Birmingham travel guide
Birmingham Tourism | Birmingham Guide
You're Going to Love Birmingham
With a population of 212,237, Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama, United States by the number of inhabitants. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Birmingham deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Where to Eat in Birmingham
Five Points South is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Birmingham. These include popular favorites such as Galley and Garden (2220 Highland Ave South), Highlands Bar & Grill (2011 11th Avenue South) and Bottega (2240 Highland Avenue South). If you’re looking for affordable options, Bistro Two Eighteen (218 20th St. North) and Village Tavern Birmingham (101 Summit Blvd.) are great picks.
When to visit Birmingham
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Birmingham in July, when the average temperature is 80.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 91.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 33.8 °F, with an average temperature of 44.6 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in March, when precipitation is around 5.2″. In contrast, October is usually the driest month of the year in Birmingham, with an average rainfall of 3.4″.
How to Get to Birmingham
Plane
When flying to Birmingham, you’ll arrive at Birmingham (BHM), which is located 4 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Birmingham include Delta, WestJet and American Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Birmingham departs from Cedar Rapids and takes around 3h 36m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Birmingham. The train journey from Birmingham to Atlanta takes 4h 37m and costs around $18 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Philadelphia, expect to pay about $179 for a 21h 50m trip. The train station in Birmingham is called Birmingham, and is located 0.3 miles from the city center.
Car
Another option to get to Birmingham is to pick up a car rental from Atlanta, which is about 140 miles from Birmingham. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Hertz, among others, in Atlanta.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Birmingham, including Greyhound, Bus and Wanda Coach. From Dallas, the bus ride to Birmingham takes 820 miles and will cost you around $198. From New York, the ticket costs about $301 for a journey of 1080 miles. The most popular bus station is Birmingham 2427 Acton Rd, located 8 miles from downtown Birmingham. Birmingham Cahaba is also a commonly used station, and is 0.9 miles from the city center.
Airlines serving Birmingham
Where to stay in Birmingham
Average rates range from around $238 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $251 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Birmingham Downtown and Sonesta Simply Suites Birmingham Hoover. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Birmingham, with prices from $37 to $675 per night. Five Points South is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Birmingham are about 39% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Where to stay in popular areas of Birmingham
Most booked hotels in Birmingham
Renting a car in Birmingham
Renting a car in Birmingham costs $64 per day, on average, or $127 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo and Dollar are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Birmingham is the Hertz branch at 2508 5th Avenue S, which is 1 mile from the city center.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 6% cheaper than airport locations in Birmingham.
Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Birmingham (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Birmingham is Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Supplier choice rental cars (Class Special Car or similar) are, on average, 61% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.
Best car rental deals in Birmingham
Economy
2 Adults, 2 Bags
$28/day
Supplier choice
5 Adults, 5 Bags
$29/day