Whether you love outdoor concerts or just the great outdoors, Shelby County is the perfect place to live and play. Just past Hoover traveling down Hwy 31, Alabaster and Pelham are an easy 20-30 minute commute into Birmingham for those who work downtown.

Both Alabaster and Pelham are at an exciting time in their growth. Both have recently separated from the Shelby County system to begin their own school systems. Alabaster has been operating on its own since 2013 and Pelham just separated July 1, 2014.

The boards of each school system have ambitious plans to improve technology, curriculum and add schools were needed due to growth, such as the Ballantrae area in Pelham where 3,000 more homes are planned.

Stay updated on news, events, and happenings in the area with your own local newspapers dedicated exclusively to each city – The Alabaster Reporter and The Pelham Reporter.

If you move to either city, you’ll have Alabama’s largest state park and largest outdoor music venue right in your backyard. Oak Mountain State Park’s 10,000 acres is a great place for running, swimming, boating, hiking and camping year-round, and the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre brings major national performers to town.

But Shelby County has much more than outdoors and entertainment – it’s also a wonderful place for your family’s day-to-day life. Bloomberg Businessweek recently named Pelham the best place to raise kids in Alabama.

Pelham’s five parks have playgrounds, baseball and softball diamonds, tennis courts, walking trails, picnic areas and more. Rent a pair of ice skates at the Pelham Civic Complex, or watch the University of Alabama’s Frozen Tide team play hockey.

Each December, visit Santa Claus at Alabaster’s Christmas parade or ooh and aah at thousands of light displays at the Festival of Lights in Pelham.

Alabaster has quite a few of its own outdoor options, too. The Buck Creek Trail is a great place for a family walk or wade in the creek. The trail ends at Warrior Park where you might catch a baseball or football game.

Alabaster’s CityFest features food, vendors, live music and children’s activities and draws thousands of people every year, and Pelham’s annual Oak Mountain Spring State Fair brings days of fun for the whole family, from funnel cake to alligator wrestling.