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City in the United States
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama, and its cultural and economic nucleus. While it's best remembered as the site of protest, bombings, and other racial tumult during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, visitors to the Birmingham of today will find a pleasant green city of ridges, valleys, attractive views, and friendly, hospitable people.
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Interpretive museum and research center, where you can learn about the struggle for civil rights through such engaging exhibits as a mocked-up 1950s-era segregated city, a replica of a Freedom Riders bus from Mississippi, and even the actual door from the cell in Birmingham Jail where Dr. Martin Luther King was held (see below). Researchers have at their disposal an expansive archive of documents and recordings.
This four-acre park was named for a local World War I hero, but is best known as the place where the climactic confrontation between the attack dog- and firehose-wielding Birmingham police and fire departments, led by Public Works Commissioner "Bull" Connor, and the student demonstrators from the SCLC, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, took place. The park was rededicated in 1992 as a "place of revolution and reconciliation" in commemoration of these pivotal events, and now contains a number of sculptural exhibits. Notable among those is Four Spirits, unveiled in 2013 as a memorial to the young victims of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing (read on).
On September 15, 1963, in the aftermath of the Birmingham campaign (and at the beginning of the first school year in which the city's public schools were integrated), four members of the Ku Klux Klan bombed this oldest African-American church in Birmingham with dynamite, killing four young girls at choir practice and further outraging the nation and solidifying support in Congress for civil rights legislation. The church was rebuilt and remains in operation today, welcoming visitors both to Sunday services (10:45AM) and to the basement exhibition space featuring historical photographs and displays related to the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham.
The home and office of Dr. Edward H. Ballard, an African-American physician who hosted meetings of local Civil Rights activists here beginning in 1959, and who offered medical treatment to victims of police violence during the Birmingham campaign of 1963. The not-for-profit Ballard House Project is hard at work restoring the building and hosting events and exhibitions related to local Civil Rights history and other cultural themes.
Dr. Martin Luther King spent eight days in April 1963 incarcerated here, from his arrest on the 12th for violating an injunction against the demonstrations he and the SCLC were leading in the streets of Birmingham through his release on the 20th under pressure from the Kennedy administration. While there, he wrote his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail, addressing various criticisms that had been leveled against him and his movement — both an essay written by a group of local white clergymen and published in the local newspaper the day before his arrest, and more broadly from white moderates nationwide as well as certain "opposing forces in the Negro community". The prison is still in operation as such, so no tours are offered, but there is a historic plaque and other interpretive material outside.
Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth was agitating for racial justice in Birmingham for years before Dr. King came to town, and the church where he preached was a focal point of action in the period immediately previous to the Birmingham campaign: it was the designated point of contact in Alabama for the Freedom Riders, who in 1961 successfully forced the desegregation of interstate buses in the South, and was firebombed by white supremacists no fewer than three times, including on Christmas Day 1956.
With a Civil Rights pedigree that goes even further back than Bethel Baptist, Old Sardis Baptist Church started down the road of civic, social, and economic activism in 1947, when Rev. Robert Alford ascended to the pulpit — and it was here in 1956 that Rev. Alford along with Rev. Shuttlesworth and various other local ministers founded the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, the local organization that worked side by side with Dr. King and the SCLC during the events of 1963.
The Sloss Iron and Steel Company was one of the first industrial concerns to set up shop in the then-brand new city of Birmingham. It eventually grew into one of the largest manufacturers of pig iron in the world (it should be said, largely on the backs of African-American convict labor — a form of legal slavery common in the Jim Crow era whereby local blacks would be rounded up and arrested on trumped-up charges and then leased out to private companies like Sloss for use as unpaid workers). Abandoned in 1972, their Furnace No. 1 was deemed an eyesore and slated for demolition, but saved at the last minute by historic preservationists and opened to the public as... well, it's hard to say exactly what this place is nowadays. Strolling around the old ovens, smokestacks, conveyor belts, and other abandoned equipment, you almost get the feeling of being in a giant art exhibit (the modern-day metal sculptures peppered around the site certainly don't do anything to discourage that sentiment). There is also a visitors' center with museum-style exhibits relating Birmingham's industrial history, and a full calendar of concerts and events at this one-of-a-kind venue.
