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. Birmingham deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Five Points South is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Birmingham. These include popular favorites such as Highlands Bar & Grill (2011 11th Avenue South), Galley and Garden (2220 Highland Ave South) and Bottega (2240 Highland Avenue South). If you’re looking for affordable options, Bistro Two Eighteen (218 20th St. North) and Village Tavern Birmingham (101 Summit Blvd.) are great picks.
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″.
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, Alaska Airlines and Air Canada. The shortest domestic flight to Birmingham departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 1h 45m.
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Birmingham. The train journey from Birmingham to Atlanta takes 4h 37m and costs around $29 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Charlotte, expect to pay about $96 for a 10h 50m trip. The train station in Birmingham is called Birmingham, and is located 0.3 miles from the city center.
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 Ace, among others, in Atlanta.
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Birmingham, including Tornado Bus, Greyhound and Amtrak. From Atlanta, the bus ride to Birmingham takes 145 miles and will cost you around $60. From New Orleans, the ticket costs about $21 for a journey of 460 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.
Average rates range from around $225 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $251 and up for a 5-star experience. 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 8% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Renting a car in Birmingham costs $58 per day, on average, or $117 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo 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, 13% more expensive than at Birmingham.
Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Birmingham is Full-size (Ford Transit or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Class Commercial Truck or similar) are, on average, 68% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.
Birmingham Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Birmingham city guide for the best Birmingham travel tips. To help you organize your Birmingham trip ideas, this Birmingham visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.