Alabama · United States
Where to stay in Birmingham
Birmingham is a city in Alabama, United States, home to about 201,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- BHM7 km · Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
About
About Birmingham
Birmingham ( BUR-ming-ham) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the third-most populous city in the state, with an estimated population of 196,357 as of 2024.
Birmingham (unlike the city in England, the "h" is not silent here) has a population of 200,000 in the city (2020) and 1.1 million in the metro area (2020).
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Birmingham
See
The bulk of Birmingham's most famous tourist attractions revolve around the city's role in the Civil Rights Movement.
- Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
- Kelly Ingram Park
- 16th Street Baptist Church
- Ballard House
- Birmingham Jail
- Historic Bethel Baptist Church
- Old Sardis Baptist Church
- Sloss Furnaces
- Vulcan Park
- Arlington Antebellum Home and Gardens
- Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
- Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
Do
In addition to standard activities, Birmingham also has tons of outdoor adventures such as paintballing, four-wheeling and hunting, during season.
- Alabama Theatre
- The Virginia Samford Theatre
- WorkPlay
- Birmingham Barons
- Birmingham Legion FC
- UAB Blazers
- Legion Field
- Birmingham Bowl
- Magic City Classic
- Magic City Art Connection
- Do Dah Day
- Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Birmingham
8 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Redmont Hotel Hilton Hotels & Resorts | 1925 | 0.3 km |
| Thomas Jefferson Hotel | 1929 | 0.5 km |
| A.G. Gaston Motel | 1954 | 0.5 km |
| Sheraton Birmingham | 1975 | 0.8 km |
| Elyton Hotel, Autograph Collection | 0.5 km | |
| Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook, Autograph Collection | 4.6 km | |
| Hilton Birmingham at UAB | 1.7 km | |
| The Westin Birmingham | 1.0 km |
All 8 hotels in Birmingham, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Birmingham
Birmingham has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; March is the wettest, with about 138 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Birmingham: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM), about 7.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Huntsville International Airport (HSV, 124 km) and Montgomery Regional (Dannelly Field) Airport (MGM, 141 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
This is by far the easiest and most reliable way to get around town — with the notable exception of rush hour, which can last from 6AM-9AM and 4-6PM. In particular, I-59, I-65, and Highway 280 in and around downtown are to be avoided at these times. Aside from that, though, getting around on four wheels is a breeze, and so is parking, even downtown: metered on-street parking is plentiful and reasonably priced, and usually free in the evening and on weekends.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
BHM · Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport
HSV · Huntsville International Airport
MGM · Montgomery Regional (Dannelly Field) Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Birmingham
Eat
Most visitors are pleasantly surprised at the large dining scene in Birmingham, a city which has numerous well-known restaurants with famous chefs. Ask locals about best "meat and 3" places for soul food.
Stay safe
Common-sense rules apply for most of the city center, e.g. travel in groups at night, don't look like a tourist, avoid dark alleyways, etc. While the city has a reputation for crime, dangerous areas are generally far away from anywhere of interest to tourists. Avoid the areas north of the civic center and west of I-65. By contrast, downtown is very well patrolled, and other than common sense against normal big city stuff (e.g. beggars asking for money), there is not much to worry about. The same is true of the Five Points South neighborhood, so if you're headed to one of the swanky restaurants, pubs, or dance clubs over there, there's no need to fear.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Birmingham: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Birmingham?
Birmingham has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; March is the wettest, with about 138 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Birmingham?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM), about 7.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Huntsville International Airport (HSV, 124 km) and Montgomery Regional (Dannelly Field) Airport (MGM, 141 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Birmingham?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Birmingham
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.