What better way to pay homage to the mighty steel industry of early-20th century Birmingham than with an enormous statue of the Roman god of fire and metalsmithing? The world's largest cast iron statue at a height of , Vulcan was forged in 1903 as Birmingham's contribution to the St. Louis World's Fair, then spent a few decades welcoming visitors at the state fairgrounds in West Birmingham before being re-erected and rededicated in 1936 at the summit of Red Mountain by the Works Progress Administration. Vulcan now stands atop a sandstone pedestal with an observation deck near the top that provides a panoramic view of Birmingham and vicinity. Nearby is a small museum with exhibits on local industrial history.
The home is a perfectly-preserved emblem of Southern heritage. Staff are well-versed in how the home, which is older than the city, has been involved in many pivotal points of Birmingham's development. It's an interesting and inexpensive way to learn about the city's heritage and the civil rights struggle. The home, on Birmingham's West End, is in a somewhat blighted neighborhood. However, visiting during daylight hours carries very little risk. And the home is accessible through main artery roads off of Interstate 65 at the Green Springs Avenue exit. Homeowners on the street adjacent to Arlington have well-manicured properties, symbolic of efforts by West End leaders to strengthen this historic part of town.
Founded in 1978, the museum part opened in 1993 with exhibits from instruments to dresses on display. Of course you also get to experience the music itself in jazz performances, workshops and courses.
The museum presents the athletic history of the state of Alabama, and is one of the biggest in the U.S with over 6,000 pieces of sports memorabilia.
The park is meticulously well-kept. IndyCar and Superbike racing will thrill any visitor. This is truly world-class racing in a park that one would expect to see only in Europe or in a much larger city.
Visual art from all over the world, from ancient Egyptian to contemporary American. In particular, its Asian section is considered the best in the southeastern U.S.
This is a place where kids can explore science. Some of the highlights are the World of Water with fish and other aquatic life and the Alabama Collections Center with fossils and pre-Columbian artifacts.
If you're interested in aviation history, this is the place to go. The museum has more than 100 aircraft on display, both civilian and military (among them a Wright flyer replica), as well as plane parts, photographs and other artifacts.
The gardens are worth visiting for anyone with a horticultural flair. Displays are not limited to Southern offerings but also pay tribute to other parts of the world.
More than 750 animals, including cheetahs, cobras, lions and anteaters.
It's under development as of August 2019, but still lots of fun and exploring awaits. Zip-lining over the tree canopies of the beautiful and historic Red Mountain and miles of bike, hiking and walking trails. When the park is complete it will span nearly 1,200 acres (485 ha), making Birmingham the city with the most green space per capita in the country.
Nature preserve. More than 1,000 acres (400 ha).
Numerous performances including concerts, comedians and movies take place at this 2,200-seat, exquisitely preserved old vaudeville and movie palace built by Paramount in 1927.
Offers Broadway type productions in an intimate setting throughout the year.
Multipurpose complex for music concerts and film events.
Birmingham's minor-league team is the heir to one of the oldest baseball traditions in the country, dating back to 1885. Today, the Barons are the Chicago White Sox's Double-A farm team in the Southern League, and are perhaps most famous for having had basketball legend Michael Jordan on its roster during his first retirement from that sport in 1994. All home games are played at Regions Field downtown, with one exception: the annual Rickwood Classic held in late May or early June, where the Barons return to historic Rickwood Field, their home from 1910 through 1987. It is the oldest professional baseball park in the United States.
Men's soccer team that started play in the second-level USL Championship in 2019. Since 2022, home matches have been played at Protective Stadium at the downtown convention center, best known as the current home of UAB football.
