Birmingham (Alabama)

Halal Explorer to Birmingham Birmingham is the largest city in the state of Alabama. With more than 1.2 million people in the metropolitan area, Birmingham is the cultural and economic heart of Alabama.

In much of the world, Birmingham is best remembered as the site of racist violence, bombings and nonviolent protest in the 1960s, when the city was still racially segregated by law. Visitors today are often surprised to find a pleasant green city of ridges and valleys, with many attractive views and friendly, hospitable people.

Birmingham (Alabama) Halal Travel Guide

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 city's 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 legacy.

The Civil Rights era of the 1960s left lasting impressions of racial conflict, police dogs and fire hoses turned on nonviolent protesters and the bombing of homes and churches. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from the Birmingham Jail" became one of the great statements of the nonviolent movement for racial justice in America. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and places of reflections such as Kelly Ingram Park symbolize the healing process from within and present a much different picture of a transformed city.

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

Weather in Birmingham (Alabama)

The weather in Birmingham varies greatly. Winter weather is highly unpredictable, with temperatures ranging from below F20 to F60 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 and the springtime displays of dogwood, cherry, azalea and other blossoms must be seen to be believed.

How to travel to Birmingham (Alabama)

Fly to Birmingham (Alabama)

Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport - 33.563889,-86.752222 ☎ +1 205 595-0533 - Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport - Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport - (IATA Flight Code: BHM) 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 lodgings 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 vehicle services available as well. The airport is 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-minutes waits to pass through security.

Travel by train to Birmingham (Alabama)

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See also: rail travel in the United States

Birmingham is served by Amtrak's Crescent service that runs daily between New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans. Birmingham station GPS 33.512685,-86.806666 (+1-800-872-7245) is at 1 19th Street North.

How to travel to Birmingham (Alabama) 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:

Interstate 459
Interstate 65
Interstate 20
Interstate 59
Interstate 22
US Highway 31
US Highway 280

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

Travel by Bus to Birmingham (Alabama)

Greyhound Bus Lines - 618 North 19th Street - ☎ +1-800-229-9424 Provides bus service to Birmingham from most locations throughout the US. After dark and the area can be quite deserted. However and 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 Street North and 18th Street N.

How to get around in Birmingham (Alabama)

GPS 33.51|-86.805

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 near imfeasible to walk from downtown to further out neighborhoods such as Avondale or Woodlawn. Summer temperatures and heat indices can reach F100 and F110 respectively.

Travel by Bus to Birmingham (Alabama)

Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority - , - Opening Hours: Most stops are made every 10-30 minutes, although on Saturday it may be up to 40 minutes $1.25 or less Do not expect to use public transportation reliably. If you are staying in the city and the DART/MAX system may work fine for you, but otherwise you'll be spending a lot of time waiting and coordinating.

MAX Bus System
North/South: Monday - Thursday 10AM Monday - 10PM, F-Sa 10AM Monday - Midnight, Sunday 10AM Monday - 9PM
East/West: Monday - Sunday 9AM Monday - 5PM
South Side: Monday - Thursday 11AM Monday - 10PM, F-Sa 11AM Monday - Midnight, Sunday 11AM Monday - 9PM
DART Bus Trolley
North/South: Monday - Thursday 10AM Monday - 10PM, F-Sa 10AM Monday - Midnight, Sunday 10AM Monday - 9PM
East/West Saturday - Sunday 9AM Monday - 5:30PM
South Side: Monday - Thursday 11AM Monday - 10PM, F-Sa 11AM Monday - Midnight, Sunday 11AM Monday - 9PM

How to travel to Birmingham (Alabama) by car

Your best option is to hire a car, or drive your own. However, traffic is terrible at rush hour - which can last from 6AM Monday - 9AM and 4PM Monday - 6PM. In particular and 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 Monday - 6PM, but are free on weekends.

What to see in Birmingham (Alabama)

Bham510008 - Birmingham seen from Vulcan Park.

