Birmingham is the largest city, cultural center, and economic heart of Alabama. While Birmingham is remembered as the site of nonviolent protest, bombings, and racist violence during the 1960s, when the city was racially segregated by law, the Birmingham of today is quite different. Visitors of a more modern chapter of its history find a pleasant green city of ridges, valleys, attractive views, and friendly, hospitable people.

Understand

1.2 million people live in the Birmingham metropolitan area.

History

The City of Birmingham is relatively young. Founded in 1871 at the crossing of two railroad lines, it soon became known for its iron and steel industries. Named for England's giant industrial city, Birmingham became a commercial hub as well, and today it is one of the top five banking cities in the United States.

The Magic City became known as a thriving and quickly growing community in what had once been a "poor, insignificant Southern village." White and black men migrated from rural communities to work in the iron mills, and so did many Greek and Italian immigrants. The Great Depression was disastrous for Birmingham, singled out as the "worst hit" city in America. World War II brought a strong recovery, but air pollution remained a problem. Old-timers recall that it used to take only a few minutes outdoors for a clean white shirt to turn gray in the sooty Birmingham air. Sloss Furnaces, a preserved iron mill with 1920s blast furnaces, commemorates this side of the city's heritage.

Birmingham is probably best known for the pivotal role it played in the Civil Rights Movement. Spurred on by a growing list of victories in the preceding years — the desegregation by military force of Little Rock High School and the University of Mississippi, the Freedom Rides, the Montgomery bus boycott — Dr. Martin Luther King and his Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) began their "Birmingham campaign" in 1963, joining up with an incipient local activist community headed by Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth of Bethel Baptist Church to address the concerns of a black community that was sick of being excluded from desirable jobs, especially as the basis of the local economy began to shift from heavy industry to white-collar professions. King and Shuttlesworth were confronted by Eugene "Bull" Connor, a longtime local politico whose extreme hostility toward integration and civil rights had made him a notorious and somewhat divisive figure even among Southern whites — and true to the latter's nature, many of the most well-known scenes of brutality that have come to characterize the Civil Rights Movement took place in Birmingham. As much as anything else, it's testament to the degree to which Dr. King's understanding of the power of television was key to the success of his nonviolence strategy: the images of peaceful protesters under attack by snarling dogs, fire hoses, and police brutality that were beamed into American living rooms on the TV news played a crucial role in turning public opinion against segregation, and in securing Congressional passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Today, Birmingham is a banking and medical center. The University of Alabama at Birmingham and associated hospitals are internationally renowned for their medical programs, research, and services. The city will host the 2021 World Games.

Climate

The weather in Birmingham varies greatly. Winter weather is highly unpredictable, with temperatures ranging from below 20 °F (−7 °C) to 60 °F (16 °C) or even 70°F throughout the season, with frequent rain and occasional snow. Summers are very hot and humid, with frequent thunderstorms. Spring and fall are the best seasons for long visits, when the weather is warm and pleasant often with a breeze in the air. Even within the city limits, the springtime displays of dogwood, cherry, azalea and other blossoms must be seen to be believed.

Visitor information

• Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, 950 22nd St N, Suite 550, ☏ +1 205-458-8000, toll-free: +1-800-458-8085, info@inbirmingham.com. (updated Aug 2019)

Get in

By plane

• 1 Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport, ☏ +1 205 595-0533. (BHM  ^IATA) Served by American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Express. Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is very convenient for visiting this wonderful city. It has hotel and restaurant accommodations on site for emergency stays over night or a quick bite to eat. The airport is in the heart of Birmingham and full time limo and taxi service is available to and form the airport.As with any International Airport there are rental car services available as well. The airport is usually not very congested and visitors will find it has a very friendly atmosphere and laid-back feeling.
  Beware, however, of relatively long security lines. Typically, only one scanning area is open for the "C" Concourse, through which many flights depart. This sometimes causes 30- to 45-minute waits to pass through security.  

By train

Birmingham is served by Amtrak's Crescent service that runs daily between New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans. 2 Birmingham station (+1-800-872-7245) is at 1 19th St North.

