Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

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. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Birmingham has to offer.

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Where to Eat in Birmingham

If you’re looking for affordable options, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille - Birmingham (4 Perimeter Park South) and Seasons 52 - Birmingham (245 Summit Blvd) are great picks.

When to visit Birmingham

Birmingham in September
Estimated package price
$120
2 travelers
Flight to Birmingham
3 nights at hotel
Birmingham in September
Estimated package price
$120
2 travelers
Flight to Birmingham
3 nights at hotel

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″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

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, Southwest and American Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Birmingham departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 2h 03m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Birmingham. The train journey from Birmingham to Atlanta takes 4h 37m and costs around $34 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Greenville, expect to pay about $81 for a 8h 14m 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 Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Atlanta.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Birmingham, including Tornado Bus, FlixBus and Greyhound. From Atlanta, the bus ride to Birmingham takes 150 miles and will cost you around $50. From Flowood, the ticket costs about $150 for a journey of 234 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.

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, Southwest and American Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Birmingham departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 2h 03m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Birmingham. The train journey from Birmingham to Atlanta takes 4h 37m and costs around $34 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Greenville, expect to pay about $81 for a 8h 14m 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 Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Atlanta.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Birmingham, including Tornado Bus, FlixBus and Greyhound. From Atlanta, the bus ride to Birmingham takes 150 miles and will cost you around $50. From Flowood, the ticket costs about $150 for a journey of 234 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.

Airports near Birmingham

MGMMontgomery Dannelly Field
BHMBirmingham
HSVHuntsville

Airlines serving Birmingham

KLM
Good (1,477 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,871 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,825 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,354 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,157 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,553 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,500 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,546 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,725 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,733 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,853 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,374 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Good (12,132 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,491 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (1,148 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,902 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,750 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,203 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,557 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (1,579 reviews)
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Where to stay in Birmingham

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Birmingham Downtown and Holiday Inn Express & Suites Birmingham - Inverness 280 By IHG. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Birmingham, with prices from $57 to $350 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 60% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Birmingham by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Birmingham

Most booked hotels in Birmingham

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Drury Inn & Suites Birmingham Lakeshore Drive
3 stars
Excellent (9.2, 1180 reviews)
$140+
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Drury Inn & Suites Birmingham Grandview
3 stars
Excellent (9, 2129 reviews)
$155+
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La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Cullman
3 stars
Excellent (9, 1126 reviews)
$107+
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Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1563 reviews)
$143+
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Cobblestone Hotel & Suites - Cullman
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 95 reviews)
$123+
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La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Birmingham Hoover
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1317 reviews)
$89+
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Renting a car in Birmingham

Renting a car in Birmingham costs $63 per day, on average, or $188 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Dollar are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Birmingham is the Dollar branch at 5600 Airline Drive, which is 4 miles from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 4% more expensive than at Birmingham.

Expect to pay $4.09 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 $49.06 and $65.41.

Renting a car in Birmingham costs $63 per day, on average, or $188 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Dollar are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Birmingham is the Dollar branch at 5600 Airline Drive, which is 4 miles from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 4% more expensive than at Birmingham.

Expect to pay $4.09 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 $49.06 and $65.41.

Best car rental deals in Birmingham

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$30/day

Compact

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$30/day

Intermediate
Find car rentals in Birmingham