As with most big schools, the highest-profile among UAB's sports teams are basketball and football, with the latter having achieved unexpected success after a two-season hiatus in 2015 and '16. As of the current 2023–24 school year, the Blazers play in NCAA Division I as one of the newest members of the American Athletic Conference (though a few teams in sports that their new conference doesn't play compete elsewhere). The football team moved into the brand-new Protective Stadium downtown next to the convention center in October 2021. The central ticket office for all UAB sports is at Bartow Arena, also home to the basketball and women's volleyball teams. Another notable venue is PNC Field, which hosts Blazers men's and women's soccer and also hosted Birmingham Legion FC before that team moved to Protective Stadium.
One of the NCAA's plethora of postseason bowl games, the Birmingham Bowl pits two of the best college teams from the American Athletic Conference and the Southeastern Conference against each other for postseason glory.
Of special interest to visitors interested in African-American culture is this October college football event featuring the state's two largest historically black universities, Alabama A&M and Alabama State. The game, which consistently draws bigger crowds than both the Birmingham Bowl and regular-season UAB home games, caps off a week of festivities that draws nearly 200,000 attendees, many of them having no connection to either school. Many African-American celebrities and public figures participate, either as attendees or featured guests.
Not just a juried art festival showcasing the work of nearly 200 artists from Birmingham and across the nation working in a wide variety of media, but also a multifaceted extravaganza that takes over Linn Park every last full weekend in April with live music, a "Corks & Chefs" event where local culinary talent takes center stage, and an engaging slate of kids' programming.
If you're a pet lover, Birmingham's longest-running annual shindig is for you. The Do Dah Day festivities begin with a parade down Highland Avenue — a joyous cavalcade of pets, pet owners, whimsical floats, marching bands, synchronized dancers, clowns, mimes, and more — then settle in to Rhodes Park where the focus shifts to live music, food, and general revelry. And don't forget to fill out your ballots for this year's Pet King and Pet Queen!
The end of August sees the Historic 4th Avenue Business District, once the most prominent African-American commercial center in the city, swing to the strains of jazz music courtesy of a bevy of acts both locally-based and nationally-known. Bring the youngsters down to the Kids' Zone, learn to swing dance, or tuck in to a meal from one of Birmingham's best food trucks (they don't call it the "Taste" of 4th Avenue for nothing!)
Much like the Magic City Art Connection, art is only the beginning of the story at the Birmingham ArtWalk: it's a multifaceted street party that takes over the Loft District in early September with art, live music, food and drink, and street performances. But by comparison with its springtime counterpart, the ArtWalk seems to not take itself so seriously: there's no competition pitting artists against each other, but rather a convivial and notably family-friendly vibe, with lots of activities for young folks.
Like most state fairs, what began as a way for Alabama farmers to show off their livestock and produce has evolved over the years into a much larger spectacle. The fair lasts ten days and attracts visitors with exciting carnival rides, yummy food and drink, a petting zoo, live music performances mostly in the country & western genre, and even a full-fledged circus with parading elephants and acrobats on the flying trapeze. The venue is the Birmingham Race Course at the far east end of town.
Over three days in late September, seven historic venues in downtown Birmingham — including the restored Alabama Theatre and the Lyric Theatre — screen some of the year's best new releases in independent film.
Real Mexican food, great taste! You will enjoy all that they offer if Mexican is what you are looking for. Huarache, fresh and good! Burrito really good as well. They have a bakery, try the peach tres leches, fresh and very distinct.
A take-out haven for all breaded soul foods. The fried chicken, catfish and okra are fresh and delicious and the location is a fun slice of local life.
Remember the novel Fried Green Tomatoes, later turned into a movie starring Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy? Well, this is the original "Whistle Stop Cafe" whose rendition of the namesake Southern-fried specialty inspired local novelist Fannie Flagg. Anything you ask for on the menu of will be delicious, but of course you must order the tomatoes. To drink is Coca-Cola straight out of the vintage bottle, or have an ice-cold glass of Southern sweet tea.