By car

Birmingham is linked to the rest of the US by the Interstate highway network. The principal interstates and highways serving the city are:

From the north, i.e. from Nashville and Louisville, I-65 and US 31 run more or less parallel to each other. I-59 approaches from Chattanooga and points northeast; you will possibly come from this direction if driving from the northeastern U.S. US 11 also comes from this direction.

Atlanta to the east, the biggest city nearby and with a major international airport, is connected to Birmingham by I-20. US 280 comes in from Columbus, Georgia to the southeast and further on from Florida. From places to the south, Montgomery and southern parts of Alabama comes I-65 and next to it US 31.

From Meridian in the southwest comes I-20 and I-59, the former from Jackson (Mississippi), Shreveport and Dallas, the latter from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. I-22 and US 78 lead to Birmingham from the northwest, i.e. Tupelo and Memphis.

Finally, I-459 circumvents the city on the southeastern side.

Avoid rush hour (7AM-9AM and 4PM-6PM) if possible; for details on usual spots for rush hour tie-ups, see Get around#By car.

By bus

• Greyhound Bus Lines, 618 N 19th St, toll-free: +1-800-229-9424. Provides bus service to Birmingham from most locations throughout the US. After dark, the area can be quite deserted. However, the DART trolley running north and south on 20th Street North is a block or so east of the station. 
• Megabus. Service from Memphis and Atlanta. The bus stop is on the north side of Morris Ave between 17th St N and 18th St N.

Get around

By foot

The downtown areas of Birmingham (notably separated by railroad tracks into a "north" and "south" side) are quite compact, walking is a reasonable way to get around. However, it's nearly impossible to walk from downtown to further out neighborhoods such as Avondale or Woodlawn. Summer temperatures and heat indices can reach 100 °F (38 °C) and 110 °F (43 °C) respectively.

By bus

• Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority. Most stops are made every 10-30 minutes, although on Saturday it may be up to 40 minutes. Do not expect to use public transportation reliably. If you are staying in the city, the DART/MAX system may work fine for you, but otherwise you'll be spending a lot of time waiting and coordinating. $1.25 or less.  
• MAX Bus System
  • North/South: M-Th 10AM-10PM, F Sa 10AM-midnight, Su 10AM-9PM
  • East/West: M-Su 9AM-5PM
  • South Side: M-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight, Su 11AM-9PM
• DART Bus Trolley
  • North/South: M-Th 10AM-10PM, F Sa 10AM-midnight, Su 10AM-9PM
  • East/West Sa Su 9AM-5:30PM
  • South Side: M-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight, Su 11AM-9PM

By car

Your best bet is to rent a car, or drive your own.

Traffic is terrible at rush hour — which can last from 6AM-9AM and 4PM-6PM. In particular, the interchange of I-59 and I-65 downtown ("Malfunction Junction") and Highway 280 East are problematic. Expect heavy delays during rush hour on I-65 and 280.

Parking

There is metered parking throughout Birmingham. These spots generally run from 8AM-6PM, but are free on weekends.

By bike

There's a bike rental system called Zyp BikeShare, with bike stations around the city. You can use the bike for 45 minutes a time for a price of $3, if you keep the bike for a longer time, there's an overtime charge of $2 for the first 30 minutes, and $4 for each additional 30 minutes.

To start using the bikes, first register through the Zyp app or online to buy a Go pass (which means you pay for each ride), or purchase a one- or three-day or one month pass through the app and from one of the Zyp kiosks.

If you have one of the passes with unlimited rides for a day, three days or a month, you will still have to return the bike to a station within 45 minutes to avoid paying overtime fees (but you can immediately start using the bike again after returning it).

See

Birmingham seen from Vulcan Park.

History

The bulk of Birmingham's most famous tourist attractions revolve around the city's role in the Civil Rights Movement.

• 1 Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, 520 16th St N, ☏ +1 205 328-9696, toll-free: +1-866-328-9696, fax: +1 205 251-6104, bcri@bcri.org. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 1PM-5PM. 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. Adults $9, seniors 65+ $5, college students $4, children under 18 free. Free admission on Sunday.  