Alabama Men's Hall of Fame Harwell Goodwin Davis Library (Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Dr) 33.4658, -86.7921 ☎ +1 205 726-2362 +1 205 726-4164 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 7:30AM Monday - midnight, Friday 7:30AM Monday - 5PM, Saturday 9AM Monday - 5PM, Sunday 2PM Monday - midnight Free Not many places have a hall of fame expressly devoted to men, but Alabama does. This unusual institution was set up by the state legislature in 1987 to parallel the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame, which had been established in Marion (Alabama) | Marion years earlier.

Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame 1631 Fourth Avenue North 33.5171,-86.8127 ☎ +1 205 254-2731 +1 205 254-2785 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10AM Monday - 5PM (guided tours Monday - Wednesday to Friday 10AM Monday - 1:30PM) $3/2 (guided/self-guided) Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame* Alabama Sports Hall of Fame 2150 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North 33.5242,-86.8114 ☎ +1 205 323-6665 +1 205 252-2212 Opening from Monday to Saturday 9AM Monday - 5PM Adults $5, seniors 60+ $4, students $3 Alabama Sports Hall of Fame* Arlington Antebellum Home and Gardens - 331 Cotton Ave Southwest 33.499722,-86.838889 ☎ +1 205 780-5656 Arlington Antebellum Home & Gardens - Arlington Place 02 The home is a perfectly-preserved emblem of Southern legacy. 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 affordable way to learn of the city's legacy and the civil rights struggle and more. Be advised 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.

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and Motorsports Park 6030 Barber Motorsports Pkwy 33.5334, -86.6142 ☎ +1 205 699-7275 Opening Hours: April 1 - September 30: Monday to Saturday 10AM Monday - 6PM, Sunday noon-6PM; October 1 - March 31: Monday to Saturday 10AM Monday - 5PM, Sunday noon-5PM Adults, $10, children 4-12 $6, children under 4 free. The park is only five years old and is meticulously well-kept. Formula One and Superbike racing will thrill any visitor. Thit is truly world-class racing in a park that one would expect to see only in Europe or in a much larger city. The park is about a mile off of Interstate 20, near the town of Leeds. 002 Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
Birmingham Botanical Gardens 2612 Lane Park Road 33.4917,-86.7745 ☎ +1 205 414-3900 Opening Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset Birmingham Botanical Gardens (United States) - Birmingham Botanical Gardens - Conservatory The gardens are worth visiting for anyone with a horticultural flair. Displays are not limited to Southern offerings; instead and 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.

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute 520 16th Street North 33.516,-86.815 The museum is adjacent to historic Kelly Ingram Park and across from the 16th Street Baptist Church ☎ +1 205 328-9696 +1-866-328-9696 +1 205 251-6104 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10AM Monday - 5PM, Sunday 1PM Monday - 5PM Adults $9, seniors 65+ $5, college students $4, children under 18 free. Free admission on Sunday. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Birmingham Museum of Art 2000 8th Avenue North 33.5219,-86.8102 ☎ +1 205 254-2566 +1 205 254-2714 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10AM Monday - 5PM, Sunday noon-5PM Free Birmingham Museum of Art - BMA-2010-screen* Birmingham Public Library Murals NA,NA* Mural in the East Building - 2100 Park Pl. 33.5211, -86.8078 by Ronald Scott McDowell

Murals in the Linn-Henley Library - 33.5206, -86.8085 by Ezra Winter

East Lake Mural 5 Oporto Madrid Blvd 33.5606, -86.7274 by Carrie Hill

Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark 20 32nd Street North 33.520656,-86.791306 ☎ +1 205 324-1911 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10AM Monday - 4PM, Sunday noon-4PM Free Sloss Furnaces Sloss Furnaces, Birmingham AL, North view 20160714 1
Southern Museum of Flight 4343 73rd Street North 33.5635,-86.7381 ☎ +1 205 833-8226 +1 205 836-2439 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 9:30AM Monday - 4:30PM Adults $5, seniors & students $4, children under 4 and active military members free Southern Museum of Flight Southern Museum Of Flight, F-04 "Starfighter" USAF Vietnam Fighter - panoramio
Vulcan Statue and Museum 1701 Valley View Drive 33.491752,-86.795473 ☎ +1 205 933-1409 +1 205 933-1776 Opening Hours: Park: Monday - Sunday 7AM Monday - 10PM; Museum: Monday to Saturday 10AM Monday - 6PM, Sunday 1PM Monday - 6PM; Observation Balcony: Monday to Saturday 10AM Monday - 10PM, Sunday 1PM Monday - 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. Thit is the world's largest cast-iron status and pays tribute to Birmingham as an historical center for iron and steel manufacture.