The staff are super friendly, good proportion for what you pay. A real mom and pop type of restaurant.
Locals are divided on what to think of the pho at Saigon Noodle House: some complain about imbalanced ingredients (heavy on noodles, light on meat) and an overall lack of authenticity; others rave about the generous portions at bargain prices. If you're hungry for something else, there's also a full slate of banh mi sandwiches, vermicelli noodle bowls, stir-fried mains with rice or noodles — even a kids' menu. The ambience is a cut above what you'd expect from a suburban strip-mall location, too.
An Alabama "must eat". Unlike the original in Tuscaloosa, which serves only ribs and white bread, the Birmingham location also serves chicken, side orders, and salads.
At this popular dining destination for Birmingham's new crop of hipsterati, the food is not quite Tex-Mex, not quite authentic Mexican, and way more culinarily innovative then you usually see in either of those types of restaurant. Tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, and full-size mains come with creative offbeat ingredients, but in middling portions that don't really justify the prices. Also: when El Barrio is crowded (which is basically all the time), the place gets loud, so unless you don't mind shouting, save the conversation for after dinner.
Melt has been serving gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches to hungry Birminghamsters since 2011, first out of their food truck and now at their brick-and-mortar location in Avondale. The menu comprises about a half-dozen varieties that you can further customize with your choice of meats or veggie toppings, along with a few salads and appetizers. Quick and attentive service is all the more impressive given how busy the place constantly is. Good option for families.
Rojo is a great neighborhood bar and grill where the food is good and reasonably priced, and the beer and wine selection is ample. Rojo also has a great outside sitting area that overlooks Caldwell Park and is especially popular during spring, summer, and fall. Rojo is good place to both eat and or grab a drink after work.
Surin offers Thai food and sushi that are as good as you'll find anywhere outside of Bangkok or Tokyo.
From the outside, Amore is a storefront in an anonymous-looking, ambience-free strip mall on a busy suburban arterial. Inside, it's a different story: the atmosphere is brimming with mood-lit elegance, and the menu of upscale Italian fare is enormous and presents creative twists on all your old favorites.
Hidden in plain sight amidst the bustle of downtown Birmingham, the Bistro 218 experience is elegant yet laid-back, with an impeccable ambience and a very-good-if-not-quite-"impeccable" menu of bistro-style specialties loosely based on French cuisine (try the duck confit), but with plenty of upscale-ified nods to good old-fashioned Southern home cooking in the mix too (blackened Louisiana redfish is a favorite).
Italian restaurant comprising a café and a dining room. Italian dishes (and some others) including pizza on the all-day menu of the café and an extensive wine list.
French bistro, with dishes like croques, escargots, steak tartare and steak frites on the menu.
Owned and operated by Frank Stitt, whose other Birmingham-area fine dining establishments include Chez Fonfon and Bottega, at Highlands the menu adds a soupçon of French flair to a substrate of upscale Contemporary Southern cuisine, the ambience is elegant if often loud, and the prices (especially on the topnotch wine list) fall firmly into "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" territory.
Reservations recommended. Try to get a seat at the "chef's table" to watch your food as it's prepared.
Among the most hyped restaurants in the über-trendy Five Points South neighborhood, but despite what you may be picturing, prices are fairly reasonable and the quality of the food lives up to its reputation. As you could probably guess from the name, seafood is the name of the game at Ocean, impeccably fresh and creatively prepared: head to the raw bar for delectable oysters, shrimp, clams, and lobster, or choose from a constantly-changing selection of à la carte mains.
Awesome local brewery with some great beers. Large outdoor area and a cool event space on the second level.
Classic American bar in Five Points South.