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is immediately adjacent to:

• 2 Kelly Ingram Park (bounded by 5th and 6th Aves N and 16th and 17th Sts W). 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 an homage to the young victims of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing (read on). (updated Aug 2019)
• 3 16th Street Baptist Church, 1530 6th Ave N, ☏ +1 205 251-9402. 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 (11AM) and to the basement exhibition space featuring historical photographs and displays related to the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham. (updated Aug 2019)

Other Civil Rights Movement-related landmarks in Birmingham include...

• 4 Ballard House, 1420 7th Ave N, ☏ +1 205 731-2000. W-Sa 10AM-2PM or by appointment. 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 relative to local Civil Rights history and other cultural themes. (updated Aug 2019)
• 5 Birmingham Jail, 501 6th Ave S. 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 the 20th, when he was released 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. (updated Aug 2019)
• 6 Historic Bethel Baptist Church, 3233 29th Ave N (one block east and one block north from the present-day Bethel Baptist Church building), ☏ +1 205 324-8489. Tours M, W & F 10AM-3PM, Tu & Th by appointment. As mentioned before, Red. 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. (updated Aug 2019)
• 7 Old Sardis Baptist Church, 1240 4th St N, ☏ +1 205 322-4362. Services Su 11AM; not open for tours. 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. (updated Aug 2019)

Aside from civil rights, industrial history buffs will find much of interest in Birmingham as well.

• 8 Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, 20 32nd St N, ☏ +1 205 324-1911, info@slossfurnaces.com. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su noon-4PM. The Sloss furnaces were operating for almost a century, and today they stand as a monument to the metal production history of Birmingham. The former plant is open to visitors and there are metal art classes. It's a also a venue for concerts and festivals. Free.  
• 9 Vulcan Statue and Museum, 1701 Valley View Dr, ☏ +1 205 933-1409, fax: +1 205 933-1776, info@vulcanpark.org. Park: daily 7AM-10PM; Museum: M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 1PM-6PM; Observation Balcony: M-Sa 10AM-10PM, Su 1PM-10PM. Enjoy sweeping views of the city from one of the highest points around. The museum offers a history of Birmingham that would be interesting even to those who are just passing through town. This is the world's largest cast-iron statue and pays tribute to Birmingham as a historical center for iron and steel manufacture.  

And, representing a period still further in the past, even before the foundation of the City of Birmingham, is...

• 10 Arlington Antebellum Home and Gardens, 331 Cotton Ave SW, ☏ +1 205 780-5656. The home is a perfectly-preserved emblem of Southern heritage. Staff are well-versed in how the home, which is older than the city itself, has been involved in many pivotal points of Birmingham's development. It's an interesting and inexpensive way to learn of the city's heritage, the civil rights struggle, and more. 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.  

Museums

• 11 Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, 1631 4th Ave N, ☏ +1 205 254-2731, fax: +1 205 254-2785, tours@jazzhall.com. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM (guided tours M-W F 10AM-1:30PM). 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. $3/2 (guided/self-guided).  
• 12 Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, 2150 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd N, ☏ +1 205 323-6665, fax: +1 205 252-2212, info@ashof.org. M-Sa 9AM-5PM. 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. Adults $5, seniors 60+ $4, students $3.  
• 13 Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and Motorsports Park, 6030 Barber Motorsports Pkwy (The park is about a mile off of Interstate 20, near the town of Leeds.), ☏ +1 205 699-7275, bvmm@barbermuseum.org. April 1 — September 30: M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su noon-6PM; October 1 — March 31: M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. The park is only five years old and is meticulously well-kept. Formula One 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. Adults, $10, children 4-12 $6, children under 4 free..  
• 14 Birmingham Museum of Art, 2000 8th Ave N, ☏ +1 205 254-2566, fax: +1 205 254-2714. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. Visual art from all over the world, from the ancient Egypt to contemporary American art. In particular its Asian section is considered as the best in the southeastern U.S. Free.  
• 15 McWane Science Center, 200 19th St N (Parking deck on 2nd Avenue North, between 18th Street and 19th Street, $3), ☏ +1 205 714-8300, fax: +1 205 714-8400. Sept-May: M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa 11AM-6PM, Su noon-6PM; June-Aug: M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su Noon-6PM. 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 Precolumbian artifacts. Exhibit halls: adults $9, children 2-12 & seniors 65+ $8, children under 2 free; exhibits and IMAX:$14/12/free.  
• 16 Southern Museum of Flight, 4343 73rd St N, ☏ +1 205 833-8226, fax: +1 205 836-2439. Tu-Sa 9:30AM-4:30PM. If 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. Adults $5, seniors & students $4, children under 4 and active military members free.  

