Birmingham City Guide for your next trip to the southern gem.
I truly didn’t know what to expect of Birmingham.
I hadn’t heard much about it, nor had I done much research before we packed up for the short drive from Atlanta to Birmingham.
That’s another thing I didn’t realize – how darn close it is to ATL!
I think it took us longer to pack everything up (including our pup, Clover) than it did to actually drive from our home to our hotel. I suppose that’s a good thing depending on which way you look at it. I’m looking at it like…why did it take me so long to pack for a weekend trip? Yikes.
Birmingham City Guide: A Weekend in the Magic City
So, we went to Birmingham in the summer and oh boy was it hot. Like H-O-T hot. We live in Atlanta, so we know what a southern summer is like. I was NOT prepared for summer in Birmingham. We also had Clover with us which meant we were at the mercy of restaurants that (1) had outdoor seating, and (2) weren’t in direct sunlight.
We didn’t want Clover burning up (we also didn’t want to burn up in that southern sun), yet we couldn’t leave him at the hotel alone.
That’s another lesson for traveling with pups – no matter how well-behaved they are, you sign a contract/agreement/whatever you want to call it that you will not leave them alone in the room.
Do you know of hotels that let you? If you do, PLEASE TELL ME! DM me on Instagram or share a comment below. I’d be forever grateful.
Okay now that I’m done with my rant, let’s get to the good stuff.
Where to eat & drink in Birmingham
Avondale Brewing Company: Avondale has a HUGE outdoor seating area, which was perfect for Clover. They also have a sour room which, for fellow sour fans, is a dream.
TrimTab Brewing Company: TrimTab was our FAVORITE brewery (and favorite beer!) in Birmingham. Granted we didn’t get to every brewery, but this one was a winner -they even have a food truck outside! We’ve even been buying their beers here in ATL now.
Little Donkey: What a surprise, right? Mexican food. If you follow me on Instagram you know I could eat Mexican food all day, every day. So, it only made sense that we grabbed some (delicious) dinner at Little Donkey.
The Essential: This is, quite possibly, the most adorable restaurant/café that I’ve ever been to. And the food is divine. Be sure to get yourself to The Essential when you’re in town!
Saw’s Soul Kitchen: That barbecue though. SO. Good. Saw’s was definitely the warmest, most delicious welcome to Birmingham.
What to do in Birmingham
Walk around downtown: Downtown BHAM wasn’t exactly how I pictured it. I loved all the old architecture, but was so sad to see so many of the buildings have stood empty for years and years. I’m hoping that next time we’re back there’s more revitalization downtown.
The Pizitz Food Hall: While you’re downtown, I’d be remiss not to suggest you visit the BEAUTIFUL Pizitz Food Hall. Are you a fan of food halls? I truthfully cannot get enough of them – especially this one. It’s so lovely and welcoming and has a ton to choose from.
Just drive: This is so vague and sounds kind of lame, but the city is pretty spread out so exploring even most of it by foot can be challenging.
Run the city:We stayed in the Homewood neighborhood and I woke up one morning and ran my way through the blocks around us. I got to run by more than we had seen while we were driving around Homewood and mentally noted some more spots for us to check out later in the day.
Where to get coffee in Birmingham
Sweet Jon’s Cafe: This Revelator café is not only beautiful, they also whip up some delicious lattes. The greenery at Sweet Jon’s Cafe is worth the visit alone!
Woodlawn Cycle Café: No joke, I went to Woodlawn Cycle Café twice in the short time we were there. The atmosphere and coffee are top notch. And, as an added bonus, I spotted a Boston favorite – George Howell Coffee! I would frequent George Howell’s outpost in the Boston City Market most days of the week for my morning latte so it was fun spotting it at Woodlawn.
Octane: As you may (or may not) know, Revelator bought out Octane a while back but there’s still some standing! We visited Octane (an Atlanta coffee shop favorite) while we were in Birmingham and loved our own little throwback to a neighborhood favorite.
Tourist attractions worth visiting in Birmingham
Breweries: Whether you enjoy beer or not, hanging out at breweries with friends is always fun. Plus you can bring dogs! I wouldn’t say they’re necessarily super “touristy”, but they’re something you won’t want to miss while you’re in town.
Alabama Theater: We didn’t have the chance to get inside the Alabama Theater, but it was lovely to walk around it one sunny Sunday morning.
The murals! The Woodlawn mural was one of my favorites. Do yourself a favor and head on over to Woodlawn Cycle Café for a coffee and peek around the corner to catch the colorful mural nearby. Such a great photo spot, too!
We truthfully didn’t see too many tourist attractions because it was so darn hot and we had the pup (didn’t want him overheating in that summer sun!) but we’ve got a few on our list for the next trip so we’ll report back!
Where to stay in Birmingham
Aloft: We had Clover with us, so we were limited to pup-friendly hotels. We stayed at Aloft in Homewood and loved it! We were in an adorable neighborhood with a little juice spot and a restaurant across the street, and just a short walk away from the main street in Homewood.
The Redmont: The Redmont hotel is SO beautiful and just happened to be the oldest hotel in Birmingham.
Elyton Hotel: Just a quick drive by Elyton and you’ll see why it’s on the shortlist. It’s situated right downtown and in one of the most jaw-dropping buildings in town. I’ll have to adventure inside next time!
For our next trip to Birmingham
- Real & Rosemary
- Cahaba Brewing
- Highlands Bar & Grill
- Chez Fon Fon
- El Barrio: Couldn’t get to this spot because they didn’t have outdoor seating so we’re hoping to get back there next time sans pup!
- Seeds Coffee Co.
What southern city should we visit next!? Vote for your favorite in the comments below!
g.