Very low key, locals spot. The Garage is an old antique store converted into a bar. The bar has a very unique back porch/beer garden. The garden is filled with antique stone tables and statues; a great place to go when the weather is nice. It is a low key, hard to find place but that is the way everybody wants it.
Popular bar/Irish pub in the Lakeview district. If you want to relive your college years with weak pours for high prices all while getting knocked around by an overcrowd of croakie wearers, even though it's midnight and the sun's been down for hours, this is the place for you.
"Birmingham's Dirty Little Secret" is a grungy out-of-the-way dive bar famous for hosting late night rock shows.
Cool blues bar in Lakeview.
Like the song says, "sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name" — and if that describes the kind of bar experience you're looking for, find your escape from the tyranny of trendiness at the Upper Deck, where reasonably priced drinks, pool tables, a jukebox, and unpretentious camaraderie await.
If wine is your adult beverage of choice, enjoy a massive yet well-curated selection thereof at the Wine Loft, along with a food menu of light gourmet fare where salads, flatbreads, and artisan thin-crust pizzas predominate. Prices are reasonable, the vibe is relaxed and about as far from snooty as it gets — just make sure to call ahead and double-check that they can accommodate you, as this is a popular place for wedding rehearsal dinners, corporate banquets, and other special events.
Mojitos and tapas like crab cakes or duck fat fries with outdoor patio seating or indoor options with artwork on the walls.
Two-star hotel about half a mile southwest of downtown, near Interstate 65. All rooms have air-conditioning, private bathroom, TV, refrigerator and microwave. There's free Wi-Fi and parking, but apparently no restaurant.
Two-star hotel on the outskirts of the Historic District. Rooms have private bathroom and TV. There's free Wi-Fi and parking.
For being located in the trendy, bustling Five Points South area, Birmingham's "bed and yoga healing center" presents a superbly quiet and genteel experience perfect for a relaxing getaway in the lap of Victorian luxury. The circa-1898 Bingham House is the venue, divided into seven guest rooms and suites sporting original hardwood floors and really magnificent antique furnishings, free WiFi, air conditioning, and private bathrooms (en suite in most cases) — plus a light breakfast and yoga and mental health services built into the overall accommodation. Free off-street parking. Pet and LGBT-friendly.
Erected in 1913, the history of the grand old Tutwiler Hotel continues under the Hampton Inn banner. The lobby is all Gilded Age elegance, with original marble and decorative ceilings and a bevy of old photos testifying to the building's storied history, but the rooms sport all the standard amenities of the modern era. There's also free hot breakfast, free WiFi, fitness center, business center, indoor pool and airport shuttle.
Standard airport chain hotel is showing its age but still gets the job done well enough (most of the time, anyway). Spacious rooms contain all the expected amenities; there's a fitness center, free WiFi propertywide, an onsite bar and restaurant, and shuttle service to and from the airport.
Retrofitted into a 1930s-era, Art Deco-style medical office building in Five Points South, the Hotel Indigo Birmingham, like all good hotels of the brand, leans into and embraces its unique history: white lab coats are part of the staff uniform, the elevator doors are still adorned with the old caduceus and other medical insignia, and yummy food and drinks are Chef Niko Romero's "prescription" at the Rx Lounge. Aside from that, you'll find all the usual in-room amenities as well as a fitness center, concierge service, and free Wi-Fi.
Another solid if unremarkable mid-scale chain hotel, with a location on a busy suburban arterial about 20 minutes from downtown amid a sea of shopping malls, big-box stores, office parks, and chain restaurants. No real surprises among the amenities, either: free WiFi, business center with Internet and fax, heated indoor pool, complimentary hot breakfast, ample parking — no fitness room, though.
An all-suite hotel representing a step up in luxury from the other national chains in this price range, with all rooms containing microwave, mini-fridge, and pull-out sofa and amenities that cover all the basics plus dry cleaning service, concierge, and buffet breakfast. The pool is outdoors, to the delight of those who prefer swimming al fresco to being sequestered in a hot, muggy room that reeks of chlorine. Customer service and cleanliness standards both need work, though.
