Overview
Dothan is a city in southeastern Alabama, serving as the county seat of Houston County, and the chief city of the western Wiregrass region, an area encompassing portions of southeastern Alabama, southwestern Georgia, and the panhandle of Florida. Its population in 2018 was about 68,000, making it the largest metropolitan area in southeastern Alabama.
11 sights · 10 things to do · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Dothan
US Army Aviation Museum
Located on Ft. Rucker, which lies just north of the town of Daleville about 20 miles north and west of Dothan. Many people do not realize that military aviation existed long before the creation of the Air Force in 1949; …
Dothan Opera House
Built in 1915, represents the elegance of turn-of-the-century southern life. Theatre performances, spectacular concerts, symphonies, ballet performances, and many other cultural events are regularly held in this landmark…
Wiregrass Museum of Art
Includes five galleries feature changing exhibitions of visual and decorative arts in the historic building. Also features ARTventures, a hands-on exhibit for children and a gift gallery for shopping.
Dr. George Washington Carver Monument
This monument honors the African-American genius whose creative work resulted in hundreds of new products created from peanuts, sweet potatoes and other plants native to the South. Most of these were derived from peanuts…
Dothan Area Botanical Gardens
Enjoy the old Southern-style of gardening, and see what works in the Wiregrass. A tranquil, paved nature trail meanders through a beautiful rose garden, through herbs, daylilies, camellias, azaleas, past a peaceful pond,…
Landmark Park Agricultural Museum and Starlab Planetarium
The official agriculture museum of the State of Alabama. Visit a 1900s farmstead, complete with farmhouse, outhouses, and farm animals. Stroll the boardwalk and nature trail, see a planetarium show, have a picnic, tour P…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Oct–May. Summer highs reach about 92°F; winter lows dip to about 40°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jun and Aug. (climate data from nearby Florida Panhandle)
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.
- DHN Dothan Regional Airport, Dothan — 7 mi away. Directions
- ECP Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport, Panama City Beach — 64 mi away. Directions
- PNS Pensacola International Airport, Pensacola — 118 mi away (major hub). Directions
Dothan has one commercial airport, northwest of the city in the tiny village of Napier Field. It is served by ExpressJet, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, flying to and from Atlanta International Airport. Dothan Regional Airport offers a full range of airport services and amenities; for further information, visit their website at Dothan Regional Airport.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Dothan Opera House, Wiregrass Museum of Art, World's Smallest City Block
- Afternoon Eastgate Park, Dothan Area Botanical Gardens
Day 2
- Morning US Army Aviation Museum, Dr. George Washington Carver Monument, Houston-Love Memorial Library
- Afternoon Peanuts Around Town, Highland Oaks Golf Course
Day 3
- Morning Adventureland Theme Park, Water World, Landmark Park Agricultural Museum and Starlab Planetarium
- Afternoon Peanut Monument, Press Thornton Future Masters Golf Tournament
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
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
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
History
Dothan began as "Poplar Head", a stop along the main trail that ran through this portion of the state during the early 19th century. It was incorporated in 1885, and renamed after the village mentioned in Genesis 37:17, which reads "let us go to Dothan". The city quickly became a hub for local agriculture and industry, especially the peanut business, and its annual National Peanut Festival (since 1938) reflects this heritage. Dothan has long proclaimed itself the "Peanut Capital of the World", as approximately one-quarter of the peanuts grown in the U.S. are grown within 75 miles of the city. Movie Gallery, a national movie rental chain, has its national headquarters here.
Climate
Dothan has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, sticky summers and generally mild winters. Snowfall is rare, and when it does come, it seldom accumulates to any great degree or remains for very long. Summer temperatures easily reach 90°F or more, while the average winter temperature is 59°F.
Get in
By plane
Dothan has one commercial airport, northwest of the city in the tiny village of Napier Field. It is served by ExpressJet, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, flying to and from Atlanta International Airport. Dothan Regional Airport offers a full range of airport services and amenities; for further information, visit their website at Dothan Regional Airport.
By train
There is no passenger rail service to Dothan. The nearest Amtrak station is in Birmingham. Chipley, Florida had an Amtrak station prior to the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, but damage to the tracks in northwestern Florida forced its closure. Amtrak has proposed restoring the line, but there is no plan to do so as of March 2019.
By bus
Dothan is served by Greyhound Bus Lines. The station is at 285 S. Foster St., [tel:+1 334-792-1191 +1 334-792-1191]. Further information and hours of operation may be found at Dothan Greyhound Station.
Get around
There is no public transit system in Dothan, so getting around will require a car or bicycle, or walking. Traffic on the Ross-Clark Circle can be quite heavy, especially during "rush hour" and around lunchtime.
See
See US Army Aviation Museum
Located on Ft. Rucker, which lies just north of the town of Daleville about 20 miles north and west of Dothan. Many people do not realize that military aviation existed long before the creation of the Air Force in 1949; all military aircraft used in World War II, for instance, were either Army, Navy or Marine Corps aircraft, with the majority being Army airplanes. This museum pays tribute to the history of Army aviation, with sizable displays of Army aircraft--fixed-wing and rotary--from the earliest twentieth century to today. A variety of life-sized dioramas, films and interpretive material are available. Admission is free. Ft. Rucker is a "closed post"; guards at the post gates will require identification to enter, even for museum visitors.
