2025 Family Favorite Awards

Rocket City Mom readers have spoken! Hundreds of nominations and thousands of votes later, and we have our 2025 winners. A big congratulations to all the local businesses and organizations represented on this list. Huntsville really is a great place to raise a family, and you are part of why that’s true.

As always, a reminder that this award is unique in that both the nominations and votes are done entirely by our readers. I mean, when you’re looking for the 411 on the best place to hang out in Huntsville with a toddler, who better to ask than THOUSANDS of local parents!

This year’s competition had more than a fair share of close calls, with several organizations running neck and neck for the title! Honestly, we feel like having so many categories be so close is literally a great problem to have. So many beloved attractions and businesses that it’s hard to decide between them 🙂

Favorite Local Attraction for Toddlers & Preschoolers

Winner: EarlyWorks Children’s Museum – Website

Runners-Up: Huntsville Botanical Garden, Huntsville- Madison County Public Libraries, Burritt on the Mountain

Favorite Local Attraction Ages 5-9

Winners: Huntsville Botanical Garden – Website

Runners-Up: EarlyWorks Children’s Museum, Burritt on the Mountain, Huntsville Museum of Art

Favorite Local Attraction for Ages 9-13

Winner: U.S. Space & Rocket Center – Website

Runners-Up: Flow, Burritt on the Mountain, Huntsville Museum of Art

Favorite Pizza Joint

Winners: Sam & Greg’s – Website

Runners-Up: Valentina’s, Big Ed’s, & Grimaldi’s

Favorite Family Friendly Restaurant

Winner: Rosie’s Mexican Cantina – Website

Runners-Up: Supper Heroes, Biscuit Belly, & MELT

Favorite Coffee Shop

Winners: Honest Coffee Roasters – Website

Runners-Up: Just Love Coffee, Angel’s Island Coffee, & Gold Sprint

Favorite Bakery

Winner: Edgar’s Bakery – Website

Runners-Up: Mason Dixon, L’Etoile Patisserie, & Moon Bakeshop

Favorite Ice Cream Shop

Winners : Handels – Website

Runners-Up: Cold Stone Creamery, Big Spoon Creamery, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice

Favorite Food Truck

Winner: Nick’s World Famous BBQ – Facebook Page

Runners-Up: New South Hot Dog & Sushi, Beast Mode & Happi Pappi

Favorite Seasonal Consignment Sale

Winner: Kid’s Market – Website

Runners-Up: The Boutique Closet, MOMSMart, & Sweet Repeats

Favorite Bricks & Mortar Consignment Store

Winner: Once Upon a Child – Website

Runners-Up: Play It Again, Snickerpoodles, & Off the Rack

Favorite Local Baby/Maternity Boutique

Winners: Posh Mommy and Baby Too – Website

Runners-Up: All About Baby, Little Cotton Shoppe, & Ana Banana

Favorite Field Trip Destination

Winner: Tate Farms – Website

Runners-Up: Huntsville Museum of Art, Burritt on the Mountain, & Cook Museum of Natural Science

Favorite Place to Hold a Birthday Party

Winner: Bricks & Minifigs – Website

Runners-Up: Huntsville Museum of Art, YMCA, & We Rock the Spectrum

Favorite Place to Get a Kid’s Haircut

Winner: Spoiled Rockin’ Kids – Website

Runners-Up: Great Clips, Certified Hands, & Vanity Hair Studio

Favorite Indoor Play Facility

Winners: FLOW – Website

Runners-Up: Let’s Play, EarlyWorks Family of Museums, & We Rock the Spectrum

Favorite Family-Friendly Event

Winner: Galaxy of Lights- Website

Runners-Up: Panoply, Madison Street Festival, Tinsel Trail

Favorite Waterpark or Splashpad

Winner: Point Mallard – Website

Runners-Up: YMCA, Bicentennial Pop Jets, Richard Showers

Favorite Dance Studio

Winners : Jill’s Studio of Dance – Website

Runners-Up: Soles, V Dance Academy, Alabama Youth Ballet Theatre

Favorite Place to Take Music Lessons

Winner: Musicology – Website

Runners-Up: The Studio for Music and Theatre Arts, Huntsville Strings Shop, & Maitland Conversatory

Favorite Place to Take Art Lessons

Winner: Lowe Mill – Website

Runners-Up: Huntsville Museum of Art Academy

Favorite Martial Arts Studio

Winner: Claymore Fighting & Fitness – Website

Runners-Up: Tiger Rock Martial Arts, Alexander’s Martial Arts

Favorite Family Friendly Performance Group

Winner: Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theatre – Website

Runners-Up: Alabama Youth Ballet Theatre, Comic Science Improv, & Around the Curtain

Favorite Summer Camp

Winners: Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theatre – Website

Runners-Up: YMCA, Kidcam & Burritt on the Mountain

Favorite Children’s Photographer

Winner: Spoiled Rotten Photography – Website

Runners-Up: Meghan Medlen Photography, CLO- Candace Ollis, & Jennifer Griffin

Favorite Childcare Program/Facility

Winner: Montessori School of Huntsville – Website

Runners-Up: Ardent Preschool & Daycare, Big Blue Marble Academy, & UAH Early Learning Center

Favorite Pediatric Dentist or Dental Practice

Winner: Alabama Pediatric Dental Associates – Website

Runners-Up: Rocket City Kids Pediatric Dentistry, Beitel Pediatric Dentistry, & Madison Pediatric Dentistry

Favorite Pediatrician or Pediatric Office

Winner: Huntsville Pediatric Associates – Website

Runners-Up: Rocket City Pediatrics, Pediatric Associates of Madison, & Twickenham Pediatrics

Favorite OB/GYN or OB/GYN Office

Winner: Advanced OB/GYN – Website

Runners-Up: Alabama Women’s Wellness Center, Tennessee Valley OB/GYN, & Women 4 Women

Favorite Pediatric Chiropractor

Winner: Functional Chiropractic – Website

Runners-Up: Cove Chiropractic & Back Care +

Favorite Pediatric Sleep Coach

Winner: Sleep Peaz – Website

Runners-Up: Live & Rest Coaching & Rested Families

Favorite Place to Take Swim Lessons

Winner: YMCA – Website

Runners-Up: ISR- Christie Hamby, Goldfish Swim School, Safe Splash

Favorite Cleaning Service

Winner: Home Clean Heroes – Website

Runners-Up: Clean Bright Cleaning Services, Two Maids, Perfect Home

Favorite Organization for Playing Sports