McWane Science Center 33.5148,-86.8083 - McWane Science Center McWane_Science_Center_Nov_2011

Top Travel Tips

Alabama Theatre, Birmingham AL, West view 20160714 1 - Alabama Theatre Ham522652 - Downtown Birmingham.

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

Alabama Theatre - 1811 3rd Ave North 33.515018,-86.809135 ☎ +1 205 252-2262 Numerous performances, including concerts, comedians and movies.

Birmingham Zoo 2630 Cahaba Road 33.4874,-86.7796 ☎ +1 205 879-0409 +1 205 879-9426 Opening Hours: Labor Day-Memorial Day: Daily 9AM Monday - 5PM; Memorial Day-Labor Day: Monday W-Thursday9AM Monday - 5PM, Tuesday F-Su 9AM Monday - 7PM General $11, children 2-12 & seniors 65+ free Birmingham Zoo - More than 750 animals, including cheetahs, cobras, lions and anteaters.

Alabama Splash Adventure Theme Park 4599 Splash Adventure Parkway, Bessemer 33.38,-86.9987 ☎ +1 205 481-4750 +1 205 481-4758 - Alabama Splash Adventure - Right on the outskirts of Birmingham is Alabama Splash Adventure. Formerly known as VisionLand, this adventure consists of both a theme park and a waterpark for those hot summer days. Alabama Splash Adventure has over 7 acres of land filled with over 25 main attractions, including Alabama's largest wooden roller coaster.

McWane Science Center 200 19th Street North (Parking deck on 2nd Avenue North, between 18th Street and 19th Street, $3) 33.5148,-86.8083 ☎ +1 205 714-8300 +1 205 714-8400 Opening Hours: Sept-May: Monday to Friday 9AM Monday - 5PM, Saturday 11AM Monday - 6PM, Sunday Noon-6PM; June-Aug: Monday to Saturday 10AM Monday - 6PM, Sunday Noon-6PM Exhibit halls: Adults $9, children 2-12 & seniors 65+ $8, children under 2 free; Exhibits and IMAX:$14/12/free McWane Science Center McWane_Science_Center_Nov_2011* Oak Mountain State Park 33.3156,-86.7734 - Oak Mountain State Park Oak Mountain State Park Lake Copy of IMG 8856 73634 Has a small beach to relax on, wildlife observatories, golf course and biking routes.

Red Mountain Park - 2011 Frankfurt Drive (off Lakeshore Drive) - ☎ +1 205 242-6043 Opening Hours: Daily 7AM Monday - 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 nation.

Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park 12632 Confederate Parkway, McCalla, AL 33.2475,-87.067778 ☎ +1 205-477-5711 - Tannehill Ironworks Tannehill Furnace 2007 Historical park that takes visitors back in time to the turn of the century when central Alabama was the iron capital of the south. Here there are great numbers of deer roaming about, several rivers, creeks and a bubbling spring, a fully functioning corn mill (with fresh corn meal available to purchase seasonly) and the remains of an iron factory. Museum, full hookup RV and tent camping and primitive camping. 'Tannehill Tradedays' occur the third Saturday of every month, March through November. Lots of backwoods hiking and walking trails. A hidden gem of a park in exchange for a 25-minutes trip from downtown.

Ruffner Mountain Nature Center 1214 81st Street South 33.56205,-86.70332 ☎ +1 205 833-8264 +1 205 836-3960 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 9AM Monday - 5PM, Sunday 1PM Monday - 5PM Free A Nature preserve. More than 1,000 acres.