Parks and gardens

• 17NOT EXISTING LISTING IMAGE Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd, ☏ +1 205 414-3900. Daily sunrise to sunset. The gardens are worth visiting for anyone with a horticultural flair. Displays are not limited to Southern offerings; instead, they also pay tribute to other parts of the world. Also, take a drive, or a stroll, through one of the nearby "villages" of Mountain Brook. This tony town next to Birmingham is divided into three separate, walkable villages that offer locally-owned shops, boutiques, and restaurants.  
• 18 Birmingham Zoo, 2630 Cahaba Rd, ☏ +1 205 879-0409, fax: +1 205 879-9426, ppendleton@birminghamzoo.com. Labor Day-Memorial Day: daily 9AM-5PM; Memorial Day-Labor Day: M W-Th 9AM-5PM, Tu F-Su 9AM-7PM. More than 750 animals, including cheetahs, cobras, lions and anteaters. General $11, children 2-12 & seniors 65+ free.  
• 19 Red Mountain Park, 2011 Frankfurt Dr, ☏ +1 205 242-6043. Daily 7AM-5PM. It's under development 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 1200 acres, making Birmingham the city with the most green space per capita in the country.  
• 20 Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, 1214 81st St S, ☏ +1 205 833-8264, fax: +1 205 836-3960, info@ruffnermountain.org. Tu-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 1PM-5PM. Nature preserve. More than 1,000 acres. Free.  

Other

• Birmingham Public Library Murals. (updated May 2017)
  • 21 Mural in the East Building, 2100 Park Pl. by Ronald Scott McDowell 
  • 22 Murals in the Linn-Henley Library. by Ezra Winter 
  • 23 East Lake Mural, 5 Oporto Madrid Blvd. by Carrie Hill 

Do

Alabama Theatre

Downtown Birmingham.

In addition to standard activities, Birmingham also has tons of outdoor adventures such as paintballing, four-wheeling and hunting, during season.

• 1 Alabama Theatre, 1811 3rd Ave N, ☏ +1 205 252-2262. Numerous performances, including concerts, comedians and movies.  
• 2 The Virginia Samford Theatre, 1116 26th St S, ☏ +1 205 251-1228, fax: +1 205 328-7677, boxoffice@virginiasamfordtheatre.org. Offers Broadway type productions in an intimate setting throughout the year. 
• 3 WorkPlay, 500 23rd St S, ☏ +1 205 879-4773, info@workplay.com. Multipurpose complex for music concerts and film events. 

Spectator sports

• 4 Birmingham Barons, Regions Field, 1401 1st Ave. South, ☏ +1 205 988-3200. Mid-April to early September. Baseball team in the Double-A Southern League, thus two levels below Major League Baseball. Affiliated with the Chicago White Sox. The team is perhaps most famous for having had basketball legend Michael Jordan on its roster during his first retirement from that sport in 1994. 
• 5 Birmingham Legion FC, 2213 1st Ave. South (team offices) (Games at BBVA Field, 800 11th St. South), ☏ +1 205 600-3872, tickets@bhmlegion.com. Early March–October. Men's soccer team that began play in 2019 in the USL Championship, the second level of the sport in the US. The stadium is on the campus of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, usually referred to as UAB, and as such is also home to the UAB Blazers men's and women's soccer teams (see below). 
• UAB Blazers, ☏ +1 205 975-8221, tickets@uab.edu. Ticket office: M–F 9AM-5PM; hours vary on game days. Sports teams of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, playing a variety of NCAA Division I sports, mostly in Conference USA. The highest-profile sports, as with most big schools, are football and men's basketball, with football having achieved unexpected success after having come back from a two-season hiatus in 2017. Football plays off campus at 6 Legion Field, and will move in 2021 to the new Protective Stadium at the downtown convention center, construction on which is set to start in the second half of 2019. The central ticket office for all UAB sports is at 7 Bartow Arena, home to men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball. 