If you happen to be coming to town to receive treatment at one of the hospitals near UAB (or you're a loved one of someone to whom that applies), you'll find the Courtyard practically tailor-made for your needs: the hotel is connected to the hospital via skybridge, and staff is accustomed to going above and beyond to accommodate all manner of special medical considerations. But if you're just here as a tourist, you'll likely be dismayed by the location well away from any interesting sights, restaurants, or nightlife, and the overall old and tired feel to the place. In-room amenities include all the standards, plus ergonomic workstations are a nice touch too; elsewhere on the property is a fitness center, restaurant serving light meals, and 24-hour convenience store. Free WiFi, too.
A typical Marriott experience: all the usual amenities you'll find at an upper-midscale full-service chain plus a few extras like ergonomic workstations and extra-luxurious bedding and linens. Indoor pool, onsite convenience store, and an outdoor patio area that provides a relaxing experience in spite of the banality of the hotel's suburban surroundings. RiverCity Restaurant serves a full buffet breakfast, and there's a free shuttle service to points around town. WiFi is available at a nominal extra charge.
If you're familiar with the Westin brand, you know you're in for a luxurious experience, but location is another selling point here: it's not only right on the edge of downtown and directly connected to the convention center, but also just a quick zip away from the airport. Topping the lengthy list of amenities are a rooftop pool where you can lounge or take a dip with the downtown skyline as a backdrop, as well as a pair of superlative onsite dining experiences: Todd English Pub features bar-food favorites in a homey setting, and Octane Coffee Bar offers morning pick-me-ups.
49 acres (20 ha) of homegrown goodness, the Alabama Farmers Market has been in business since 1921, and since 1956 at their current location on the north end of town. No live music or food trucks or other hoopla here, just a consortium of over 200 area farmer-owners coming together to offer their fresh, natural, and delicious wares to the buying public at prices that handily beat what you'd pay at the supermarket.
There's plenty to interest the visitor at the old Dr. Pepper bottling plant out by Sloss Furnaces, but the marquee attraction is this local weekend farmers' and artisans' market that runs from mid-April to mid-December, rain or shine. You'll find the same sort of fresh produce as at the Alabama Farmers Market, but you can also "shop local" for an ever-changing selection of artisan honey, prepared foods, toiletries, candles, arts and crafts, ad nauseam — or take in a live band, attend a long list of seminars and product demonstrations, or enjoy fun kids' activities.
The erstwhile Eastwood Mall was reborn in 2007 as a non-enclosed shopping center anchored by Walmart and also including locations of Party City, Ross Dress For Less, Office Depot, and Tuesday Morning. For retail history buffs, there's a small historical exhibit inside the "Retail Center" entrance of Walmart with a brief history of the mall, which was the first enclosed shopping mall in Birmingham and only the second one in the South, as well as several photos.
One of the largest lifestyle centers in the US, the Summit is an upscale shopping area that is perfect for a stroll on a nice day and is surrounded by restaurants after shopping all day works up an appetite. Includes the only Saks Fifth Avenue store in Alabama.
By car
Birmingham is linked to the rest of the U.S. by the Interstate highway network. The principal interstates and highways serving the city are:
By bus
Birmingham is served by Greyhound and Megabus, both of which pick up and drop off downtown at the brand-new Birmingham Intermodal Station on Morris Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets North.
By train
The Birmingham Intermodal Station is also served by Amtrak via its Crescent service, running daily between New York and New Orleans.
By bus
Public transit is available in Birmingham and the surrounding area, though it's not what you'd call convenient, especially on weekends or in areas far outside the central core.
By bike
There's a bike rental system called Veo BikeShare, with bike stations around the city.
On foot
The downtown areas of Birmingham (notably separated by railroad tracks into a "north" and "south" side) are quite compact, so walking is a reasonable way to get from place to place within the central…
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