If going to visit UA and driving from N or NE, I would also visit UAH (Huntsville) - UA/UAH/UAB are all under same Board but all 3 very different campuses/opportunities. UAB has a fantastic medical center with high rankings nationally. UAH is growing on more students not local (University at Home is a common theme for many) - but Huntsville is a hotbed of technology. We call it engineering Mecca. UA is the state flagship (with Auburn also somewhat of a flagship too). UA has terrific facilities for STEM and a strong pool of high stat students from across the country - in part due to strong scholarships for merit OOS.
Here is some of the story as to how UA is where it is now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrV8g7kxJps&t=554s
My engineering DD went to UA where she had broader opportunities in her engineering field and other. My nursing major DD went to UAB. Both could have attended UAH and received their degrees at UAH, but engineer student could not have received a double major in her engineering field (civil and architectural) and nursing student could not have been part several special nursing programs like she was at UAB.