Overview
Arab (pronounced AY-rab) is a small town in North Alabama.
1 things to do
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Arab
Poke Salat Festival
The name refers to the folk term for a salad made from pokeweed, a toxic plant that requires special preparation to make it safe for consumption.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 92°F; winter lows dip to about 33°F. Very hot (Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Dec and Mar. (climate data from nearby Mountains)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- HSV Huntsville International Airport, Huntsville — 27 mi away. Directions
- BHM Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, Birmingham — 54 mi away (major hub). Directions
The best way to get in is to fly into the nearby airport in Huntsville and drive to Arab.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
Most regional and national fast food chains have a presence in Arab along highway 231. Huddle House is the only one open overnight.
Local favorites include Midas Burger, known for their delicious chicken sauce, Milner's Dairy Delight, and L Rancho Cafe on Main St, the home of poke salat. Tasty and decently priced Mexican food can be found at Los Arcos as well as Sierra's. The only option for Chinese is Panda III, which is in the same line of shops as Sierra's and will probably compare unfavorably with the Chinese food you get in your hometown.
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Get in
The best way to get in is to fly into the nearby airport in Huntsville and drive to Arab.
The main highways in and around Arab are US-231, which runs north-south from Huntsville to Blountsville and Oneonta and has most of Arab's chain stores and fast food restaurants; and AL-69, which runs east-west from Guntersville to Cullman through Arab and makes up the northern half of Main St, where most of Arab's locally-owned small businesses are.
Get around
There is no public transportation so bring a car! Parking is free and easy to find except during major events like the Poke Salat Festival. Downtown is very small and can be explored easily by foot.
See
Arab City Park is beautiful and well maintained city park that includes the Arab historic park, which features several restored buildings dating from the late 1800s to the 1940s and exhibits depicting daily life in this part of the country during those times.
Thompson Falls is a beautiful and often impressive waterfall that lies on private property (visitors welcome and expected, but be respectful!) a few miles outside of town. If you're heading south on Main St, you can get there by turning left past the Meat Market onto Fry Gap Rd. Follow this road for a mile and make a slight left onto Brashie r's Chapel Rd. After 2.5 miles, turn right onto Thompson Falls Rd and after another 3/4ths of a mile, take a left onto Thompson Falls Dr. Past the second house on the left, you will see a gravel drive leading off into the woods. This is the route down to the falls. It is recommended to park on the side of the road and walk down.
Do
Do Poke Salat Festival
The name refers to the folk term for a salad made from pokeweed, a toxic plant that requires special preparation to make it safe for consumption.
Buy
Walmart is located off of 231 on the north side of town. Warehouse on the north side, and Foodland on the south are good places to get groceries for cheap.
The Spinning Groove on Main St is a local record store, and the owner makes great recommendations.
Eat
Most regional and national fast food chains have a presence in Arab along highway 231. Huddle House is the only one open overnight.
Local favorites include Midas Burger, known for their delicious chicken sauce, Milner's Dairy Delight, and L Rancho Cafe on Main St, the home of poke salat. Tasty and decently priced Mexican food can be found at Los Arcos as well as Sierra's. The only option for Chinese is Panda III, which is in the same line of shops as Sierra's and will probably compare unfavorably with the Chinese food you get in your hometown.
Drink
Arab used to prohibit the sale of alcohol, so drinking options are still fairly limited.
CJ's Saloon on Highway 69 has pool and attracts mostly an older crowd.
Last call in Alabama is at 2am. No alcohol is sold in Arab on Sundays, anywhere. Beer and wine can be bought at regular retail stores, but liquor is only available at state-owned "ABC" stores.
Sleep
Quality Inn is behind the McDonald's off of 231 and has rooms for around $60 a night. The Arabian Motel, on Main St, and Green Park Motel, south of town on 231, are cheaper and have mostly long-term residents and an unfavorable local reputation.
Nearby
Guntersville
City / town · 2 listings · 12 mi away
Cullman
City / town · 1 listings · 22 mi away
Oneonta
City / town · 6 listings · 26 mi away
Huntsville
City / town · 85 listings · 29 mi away
Decatur
City / town · 9 listings · 34 mi away
Gadsden
City / town · 12 listings · 35 mi away
Scottsboro
City / town · 12 listings · 36 mi away
Rickwood Caverns State Park
Park · 37 mi away
My experience
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