Annual events

• Sidewalk Film Festival. Late September. Enjoy independent films in historic venues during the three day film festival.  
• Birmingham ArtWalk. Early September. Stroll through the Loft District viewing works by hundreds of local artists. 
• 8 Magic City Art Festival, Linn Park. End of April. Contemporary art festival with both visual and performance art and food and drink. 
• Doo Dah Day. End of April. Annual parade of pets and their owners. 
• Birmingham Bowl, Legion Field. Late December. College football bowl game. Match-up: Southeastern Conference vs. American Athletic Conference  
• Alabama Bound. April. Meet Alabama authors, publishers and illustrators at Birmingham Public Library's annual event. 
• Magic City Classic, Legion Field. Of special interest to visitors interested in African-American culture is this 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 UAB football or the Birmingham Bowl, caps off a week of festivities that draws nearly 200,000 attendees—many of them having no connection to either school involved. Many African-American celebrities and public figures participate, either as attendees or featured guests.  

Buy

• 1 Alabama Farmer's Market, 344 Finley Ave W, ☏ +1 205 251-8737. Daily 5AM-7PM. Free admission. 

Shopping malls

These are mainly found in suburbs such as Homewood and Hoover.

• 2 The Summit, 214 Summit Boulevard, ☏ +1 205 967-0111. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su noon-6PM. 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.  

Eat

Most visitors are pleasantly surprised at the large dining scene in Birmingham, a city which has numerous well-known restaurants with famous chefs. Ask locals about best "meat and 3" places for "soul food".

Budget

• 1 Green Acres, 1705 4th Ave N, ☏ +1 205 251-3875. 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. Lunches $4-8. 
• 2 Irondale Cafe, 1906 1st Ave N, Irondale, ☏ +1 205 956-5258. 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" where the fried green tomatoes that inspired local novelist Fannie Flagg are served. Anything you ask for on the menu of Southern-fried comfort foods will be delicious, but 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. 
• 3 Magic City Grille, 2201 3rd Ave North in Birmingham; 4610 Gary Ave in Fairfield, ☏ +1 205 251-6500 (Birmingham), +1 205 783-9393 (Fairfield). A great, locally-owned "meat and three" that will offer your fill of Southern fried chicken and other comfort and soul foods. The downtown location is very popular among business folks and other locals for a great lunch. The Fairfield location serves lunch and dinner. Both are owned by the same family. 
• Purple Onion, Several Locations, ☏ +1 205 822-7322, fax: +1 205 822-1989. Daily 11AM-midnight. Good Greek fast food. 
• 4 Pop's Neighborhood Grill, 1207 20th St S, ☏ +1 205 930 8002, orders@popsneighborhoodgrill.com. M-F 6AM-3PM. The staff are super friendly, good proportion for what you pay. A real mom and pop type of restaurant. (updated Oct 2018)
• 5 Gordos, 433 Valley Ave (in the Valley Avenue Plaza), ☏ +1 205 916-0707. 8AM-9PM. 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. (updated Oct 2018)

Mid-range

• 6 Dreamland BBQ, 1427 14th Ave S, ☏ +1 205 933-2133, fax: +1 205 933-9770, contactus@dreamlandbbq.com. M-Th 10AM-10PM, F Sa 10AM-11PM, Su 11AM-10PM. 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. $6-18. 
• 7 Rojo, 2921 Highland Ave S, ☏ +1 205 328-4733. Rojo is a great neighborhood bar and grill off Highland Ave right next to Caldwell Park. The food is good and reasonably priced, and they have a very good beer and wine selection. Rojo also has a great outside sitting area that overlooks the park and is especially popular during spring, summer, and fall. Rojo is good place to both eat and or grab a drink after work. 
• 8 Surin West, 1918 11th Ave S, ☏ +1 205 324-1928, fax: +1 205 326-6688, infosw@surinwest.com. Lunch: M-F 11AM-2:30PM, Sa-Su 11:30AM-2:30PM; Dinner: Su-Th 5:30PM-9:45PM, F Sa 5:30PM-10:30PM. Surin offers Thai food and sushi that are as good as you'll find anywhere outside of Bangkok or Tokyo. Dinners $10-18. 

