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 November
Estimated hotel price
$137
1 night at 3-star hotel
Birmingham in November
Estimated hotel price
$137
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 Tampa and takes around 1h 30m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Birmingham. The train journey from Birmingham to Greenville takes 8h 14m and costs around $79 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 Turo, among others, in Atlanta.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Birmingham, including Tornado Bus, FlixBus and Greyhound. From Flowood, the bus ride to Birmingham takes 234 miles and will cost you around $150. From Greenville, the ticket costs about $130 for a journey of 355 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 Tampa and takes around 1h 30m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Birmingham. The train journey from Birmingham to Greenville takes 8h 14m and costs around $79 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 Turo, among others, in Atlanta.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Birmingham, including Tornado Bus, FlixBus and Greyhound. From Flowood, the bus ride to Birmingham takes 234 miles and will cost you around $150. From Greenville, the ticket costs about $130 for a journey of 355 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 (1,452 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,782 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,736 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,196 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,114 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,285 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,731 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,532 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,516 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,682 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,717 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,362 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,878 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,450 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,704 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (1,092 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,191 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,920 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,577 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (1,559 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Birmingham

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 $52 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 62% 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 Lakeshore Drive
3 stars
Excellent (9.2, 1151 reviews)
$131+
View
Drury Inn & Suites Birmingham Grandview
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, 2086 reviews)
$126+
View
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Cullman
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, 1126 reviews)
$100+
View
Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook Autograph Collection
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, 110 reviews)
$350+
View
Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1562 reviews)
$137+
View
Holiday Inn Birmingham - Hoover By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 546 reviews)
$131+
View

Renting a car in Birmingham

Renting a car in Birmingham costs $35 per day, on average, or $106 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 49% cheaper than airport locations in Birmingham.

Expect to pay $3.22 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 $38.61 and $51.48. The most frequently booked car type in Birmingham is Economy (Jeep Wrangler or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Hyundai Elantra or similar) are, on average, 68% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Birmingham costs $35 per day, on average, or $106 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 49% cheaper than airport locations in Birmingham.

Expect to pay $3.22 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 $38.61 and $51.48. The most frequently booked car type in Birmingham is Economy (Jeep Wrangler or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Hyundai Elantra or similar) are, on average, 68% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Birmingham

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$28/day

Compact

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$29/day

Intermediate
Find car rentals in Birmingham