Best Things to Do in Birmingham, Alabama

Dreamland is widely known for its food—hickory-smoked ribs, people!—as much as its Southern hospitality. Order up a rack of ribs or a traditional sandwich with one of the Southern sides, like baked beans or fried okra. Don’t forget to wash down your meal with Big Daddy’s iced tea.

The pig-themed decorations should tell you all you need to know about SAW’s Soul Kitchen, but if not, you just need to walk within a hundred yards of the restaurant and take a whiff. SAW’s offers the finest of Southern soul food with signature barbecue sandwiches and the best banana pudding around.  

When you crave a little bit of everything barbecue has to offer, Jim ‘N Nick’s can scratch that itch. Serving a range of meats, including ribs, pork, chicken, brisket and sausage, Jim ‘N Nick’s has something for everyone. Don’t forget to try their hand-breaded onion rings and a slice of homemade lemon ice box pie.

Café Dupont is a Southern bistro that turns local ingredients into menu duets like sous vide Georgia quail and grilled Duroc pork belly. The fried chicken is a staple and—the twist—presented with lemon butter sauce.

If a sit-down meal isn’t your style, try out Eugene’s Hot Chicken food truck. Both spicy and hot-out-of-the-oil, you’ll likely find yourself returning for more of Eugene’s chicken. The menu’s heat levels include “Hot Damn (not too smart, not too stupid)” as well as “Stupid Hot (for the bold & daring).”

If the impossible happens and you’re somehow tired of eating fried chicken, head over to Johnny’s. It’s a stalwart casual restaurant (counter serve) with traditional Alabama food and Greek dishes on the menu. Eugene’s chef, Timothy Hontzas, has been nominated as a James Beard Award semifinalist for the past four years. 

OvenBird is known for its “rustic-chic” atmosphere and global-inspired dishes. Led by chef Chris Hastings, the OvenBird team uses local ingredients and a wood-burning hearth to create memorable, mouthwatering dishes. Start your experience with the deviled eggs or a Spanish charcuterie, then roll into a chef’s favorite, Peruvian chicken. Top off your meal with pumpkin burnt cream for dessert.

Step into an industrial-chic dining experience with some of the best buns in the state. The housemade brioche buns take center stage for most diners at The Essential and their desserts will give you something to write home about. Some of the featured finales include a chocolate passion fruit mousse and a slice of carrot cake (topped off with cream cheese brown butter Swiss meringue buttercream).

Temporarily closed as of July 2022

Should you prefer a French-inspired dining experience, head to Highlands Bar & Grill. Imagine a blend of Southern hospitality and service with an exquisite selection of appetizers, dinners and delectable desserts. 

This colorful, Cuban-inspired restaurant is a staple of Birmingham’s food scene, where the scenery only takes a backseat to the menu. Cayo Coco offers a variety of appetizers, sandwiches, entrees and desserts with a tropical twist. Taste tradition with an order of a Cubano sandwich or a grilled duroc pork chop. Top off your meal with Caribbean rum cake.

Avondale Brewing is located in a historic building which formerly served as a pharmacy, saloon and brothel. They’ve named their beers after the “folklore of Avondale, Alabama,” according to their web site. For instance, the Miss Fancy brew (9.2% ABV!) is named after the “city’s greatest spokesperson,” an elephant known as the Queen of Avondale. There’s a lot to unpack while digging into their menu lineup. 

Honey granola and vanilla in beer? TrimTab Brewing took a leap and blended the two into an imperial stout that is sure to tickle your taste buds. This craft brewery is no stranger to unique ingredients and smooth blends. From IPAs to imperial sours and everything in between, beer connoisseurs can wet their palate with a unique range of flavors.

With names like Snake Handler and Bearded Lady, Good People Brewing Co. sounds more like a circus than a brewery. Visitors won’t be disappointed by the selection or flavor of these peculiarly named brews. Stop in for some traditional favorites, or experiment with one of the seasonal offerings. 

Diversity is at the core of the pieces at the Birmingham Museum of Art. It has more than 24,000 paintings and sculptures representing continents from America to Asia. 