Splurge

• 9 Bottega, 2240 Highland Ave S, ☏ +1 205 939-1000, fax: +1 205 939-1165, maitre-d@bottegarestaurant.com. M-Th 5:30PM-10PM, F Sa 5:30PM-10:30PM. 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. Dinners $25-35. 
• 10 Chez Fon Fon, 2007 11th Ave S, ☏ +1 205 939-3221, info@fonfonbham.com. French bistro, with dishes like croques, escargots, steak tartare and steak frites on the menu. Mains $12-28. 
• 11 Highlands Bar & Grill, 2011 11th Ave S, ☏ +1 205 939-1400, info@highlandsbarandgrill.com. Tu-Th 5:30PM-10PM, F Sa 5:30PM-10:30PM. With two 2018 James Beard Awards (Outstanding Restaurant and Outstanding Pastry Chef — Dolester Miles), Highlands Bar & Grill is one of four local restaurants owned and operated by renowned chef Frank Stitt. (The others are Chez Fon Fon, Bottega and Bottega Cafe). Highlands and Chez Fon Fon are primarily French in character, while Bottega and Bottega Cafe are Italian. Dinners $25-40. 
• 12 Hot and Hot Fish Club, 2180 11th Ct S (behind Highland Plaza), ☏ +1 205 933-5474, email@hotandhotfishclub.com. Tu-Th 5:30PM-10PM, F Sa 5:30PM-10:30PM. Reservations recommended. Try to get a seat at the "chef's table" to watch your food as it's prepared. Dinners $20-25. 
• 13 Little Savannah, 3811 Clairmont Ave S, ☏ +1 205 591-1119, fax: +1 205 592-0415. Tu-Th 5:30PM-9:30PM, F Sa 5:30PM-10PM. Unique family-owned restaurant where Chef Clifton Holt visits local farmers every day and wife Maureen meets you at the door. The atmosphere is relaxed and gracious. Definitely a well-kept secret of the South. Dinners $20-25. 
• 14 Ocean, 1210 20th St S, ☏ +1 205 918-0726. 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. 

Drink

• 1 Avondale Brewery, 201 41st St S, ☏ +1 205 777-5456. Awesome local brewery with some great beers. Large outdoor area and a cool event space on the second level. 
• 2 Dave's Pub, 1128 20th St S, ☏ +1 205 933-4030. closes at 2AM. Classic American bar in Five Points South. 
• 3 1st and 23rd, 2300 1st Ave N, ☏ +1 205 323-4266, fax: +1 205 323-4260, prajai@theu.us. Th-Sa 7PM-2AM. Trendy LA style martini lounge. 
• 4 The Garage, 2304 10th Terrace South, ☏ +1 205 322-3220. closes at 2AM. 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 antiques including stone tables, and statues. It is 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. 
• 5 Innisfree, 710 29th St S, ☏ +1 205 252-4255. 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. 
• 6 Moe's Original Bar B Que, 731 29th St, ☏ +1 205 252-5888, jeff@moesoriginalbbq.com. Daily 11AM-11PM. Bar B Que, live music, as well as a bar. Not usually much of a crowd except on special occasions such as Halloween. 
• 7 The Nick, 2514 10th Ave S, ☏ +1 205 252-3831. Has late night rock shows. 
• 8 Oasis Bar, 2807 7th Ave S, ☏ +1 205 323-5538. Cool blues bar in Lakeview. 
• 9 Pale Eddie's Pourhouse, 2308 2nd Ave N. Great smoke-free bar with daily live music. 

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Tourway Inn, 1101 6th Ave N, ☏ +1 205-252-3921. 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. rates around $70. (updated Aug 2019)

• 2 Kings Inn Civic Center, 1313 3rd Avenue North, ☏ +1 205-323-8806, info@kingsinnciviccenterbirmingham.us. Two-star hotel on the outskirts of the Historic District. Rooms have private bathroom and tv. There's free Wi-Fi and parking. rates from $63. (updated Aug 2019)

