BirminghamAlabama

Beauty, class, art, charm, fine dining and civil rights

Something locals hear time and again from first-time visitors to Birmingham is that they never realized the beauty of the area. With the foothills of the Appalachians as a dramatic backdrop, the city is laid out on a series of lush rolling hills with woodland-covered neighborhoods just minutes from downtown. It’s the city’s diversity, though, that is its greatest strength. Charm and entertainment bring people back time and again to enjoy Birmingham.

Fascinating History and Industry

Birmingham’s prominent role in the USA’s Civil Rights Movement is commemorated at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, where exhibits explore the movement’s rise. Children’s activities, traveling exhibits and events round out this dynamic museum. In the Civil Rights District, recently named a National Monument, visit important historical sites like the 16^th Street Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park. Nearby, Sloss Furnaces, an old ironworks and now National Historic Landmark, offers a look at the city’s industrial past. Learn about the furnace plant’s 90-year history, marveling at the pipes and smokestacks as well as the modern metal artworks on display. Iron made such a mark on this city that Vulcan Museum & Park acknowledges it with a towering statue of Vulcan, Roman god of fire and forge. At 17 meters high, Vulcan is the world’s largest cast iron statue and presides over both a park and an interactive museum dedicated to telling Birmingham’s story.

Super Sports and Outdoor Recreation

Think of downtown’s Railroad Park as a bridge between the city’s industrial roots and its fun-loving, outdoorsy side. This nearly eight-hectare greenspace features a Rail Trail, scenic wetlands, open lawn and great views of the city. It’s easy to toss a ball around, or to quickly get to Regions Field to catch a Birmingham Barons minor league baseball game. If you’re willing to go just a bit outside the city, the Cahaba River offers nature-lovers much to do. The river is well-known for its prime fishing, and as the longest free-flowing river in the state, one canoe or kayak trip can yield dazzling results: Along with sightings of a range of plants, birds and other wildlife, rare white lilies bloom on the banks in summer. Golfers will relish the temperate climate and the opportunity to play two challenging courses, Oxmoor Valley and Ross Bridge, alongAlabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

Awesome Arts, Dining and Entertainment

That this Southern city has its own cosmopolitan personality is another eye-opener to visitors. It’s hip without being pretentious. It’s cool without trying too hard. Should you have Birmingham pigeonholed as serving only barbecue and fried pies, just remember that the city is home to several James Beard Foundation Award winners and nominees. Its reputation is just as solid when it comes to art, with dozens of galleries clustered near the downtown area and more popping up all the time. The Birmingham Museum of Art’s collections feature 26,000 ancient-to-modern works, as well as an ever-changing roster of exhibitions andevents, for those who want a dose of seriously high culture. In the Theater District, the Alabama Theatre, a 1927 movie palace, offers films, shows, concerts and other performances in a gorgeous space. The same goes for Lyric Theatre, directly across the street, where opera, symphony and ballet performances take center stage.