Best hotels in Birmingham
Courtyard by Marriott Birmingham Downtown
1820 5th Avenue S, Birmingham, AL, 35233
Found within walking distance of Birmingham Zoo and Vulcan Park, the newly renovated Courtyard Birmingham Downtown offers well-equipped rooms and a modern fitness center. Dining at the courtyard is available in the Bistro, which serves a great selection of American cuisine and even Starbucks coffee for the morning pick-me-up.
Residence Inn by Marriott Birmingham Downtown
821 20th Street S, Birmingham, AL, 35205
Located nearby the UAB and historic Five Points South dining and entertainment district, this is an all-suite hotel that includes kitchen areas for making yourself at home during longer stays. Pets being welcome throughout the hotel is a huge plus for animal lovers and the seasonal outdoor pool adds to the charm.
Elyton Hotel
1928 1st Avenue N, Birmingham, AL, 35203
The Elyton Hotel provides the ideal base to explore the city’s cultural scene, situated in Downtown and surrounded by small galleries and boutiques. Named after one of the city’s early entrepreneurs, it displays a fine balance between tradition and modern sophistication, where enjoying the views from the rooftop Moon Shine bar is a particular highlight.
Best restaurants in Birmingham
Bottega
2240 Highland Avenue, Birmingham, AL, 35205
Described whimsically as ‘the American South meets the Italian countryside’, Bottega serves refined Italian cooking and features an impressive exterior. Once inside the walnut-paneled rooms, the open kitchen and wood-fired oven provide traditional pizzas topped with farm eggs as well as popular specials, like wood-roasted scallops and lamb osso buco.
Half Shell Oyster House
616 29th Street S, Birmingham, AL, 35233
For a taste of the South, the Half Shell Oyster House’s New Orleans-inspired menu is a true favorite. As well as freshly shucked and chargrilled oysters, the menu offers their takes on classic dishes like their shrimp alfredo or the Orleans shrimp and grits, which can be paired with their unusual take on refreshments.
Gianmarco’s
721 Broadway Street, Birmingham, AL, 35209
If fine Italian cuisine in a warm, intimate setting is your desire, look no further than Gianmarco’s. Attentive staff are constantly serving up classic Italian staples like beef carpaccio, while there’s also delights that can be bought and taken home from the restaurants retail shop.
Best things to do in Birmingham
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
6030 Barber Motorsports Parkway, Leeds, AL, 35094
A short drive from 5th Avenue S is a huge collection of vintage and modern motorcycles, housed within the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. Every motor enthusiast’s dream, the facility offers premium tours, to dive into the restoration of the vehicles. There’s also the chance to enjoy the exhilaration of track events, taking place on the course next to the museum.
US Space & Rocket Center
1 Tranquility Base, Huntsville, AL, 35805
Just over an hour’s drive from Downtown is the US Space & Rocket Center. A showcase for the rockets, achievements and artifacts of the US Space Program, it’s a place where whole family can indulge in everything from underwater astronaut training using a VR snorkeling system to an experience aboard the Discovery shuttle simulator.
Oak Mountain State Park
200 Terrace Drive, Pelham, AL, 35124
If you want to get a taste of the outdoors, take a short drive south to the spectacular Oak Mountain State Park and discover a world of activity including archery, horseback and watersports. Home to Peavine Falls, a 65ft tall, spring-fed waterfall, the park is a truly stunning environment for both leisurely picnicking or hiking and cycling.