Mid-range

• 3 Cobb Lane Bed and Breakfast, 1309 19th St S, ☏ +1 215 918-9090. The only B&B in downtown Birmingham. Good location and very nice rooms. $89-119 (tax excluded). 
• 4 Courtyard Birmingham Downtown UAB, 1820 5th Ave S, ☏ +1 205 254-0004, fax: +1 205 254-8001. All normal amenities in the rooms, free Wi-Fi, and the hotel has a fitness center, a restaurant and a Starbucks café. from $189. 
• 5 Holiday Inn Birmingham-Airport, 5000 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd N, ☏ +1 205 591-6900. All the normal amenities in the rooms. The hotel has a restaurant, open for breakfast and dinner. Free parking and Wi-Fi. standard rooms from $78. 
• 6 Quality Inn & Suites Birmingham - Highway 280, 707 Key Dr, ☏ +1 205 991-1055, fax: +1 205 991-2066. All the normal amenities in the rooms. Some of the rooms are adapted to the needs of people with disabilities, and it brands itself as an accessible hotel with braille coded exits and elevators. Free Wi-Fi. The hotel has an indoor pool. rates from $74 including breakfast. 
• 7 SpringHill Suites Birmingham Colonnade, 3950 Colonnade Pkwy, ☏ +1 205 969-8099. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. All-suites extended-stay hotel near downtown and airport. Suites include free Internet, microwave, mini-fridge, and pull out sofa. Hotel offers free parking, breakfast buffet, outdoor pool and fitness center. $86. 
• 8 The Tutwiler Hotel, 2021 Park Pl (Exit 22nd St from I-59, go south to Park Place, turn right, hotel on left in one block), ☏ +1 205 322-2100. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Birmingham's most famous historic hotel was renovated to preserve its historic charm. The Tutwiler Hotel features full service amenities such as meeting facilities, suite shop, room service, bar and restaurant with standard services of the Hampton Inn brand (free hot breakfast, free high speed internet, fitness center, business center and complimentary airport shuttle). $139-209. 

Splurge

• 9 Birmingham Marriott, 3590 Grandview Pkwy, ☏ +1 205 968-3775, fax: +1 205 968-3742. All the normal amenities in the rooms, Wi-Fi is not included in the rate. $199-334. 
• 10 Hotel Indigo Birmingham Five Points South - UAB, 1023 20th St S, ☏ +1 205 933-9555, fax: +1 205 933-6918, GuestServices@indigohotelbirmingham.com. All the normal amenities in the rooms. There's a restaurant, a bar/lounge, and a health and fitness center. Free Wi-Fi. from $137. 
• 11 The Westin Birmingham, 2221 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd N, ☏ +1 205 307-3600, fax: +1 205 307-3605, Westinreservations@bjcc.com. Luxury hotel with all the normal amenities in the rooms. Health center, rooftop pool, and restaurant. $278-548. 

Stay safe

Common sense rules should apply for most of the city center, e.g. travel in groups — especially late at night—don't look like a tourist, avoid dark alleyways, etc. While the city has a reputation of crime problems, these areas are generally far away from any normal destinations. Avoid the areas north of the civic center and west of I-65, they get dangerous quickly. All of the over the mountain villages are virtually crime free with little to fear. Downtown Birmingham is also extremely well patrolled and other than common sense against normal big city stuff (e.g. beggars asking for money), there is not much to worry about.

Birmingham's historic Five Points South area is one of the most popular night/weekend spots, and it is always well patrolled at the insistence of area merchants. The area's wonderful restaurants, pubs, and dance clubs are among the attractions you'll find there.

The downtown area has a supplemental bike patrol called CAP (City Action Partnership) to deter crime and assist visitors. Call +1 205 251-0111 for a free security escort, directions, assistance with a dead car battery, etc.

Connect

For now, the region's sole telephone area code is 205 – there is no need to dial it before the 7-digit number. In October 2019, when area code 659 is added to the area, all 10 digits will have to be dialed.

Wireless internet

There are many locations in Birmingham that offer free WiFi access, foremost among which are the 19 branches of the Birmingham Public Library. The largest and most centrally located of these is the...

• 1 Birmingham Central Library, 2100 Park Pl, ☏ +1 205 226-3610. M Tu 9AM-8PM, W-Sa 9AM-6PM, Su 2PM-6PM.  