The Virginia Samford Theatre - 1116 26th Street South - ☎ +1 205 251-1228 +1 205 328-7677 Offers Broadway type productions in an intimate setting throughout the year.

WorkPlay - 500 23rd Street South - ☎ +1 205 879-4773 Multipurpose complex for music concerts and film events.

Spectator sports

Birmingham Barons - Regions Field, 1401 1st Ave. South 33.50763,-86.810218 ☎ +1 205 988-3200 Opening Hours: Mid-April–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.

Birmingham Legion FC - 2213 1st Ave. South (team offices) 33.498062,-86.812595 Games at BBVA Compass Field, 800 11th St. South ☎ +1 205 600-3872 Opening Hours: Early March–October Men's soccer team beginning play in 2019 in the USL Championship and the second level of the sport in the US.

Birmingham Iron - Legion Field, 400 Graymont Ave. West 33.511389,-86.842778 - Opening Hours: February–April Football team that began play in 2019 in the Alliance of American Football, a newly launched professional league seeking to become a de facto minor league for the NFL.

UAB Blazers - 33.502164,-86.809244 ☎ +1 205 975-8221 Opening Hours: Ticket office: Monday–Friday 9AM Monday - 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 Legion Field and will move in 2021 to a new stadium being built on the grounds of the downtown convention venter. The central ticket office for all UAB sports is at Bartow Arena (the mapped location for this entry), home to men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball.

Annual events

Tour de Cure - , - Opening Hours: Late April Enjoy the ride of your life while raising needed funds for the American Diabetes Associaiton.

Sidewalk Film Festival - , - Opening Hours: Late September A Enjoy independent films in historic venues during the three day film festival.

Birmingham ArtWalk - , - Opening Hours: Early September Stroll through the Loft District viewing works by hundreds of local artists.

Magic City Art Festival - , - Opening Hours: End of April
Doo Dah Day - Opening Hours: End of April Annual parade of pets and their owners.

Southern disComfort (Scooter Rally) - Opening Hours: Beginning of November
Birmingham Bowl - Legion Field - Opening Hours: Late December

American football|College football bowl game. Match-up: Southeastern Conference vs. American Athletic Conference

SEC Baseball Tournament - Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, 100 Ben Chapman Dr., Hoover 33.338394,-86.84965 - Opening Hours: Late May The championship event of Southeastern Conference college baseball, featuring 12 of the league's 14 teams battling for the SEC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I tournament.

Step Out; Walk to Fight Diabetes - , - Opening Hours: First Saturday in October Enjoy the walk of your life while raising needed funds for the American Diabetes Associaiton.

Alabama Bound - , - Opening Hours: 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.

Southern Heritage Festival - Opening Hours: Beginning of August
Gala - ☎ +1 205 870-5172 x3070 Opening Hours: Second Saturday in November Enjoy an evening of fun while raising needed dollars for the American Diabetes Association.

Southern Magic's Romance Readers' Luncheon - Homewood Public Library - Opening Hours: First Saturday in November Meet Alabama Romance authors at the annual event.

Regions Tradition - Greystone Golf & Country Club, 4100 Greystone Dr., Hoover - Opening Hours: Early May The Tradition, with locally based Regions Financial as name sponsor, is the first of the five major championships of PGA Tour Champions and the world's leading golf tour for men 50 and over.

Shopping in Birmingham (Alabama)

Alabama Farmer's Market - 344 Finley Ave West - ☎ +1 205 251-8737 Opening Hours: Daily 5AM Monday - 7PM Free admission

Shopping malls

. Combined with very high humidity levels, it is nearly imfeasible 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 in Birmingham (Alabama)

Germany (Honorary) | 500 Beacon Pkwy West - ☎ +1 205 943-4772 +1 205 943-4780

News & References Birmingham (Alabama)

Go Next

Cullman, about 50 miles north of Birmingham on Interstate 65, is 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.

Birmingham (Alabama)

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