Immerse yourself in history at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, located in the heart of the Civil Rights District. Founded in 1992, this living institution lets you explore the struggles African Americans faced during the Civil Rights Movement. Don’t miss the Oral History Project, a multimedia exhibit that features voices from the movement.

An excellent option for families, McWane offers an interactive science experience and has an IMAX theater with rotating educational films. 

Former Porsche race car driver George Barber opened this museum during his retirement. You’ll be able to view up to 950 bikes at any given time, circulating from a collection of over 1,600 motorcycles.

The motel may not look like much today, especially since it closed in 1990, but it once played a massive role in the Civil Rights Movement. Since Birmingham remained segregated during the 1950s and 1960s, A.G. Gaston Motel served as one of the only accommodations for African American travelers in the city. It eventually became a meeting place for several groups and saw famous visitors, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, you can take a self-guided tour of Rickwood Field if baseball is your game. Make sure to appreciate its concrete and steel design, as it was the first of its kind in the minor leagues.

Catch a Minor League Baseball game at Regions Field. Games are scheduled from April to early September, and you can purchase your tickets in advance.

Home to over 5,000 sports artifacts, the three-story building give you the deal on Alabama’s sports history.

Maintained by the Railroad Park Foundation, this large green space is a beloved Birmingham park. If you’re lucky, you might encounter a concert or cultural event between the park’s ponds, streams and lake.

The massive Red Mountain Park includes 1,500 acres with over 14 miles of trails and the 56-foot-tall Vulcan statue. Bring your dog if you have one — Fido will love the six-acre dog park.

Part of the United States Civil Rights Trail, Kelly Ingram Park is a public park in the Civil Rights District. The grounds feature statues that depict the movement’s struggles and pay homage to groups who assembled there during the 1950s and 1960s.

Twelve miles of hiking trails and a 6,000-square-foot visitor’s center await you at this peaceful preserve that’s tucked back in a Birmingham suburb.

Paramount Studios founded the Alabama Theatre. Once used as the Mickey Mouse Club, nowadays the theater hosts films and an impressive 300+ events per year.

That’s right — Birmingham has a theater strictly for children’s performances. Choose from a show at one of three theater rooms with performances from children as young as 3 years old. 

An excellent activity for children, this zoo offers rare species, such as the red panda, as well as monkeys, tigers and among many other animals.

One of Birmingham’s best live music sites is also a popular meeting space and green space known as Avondale Park. A mature rose garden, gazebo, renovated villa for special events and even some athletic fields make Avondale Park seem like any other city park. However, the outdoor amphitheater sets it apart, especially when it plays host to a jazz fest.

Step into this cool venue to take in some of the hottest local musical acts and an array of visiting musicians from around the world. Saturn also hosts game nights and leases the space for private events.

Aside from a popular park, brewing company and music venue, Avondale is a chic, eclectic neighborhood that reflects a distinct cultural appreciation. Expect to find a diverse range of shops, restaurants and attractions.

The heart of the city is a bustling center of culture, dining, history and entertainment. Home to popular attractions, including the Alabama Theatre, downtown Birmingham is a spectacular display of the best the city has to offer.

Marked by Tudor-style residences and lush greenery, the historic Highland Park district is lovely and relaxing. Stop by during the spring and summer to catch some of the best blooms in the city.

Home to the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!), this neighborhood is one Birmingham’s busiest. Make sure you check out Railroad Park for a picnic and some live tunes.

Book lovers can’t miss the opportunity to explore the impressive collection of books signed by their authors. 

Created by artist Joe Minter, the African Village in America is filled with life-sized decorative arts. Joe Minter used everything at his disposal to make his yard into a tribute to folk art. Most of his pieces make moral and political statements.

A National Historic Landmark, Sloss Furnaces pays tribute to the steel and iron industries that served as Birmingham’s foundation. It was a pig-iron-producing blast furnace for almost a century.

Vulcan Park is home to the Vulcan statue, the largest cast iron statue in the world. The statue depicts the Roman god of fire and remains a symbol of Birmingham’s ties to the iron and steel industries.