Credit where it's due: Birmingham's Railroad Park, which constitutes some 19 acres of downtown real estate, is a stroke of planning brilliance. As urban green lungs go, this park, and its miles of pathways, public art and pretty lighting, is fantastic. A good place to access the park is on 1st Ave South, between 14th and 18th St South.
Shutterstock / Sean Pavone
Railroad Park
Birmingham
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.3 MILES
The Sloss Furnaces constitutes one of Birmingham's can't-miss sites. From 1882 to 1971, this was a pig iron–producing blast furnace and a cornerstone of…
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
0.57 MILES
A maze of moving audio, video and photography exhibits tell the story of racial segregation and the Civil Rights movement, with a focus on activities in…
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1.49 MILES
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0.83 MILES
This fine museum boasts an impressive collection, especially given Birmingham's status as a mid-sized city. Inside, you'll find works from Asia, Africa,…
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When Bull Conner was the sheriff, civil rights activists, led by Dr King, embarked on a desegregation campaign downtown. Their strategy was to flood the…
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This church became a gathering place for organizational meetings and a launchpad for protests in Birmingham in the 1950s and ’60s. During a massive…
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Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
11.29 MILES
If you love motorcycles, this museum is an absolute must. The collection includes 1200 motorcycles dating from today all the way back to 1902, and at…
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13.1 MILES
Alabama's largest state park sprawls over some 9940 acres of hill and valley terrain located about 20 miles south of Birmingham. There are over 50 miles…
Nearby Birmingham attractions
0.33 MILES
This science museum, full of all manner of interactive exhibits, is primarily set up for families; if you have kids in tow, it's one of the most…
0.54 MILES
When Bull Conner was the sheriff, civil rights activists, led by Dr King, embarked on a desegregation campaign downtown. Their strategy was to flood the…
3. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
0.57 MILES
A maze of moving audio, video and photography exhibits tell the story of racial segregation and the Civil Rights movement, with a focus on activities in…
0.61 MILES
This church became a gathering place for organizational meetings and a launchpad for protests in Birmingham in the 1950s and ’60s. During a massive…
0.83 MILES
This fine museum boasts an impressive collection, especially given Birmingham's status as a mid-sized city. Inside, you'll find works from Asia, Africa,…
1.3 MILES
The Sloss Furnaces constitutes one of Birmingham's can't-miss sites. From 1882 to 1971, this was a pig iron–producing blast furnace and a cornerstone of…
1.49 MILES
Imagine Christ the Redeemer in Rio, but made of iron and depicting a beefcake Roman god of metalworking. Vulcan is visible from all over the city – this…
9.09 MILES
You'll find about 12 miles of trails webbing across this 349-acre nature preserve, which is thick with streams, forests and dramatic rock outcroppings…