The best buy in town is a 30-minute, narrated tour of several Hunstville historic spots from a replica of a 1920 trolley. It's just $1. The open-air car departs from the Huntsville Depot every 30 minutes and passengers are permitted to leave and reboard for no additional charge.

The Depot itself is a landmark. Built in 1860, the three-story brick station is a museum with model railroads, a 1912 ticket office and an outdoor yard of train engines and cars.

Walking tours of the historic Twickenham and Old Town districts provide close-up views of various architectural styles. Several old homes and churches predate the Civil War.

At Constitution Hall Village, four houses and seven outbuildings are the focal point of a living museum that depicts life in 1819, the year Alabama's first constitution was drafted. Costumed hostesses wash clothes in cast-iron pots, spin cotton and bake bread, while artisans demonstrate their skills at candle-dipping, soapmaking, weaving and cabinetmaking.

On the square, across from the modern courthouse, Harrison Brothers Hardware Store has been in operation since 1897. The plank floors are piled high with ceramics, blankets, silk flowers, gardening accessories and birdhouses as well as souvenir-sized cotton bales, horseshoes, rocking chairs, toys and candy.

The 112-acre Huntsville Botanical Garden, between downtown and the Space Center, features a variety of herbs, flowers, and trees; an orchid greenhouse; nature trails; and a lake with Australian black swans.

Nestled at the peak of Round Top mountain, the Burritt Museum and Park overlook the city and the Tennessee Valley. The 167-acre woodland preserve includes several log buildings where life in the 1850s is re- created. Inside the 1936 Burritt mansion, galleries are stocked with Indian artifacts, rocks and minerals, and 150 years of medical equipment. The park sponsors a number of festivals, including Civil War encampments, throughout the year.

For sports, catch a baseball game featuring the Huntsville Stars, a minor league team of the Oakland Athletics, or play a round of golf at one of three public courses.

Accommodations in Huntsville are plentiful. Numerous moderately priced motels are conveniently situated along University Drive and Memorial Parkway between the Space Center and downtown attractions.

(This information was current at the time of publication, but hours and prices may have changed. It's always a good idea to call before you travel.)