn that missing these cues raises the risk of sudden braking, poor positioning and even crashes. This is especially true on unfamiliar terrain.
Ready Set Supplied said: “People don’t realise that the layout and flow of roads abroad are designed with those signs in mind. If you don’t understand the system, you’re not driving safely.”
The survey also highlighted the lack of awareness around quirky local laws that can catch them off guard. For example, in many EU countries things like driving a dirty vehicle or listening to music at petrol stations can result in tickets or fines.
Experts cautioned that while drivers may assume that because they didn’t see a sign on their theory test it’s not important, that mindset won’t work outside of the UK.
To avoid running into trouble abroad, Ready Set Suppliedis urging motorists to spend just ten minutes reviewing basic signage rules before hitting the road. They emphasise that a simple refresher on how foreign systems handle rules around lane priority, emergency stop areas and turn restrictions could make a massive difference.
A spokesperson explained: “Driving abroad shouldn’t feel like a guessing game. A little knowledge goes a long way—not just to avoid fines, but to genuinely protect yourself and other road users.”
Since this date, the darkroom doors have had over 30 photographers go through – Neil Richardson, Peter Aylett, Maria Connors, Matthew Stanley, Will Swan, Craig Sheriff, Michelle Webb, Jeremy Smith, Eddie Safarik, Tim Hughes, Lorisse Dart, Leila Williams, Sarah Rhodes, Simon Tennant, Sharee Smith, Simon Groves, Ben Vos, Glenn Daniels, Mark Jesser, Geoff Robson, Scott Gelston, Rod Thompson, Phillip Biggs and Craig George.
Known as the best state in America for freshwater diversity, Alabama is a nature lover’s paradise. However, unknown to many avid trippers, Alabama also boasts some of the most scenic drives in the country. You will enjoy heart-gripping views at thousands of feet above sea level, then swooping down to take in delicious waterfront views along the state’s white-sand beaches. Some roads cut through dense forests and deep canyons. Meanwhile, others showcase rolling hills, old barns, and other elements of a bygone era. Keep reading to discover the 6 most scenic drives in Alabama.
The Natchez Trace Parkway
Bridge over the Tennessee River on the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Natchez Trace Parkway is a phenomenal drive that spans more than 400 miles and winds through three states, including Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. To a large extent, it follows the “Old Natchez Trace,” a historic artery used by American Indians, slave traders, soldiers, and even future presidents. You only need a minute on the historic parkway, and you will immediately appreciate why it is ranked as one of America’s 10 best biking roads. The Alabama segment spans slightly more than 30 miles in the state’s northwest corner, but its visual effect is profound in both scope and intensity. It starts on the Mississippi border, a few miles southwest of Cherokee, and winds through to the Tennessee border near Stewartville. Highlights include Colbert Ferry Park, named for Chickasaw George Colbert, and Freedom Hills Overlook, which features a steep, quarter-mile trail that leads to Alabama’s highest point on the parkway.
Alabama State Route 65
A birding trail in Paint Rock, Alabama.
There are road trips that leave you yawning at the dull expanse of sameness. Others give a sense of rural calm, especially as they feature curvy, tree-lined segments and offer tasty views that set the heart purring with joy and anticipation. Alabama State Route 65 (not to be confused with Interstate 65) is curvy but incredibly peaceful. Think of old barns, historic homesteads, and weathered farm structures. People skip it for long drives and big names, but this 27-mile eye candy is such a revelation, notably for the fact that it cuts through the entire length of the Paint Rock Valley, described as “the Little Sister to Virginia’s Shenandoah.” The route starts from near the slow-paced town of Gurley and leaps through the mountainous regions of northeastern Alabama to Francisco near the Tennessee border. Roy B. Whitaker Paint Rock River Preserve in Paint Rock has nice, flat trails to explore, while Curly Putman Park in Princeton is photo-worthy in every direction.
Selma To Tuskegee Through Montgomery
Aerial view of Selma, Alabama.
A significant portion of the route from Selma to Tuskegee through Montgomery is the historic Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, which commemorates one of the most consequential moments in the history of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. A confrontation between peaceful protestors and law enforcement officers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge pricked the conscience of the nation and sent sympathetic shockwaves across the globe. The route’s starting point is the Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church in Selma, while the Alabama State Capitol marks the endpoint on the other side. An extension to the vibrant college town of Tuskegee winds through peaceful rolling countryside tastefully punctuated with forested stretches. Highlights include the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, where a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. stands, and the Lowndes Interpretive Center (White Hall), a nostalgic spot dedicated to participants of the historic march.
Talladega Scenic Drive
Sunset At Cheaha overlook in Cheaha State Park, Alabama.
Talladega Scenic Drive, also known as State Route 281 in Alabama, extends from U.S. Route 78 west of Heflin, a Hallmark-worthy town that serves as the gateway to the Southern Appalachian Mountains, to the intersection of two forest roads in the Talladega National Forest around Adams Gap, about 11 miles northwest of Lineville. It winds through the southernmost extension of the Appalachian Mountains and boasts some of the best vistas in the South, including Cheaha Mountain, the highest point in the state. Rock outcroppings and small rural settlements dot the stretch, sitting as mesmerized witnesses to nature’s incredible grandeur, vastness, and majesty. There are several scenic overlooks to stop and pull over. You can then hide at the Cheaha State Park and explore the jaw-dropping trails around.
Lookout Mountain Parkway
Noccalula Falls in Gadsden, Alabama. Editorial credit: Jimmy Rooney / Shutterstock.com
Lookout Mountain Parkway is a two-lane gem that spans approximately 93 miles and effortlessly imprints itself on the minds and memories of those lucky enough to experience its poetic beauty. The parkway starts outside the gates of Gadsden’s Noccalula Falls Park, where a path leads to a photogenic view of Noccalula Falls, a 90-foot waterfall steeped in Native American myth. The park and waterfall are in Gadsden, once Alabama’s second-most important commercial and industrial hub. The Alabama section of the parkway ends at the Georgia-Alabama border near Mentone before crossing into the Peach State. If you find Noccalula impressive, you will find DeSoto Falls, one of the most photographed attractions in Alabama, nothing short of stupendous. A short detour will take you to another unmissable highlight on the Lookout Mountain Parkway: the sandstone cliffs of the Little River Canyon.
Barbour County Governors’ Trail
Octagon House, Clayton, Alabama.
Barbour County Governors’ Trail has a giveaway name that easily reveals its overarching focus: the Alabama governors who called Barbour County home. The trail features 8 governors, including those with historical significance such as Governor Shorter, a strong secessionist and a co-author of the Confederate constitution. Still, despite its name, the Barbour County Governors’ Trail is not exclusively about governors. You can pass by the Octagon House in Clayton, which served as Union cavalry headquarters during the Civil War years. Alternatively, you can explore the gorgeous Blue Springs State Park, which features several attractions, including a spring-fed swimming pool. The trail begins in Clio and continues northeast through Louisville to downtown Clayton.
The Takeaway
Besides being some of the best stress-relievers out there, road trips are fun, enjoyable, and often come with a euphoric sense of freedom and adventure. Alabama, one of the most diverse states in America, is home to some surprisingly beautiful drives. The best part is that the drives travel the whole gamut: From the flat terrains with shimmering water views to cloud-grazing pathways with panoramic vistas. Depending on your pick, you can also enjoy a big dose of history. Keep in mind that several defining events associated with the Civil Rights Movement played out in Alabama, including the Selma to Montgomery March, making this state perfect for road-trip-loving history buffs.