See Dr. George Washington Carver Monument
This monument honors the African-American genius whose creative work resulted in hundreds of new products created from peanuts, sweet potatoes and other plants native to the South. Most of these were derived from peanuts, which are the principal agricultural product of the Wiregrass region--of which Dothan is the principal city.
See Dothan Area Botanical Gardens
Enjoy the old Southern-style of gardening, and see what works in the Wiregrass. A tranquil, paved nature trail meanders through a beautiful rose garden, through herbs, daylilies, camellias, azaleas, past a peaceful pond, Victorian gazebo and a demonstration garden.
See Landmark Park Agricultural Museum and Starlab Planetarium
The official agriculture museum of the State of Alabama. Visit a 1900s farmstead, complete with farmhouse, outhouses, and farm animals. Stroll the boardwalk and nature trail, see a planetarium show, have a picnic, tour Phase I of the Alabama Agricultural Museum, or catch one of the park's many special events. In the Planetarium, night skies are shown as they appear in season. Constellations are displayed as they relate to mythology. The park also has a new playground. A pavilion near the playground is available for park visitors and children's parties.
See Peanuts Around Town
A public art project organized by The Downtown Group consisting of 5-ft-tall peanut sculptures that are decorated in various fashions and displayed around Dothan.
See World's Smallest City Block
This land triangle features a stop sign, a yield sign, a street sign, and a granite marker placed by the Camellia Garden Club on May 1, 1964 stating that the block is the world's smallest city block.
Do
Do Adventureland Theme Park
An elaborate mini-theme park that is family-oriented. It includes two 18-hole miniature golf courses with waterfalls, lagoons and elaborate landscaping, a figure-eight go-cart track with a double underpass bridge and Indy-style karts, bumper boats, batting cages, a Max Flight roller coaster simulator, a large arcade and snack bar.
Do Highland Oaks Golf Course
Part of Alabama's Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and was proclaimed by Golf Digest as the 7th best public course in the US. This world-class 36-hole facility offers three championship 9-hole courses, plus a 9-hole Par 3 course. The Clubhouse includes a pro shop, dining room, lounge and meeting room.
- Kiwanis Park, on Westgate Park land fronting Whatley at the intersection with Deerpath, has playgrounds and a picnic pavilion with a water fountain and restrooms. There are also walking trails.
- Solomon Park, in the Garden District at the corner of Choctaw and Redwood streets, has the shadiest playground in Dothan, a real godsend in hot weather.
Do Patti Rutland Jazz
A professional contemporary jazz and hip-hop dance company located in Dothan. This company produces two full-length jazz and hip-hop theatrical dance productions yearly (one in late February and one in early June) at their home in the Cultural Arts Center, as well as at Dothan's historical landmark theatre, the Dothan Opera House. Patti Rutland Jazz operates as a non-profit organization whose core mission is to offer the dancers in its company to the Wiregrass Region as teachers so that under-served kids might take dance classes for free. This program hopes to make Dothan a destination for, and a source of, future professional dance talent in the United States.
Annual events
Buy
Sleep
Stay safe
The summertime heat from June through September can be oppressive. It is not unusual for highs to be in the 90s or even the low 100s °F (32-40 °C). Combined with very high humidity levels, it is nearly impossible to stay outdoors for very long. Make sure you have plenty of water!
One by-product of the heat and humidity is near-daily thunderstorms in the summer that can turn severe in an instant. Southeastern Alabama, like other areas of the South, is extremely prone to tornadic activity when weather conditions are right. In the event of severe weather, tune in to local radio or television, and be aware of the appropriate tornado shelter for the particular place you are staying (very few cellars or basements exist in this area, due to its close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and the corresponding high water table).
Water Moccasins, a poisonous land snake found throughout the southeastern United States, are common in the Dothan area. While your chances of encountering one are rare, you should nevertheless be aware of your surroundings if walking through any wet or low-lying area, or near any streams, lakes or other water sources. Rattlesnakes, Copperheads and Coral Snakes are also found in this region. Should you be bitten by any of these species, seek medical attention immediately.
Go next
- Panama City Beach
- is a beach town an hour and a half south of Dothan, known for its white sandy beaches and emerald green waters.
- Albany is a town in southern Georgia.
- Tallahassee is the capital of Florida.
- Montgomery is the capital of Alabama.
By car
U.S. Highways 231, 431 and 84 all intersect in Dothan, as do several state highways. There is no interstate service in this part of Alabama, but the three highways named above are all four-laned for several miles beyond the Dothan city limits. U.S. 231 is four-laned all the way north to Montgomery, and all the way south to Panama City. The city is encircled by a four-lane bypass, known as the "Ross-Clark Circle."
Nearby
Enterprise
City / town · 27 mi away
Chipley
City / town · 6 listings · 32 mi away
Marianna
City / town · 6 listings · 33 mi away
Eufaula
City / town · 10 listings · 48 mi away
Troy
City / town · 5 listings · 52 mi away
Bainbridge
City / town · 1 listings · 54 mi away
DeFuniak Springs
City / town · 12 listings · 55 mi away
Blountstown
City / town · 7 listings · 58 mi away
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