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 December
Estimated hotel price
$130
1 night at 3-star hotel
Birmingham in December
Estimated hotel price
$130
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 Fort Lauderdale and takes around 3h 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Birmingham. The train journey from Birmingham to Atlanta takes 4h 37m and costs around $32 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alexandria, expect to pay about $174 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 Sixt and Ace, among others, in Atlanta.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Birmingham, including Tornado Bus, Greyhound and FlixBus. From Atlanta, the bus ride to Birmingham takes 145 miles and will cost you around $50. From Mobile, the ticket costs about $95 for a journey of 450 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 Fort Lauderdale and takes around 3h 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Birmingham. The train journey from Birmingham to Atlanta takes 4h 37m and costs around $32 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alexandria, expect to pay about $174 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 Sixt and Ace, among others, in Atlanta.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Birmingham, including Tornado Bus, Greyhound and FlixBus. From Atlanta, the bus ride to Birmingham takes 145 miles and will cost you around $50. From Mobile, the ticket costs about $95 for a journey of 450 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 (1,435 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,675 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,632 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,011 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,058 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,126 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,700 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,449 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,514 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,571 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,627 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,343 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,591 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (1,050 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,898 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,663 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,184 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,418 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,619 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (1,566 reviews)
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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 $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 51% 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, 1139 reviews)
$123+
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Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa
4 stars
Excellent (9.2, 331 reviews)
$264+
View
Drury Inn & Suites Birmingham Grandview
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, 2065 reviews)
$114+
View
Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook Autograph Collection
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, 110 reviews)
$228+
View
Homewood Suites by Hilton Birmingham-SW-Riverchase-Galleria
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 364 reviews)
$108+
View
Aloft Birmingham Soho Square
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 266 reviews)
$157+
View

Renting a car in Birmingham

Renting a car in Birmingham costs $36 per day, on average, or $109 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 $3.26 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 $39.07 and $52.09. The most frequently booked car type in Birmingham is Compact (Hyundai Accent or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Chevrolet Malibu or similar) are, on average, 34% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Birmingham costs $36 per day, on average, or $109 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 $3.26 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 $39.07 and $52.09. The most frequently booked car type in Birmingham is Compact (Hyundai Accent or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Chevrolet Malibu or similar) are, on average, 34% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Birmingham

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$27/day

Intermediate

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$28/day

Intermediate
Find car rentals in Birmingham