Cope

The summertime heat from June through September can be oppressive. It is not unusual for highs to be 90 °F (32 °C) to 100 °F (38 °C). Combined with very high humidity levels, it is nearly impossible to stay outdoors for very long. Make sure you have plenty of water. A by-product of the heat and humidity is near-daily thunderstorms that can turn severe in an instant.

Consulates

• 2 Finland (Honorary), 3800 Colonnade Parkway, Suite 430, ☏ +1 205 259 2066, joe@timberlineholdings.com. (updated Aug 2019)
• 3 Germany (Honorary), 500 Beacon Pkwy W, ☏ +1 205 943-4772, fax: +1 205 943-4780, director@alabamagermany.org. 

Go next

Suburbs

• If retail therapy is in order, a 10-minute drive south from downtown on I-65 puts you in Hoover. The ambience is a bit plastic-fantastic but undeniably upscale, with all the shopping malls, chain restaurants, and big-box stores to slake your appetite for the familiar after taking in Birmingham's unique and funky city neighborhoods.
• In the same direction as Hoover but even closer to town, Homewood is another upscale suburb, albeit one with character — especially in the charming little downtown area at the foot of Red Mountain. Homewood is also where you'll find Samford University, home of the Alabama Men's Hall of Fame — and Division I football and basketball tickets that are a good sight cheaper than games at UAB.
• If you'd rather sink your teeth further into the Birmingham area's industrial history, and a little bit of grit doesn't faze you, head down I-20 to the working-class suburb of Bessemer, where much of Alabama's steel industry in the 20th century played out. The mills have mostly been idle since the 1970s, and the city's struggles with unemployment and its attendant problems are plain to see, but monuments to the good old days abound — check out the Tannehill Ironworks just outside of town. And if you'd like to "sink your teeth into" something else, Bessemer is also a rather unlikely foodie destination, home to Alabama's oldest operating restaurant and some of the best barbecue around these parts.

Further afield

• "Roll Tide" is the phrase that pays in Tuscaloosa, the college town and former state capital that lies about an hour southwest of Birmingham along I-20. There's plenty of history, art, and culture to be found among the oak-lined streets of the "Druid City", but undoubtedly the main attraction is the University of Alabama itself — especially on football game days, when Bryant-Denny Stadium has been known to pack in over 100,000 fans (more than the population of the city itself!)
• A 45-minute drive northward along I-65 will put you in Cullman, home to St. Bernard Abbey, the only Benedictine abbey in Alabama. The Ave Maria Grotto, a miniature fairytale land on the grounds of the abbey, has been a favorite among visitors since it opened in 1934.
• Press further northward into the mountains and the next big city you'll come to is Huntsville. Formerly a sleepy cotton town, Huntsville shot to prominence in the years after World War II, when the U.S. government sent Dr. Wernher Von Braun and his team of scientists to the Redstone Arsenal to design missiles for the army. A decade later, NASA came to town and set up the Marshall Space Center to develop the propulsion system that would soon put American astronauts on the Moon, and... well, you can see why they call it the "Rocket City".
• Head the other direction on I-65, and in about an hour and a half you're in Alabama's state capital, Montgomery, a city replete with history, mostly of the unsavory variety — former capital of the Confederacy; home of one of the most active slave-trading markets in the U.S. in the years before the Civil War; site of Rosa Parks' infamous bus boycott. Montgomery wrestles with the ghosts of its past at the National Memorial for Peace & Justice, but it's not all somber reflection here: there's also a renowned Shakespeare Festival, a turn-of-the-century downtown turned living-history museum, and other cultural attractions.
• Sure, Birmingham is Alabama's biggest city. But for the Southern metropolitan experience par excellence, head about two hours east along I-20 to Atlanta, where big-league sports, world-class cultural institutions, cutting-edge cuisine, and urban-style hustle and bustle await.

Routes through Birmingham

New Orleans ← Tuscaloosa ←	W  NE	→ Atlanta → Charlotte
Meridian ← Bessemer ←	W  E	→ Heflin → Atlanta
Memphis ← Fulton ←	W  E	→ END
Chattanooga ← Gadsden ←	N  S	→ Tuscaloosa → Meridian
Nashville ← Decatur ←	N  S	→ Homewood → Montgomery
Rome ← Gadsden ←	N  S	→ END