Best hotels in Birmingham
Marriott Birmingham
3590 Grandview Parkway, 35243
Recently renovated, this modern four-star hotel just off I-459 is ideally positioned for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and Alabama Adventure Amusement Park. The hotel has excellent conference facilities and workspaces if you’re traveling for business, and you can make full use of the gym and indoor pool.
The Redmont
2101 5th Avenue N, 35203
The oldest hotel in Birmingham, the three-star Redmont opened its doors in 1920 and has retained much of its art deco glamor. An elegant hotel with a rooftop terrace offering a gym and excellent views of the city, it’s just a short trip from downtown and within easy walking distance of the Birmingham Museum of Art.
The Tutwiler
2021 Park Place, 35203
Over 100 years old, the three-star Tutwiler is a branded boutique hotel inside a historic city landmark. With an imposing entrance and large rooms, this stately hotel also has a fitness center, barber shop and restaurant. It’s close to Birmingham Museum of Art, Sloss Furnaces and Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
Best restaurants in Birmingham
SAW’s Soul Kitchen
215 41st Street S, 35222
Rated as the best BBQ in the nation by some aficionados, SAW’s specializes in Carolina style barbecue at all its locations. This Avondale spot has sensational pulled pork, smoked chicken, shrimp ‘n’ grits and a sweet tea fried chicken sandwich.
Fancy’s on Fifth
430 41street S, 35222
It may be called Fancy’s, but this is a super friendly burger bar and oyster dive with a menu to treasure. Grab freshly shucked oysters, get messy with some crab claws or dive into the patties. The ‘Spice Girl’ comes with jalapeno cream cheese, while the Brown Bag Burger boasts strawberry jalapeno jam and ginger peanut butter.
Big Spoon Creamery
4000 3rd Avenue S, 35222
Big on both seasonal and local, this is a top ice cream spot in Birmingham. Can’t choose just one flavor? Go for six with inventive but delicious combos include coffee almond toffee, brown butter pecan and the legendary goat cheese apple pie.
Best attractions in Birmingham
Sloss Furnaces
20 32nd Street N, 35222
This National Historic Landmark was a pig-iron furnace from 1882 to 1971 and has since been preserved and restored. The site is now an industrial museum and education center and hosts events and concerts. Learn how these furnaces shaped the history of the city of Birmingham and stop to snap the impressive and unique metal structures that surround you.
Birmingham Museum of Art
2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard, 35203
From baroque paintings to an impressive sculpture collection, the Museum of Art is one of the very best in the south. Stroll through the sculpture garden to see work by Rodin and Dali, then head inside for Native American Art and pieces by Frank Lloyd Wright, Canaletto and Andy Warhol.
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
6030 Barber Motorsports, Leeds, AL 35094
A motor enthusiast’s dream, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum exhibits over 1,600 motorcycles and a legendary collection of vintage cars. Embrace adventure and journey through 200 manufacturers, including Harley-Davidson and Honda, that adorn the museum walls.