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 January
Estimated hotel price
$134
1 night at 3-star hotel
Birmingham in January
Estimated hotel price
$134
1 night at 3-star 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 American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Birmingham departs from Orlando and takes around 1h 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Birmingham. The train journey from Birmingham to New Orleans takes 8h 05m and costs around $36 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alexandria, expect to pay about $144 for a 18h 56m 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 Ace and Europcar, among others, in Atlanta.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Birmingham, including FlixBus, Greyhound and Bus. From Houston, the bus ride to Birmingham takes 1030 miles and will cost you around $99. From New York, the ticket costs about $331 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.

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 American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Birmingham departs from Orlando and takes around 1h 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Birmingham. The train journey from Birmingham to New Orleans takes 8h 05m and costs around $36 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alexandria, expect to pay about $144 for a 18h 56m 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 Ace and Europcar, among others, in Atlanta.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Birmingham, including FlixBus, Greyhound and Bus. From Houston, the bus ride to Birmingham takes 1030 miles and will cost you around $99. From New York, the ticket costs about $331 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.

Airports near Birmingham

MGMMontgomery Dannelly Field
BHMBirmingham
HSVHuntsville

Airlines serving Birmingham

KLM
Good (1,440 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,715 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,676 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,049 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,087 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,164 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,715 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,522 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,467 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,622 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,654 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,349 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,719 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (1,072 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,685 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,904 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,187 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,435 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,596 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (1,559 reviews)
Show more
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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 Suburban Studios Birmingham Homewood I-65. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Birmingham, with prices from $37 to $666 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 30% 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

See all
Drury Inn & Suites Birmingham Grandview
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, 2074 reviews)
$127+
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Drury Inn & Suites Birmingham Lakeshore Drive
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, 1143 reviews)
$138+
View
Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook Autograph Collection
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, 111 reviews)
$350+
View
Aloft Birmingham Soho Square
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 266 reviews)
$173+
View
Valley Hotel Homewood Birmingham, Curio Collection by Hilton
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 92 reviews)
$240+
View
Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1555 reviews)
$126+
View

Renting a car in Birmingham

Renting a car in Birmingham costs $31 per day, on average, or $94 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.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 62% cheaper than airport locations in Birmingham.

Expect to pay $3.14 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 $37.70 and $50.27. Full-size (Kia Optima or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Birmingham, while also 69% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Birmingham costs $31 per day, on average, or $94 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.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 62% cheaper than airport locations in Birmingham.

Expect to pay $3.14 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 $37.70 and $50.27. Full-size (Kia Optima or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Birmingham, while also 69% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Birmingham

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$30/day

Intermediate

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$30/day

Compact
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