Looking for activities? Here are some of the places and venues in and around town or within a day's drive from Birmingham. (see original sources in their entirety at the bottom of the post)
Due to Alabama’s COVID-19 state of emergency (and current
Jefferson County, City of Birmingham, and surrounding citys' curfew measures), many
businesses, tourist attractions, parks (state, local, and private, and other
entertainment venues are closed, operating under reduced staff, hours, capacity,
etc. Contact the business/park you are interested in visiting for current
availability.
IN/CLOSE TO TOWN:
Shop local in Mountain Brook
Village shops are mostly reopened and ready for shoppers!
Better yet, for Reopen Mountain Brook week June 1-6 merchants are offering
discounts, giveaways and more. Shoppers are encouraged to wear masks and
maintain social distance, and many shops will offer curbside services as well.
For a full list of special offerings that week, check out the
Mountain Brook Chamber’s list, and you can enter to win Village Gold by
posting about it using #reopenmb and/or #choosemb.
Drive-thru Pepper Place Farmer’s
Market
Online pre-order only on the website https://shop.pepperplacemarket.com/
Drive in for Pop-Up Movies at
The Summit
May 30+June 7
The Summit
The Summit
Sidewalk Film Center is setting up (temporary) shop
The Summit. Gates for these drive-in movies open at 7 p.m., and the lot closes
at 7:45 p.m. The movie begins at sunset, around 7:40 p.m. The Peanut Butter Falcon for June . (Due to the county-wide curfew that has been
instituted for Jefferson County, we will, unfortunately, have to reschedule our
drive-in showing of The Peanut Butter Falcon this Saturday night. The new date
will be Saturday, June 13th at sunset (est. 7:58 PM). All tickets will be
automatically transferred to the rescheduled date. If you are unable to attend the
new date, please email tickets@sidewalkfest.com. We are happy to convert your
ticket into a tax-deductible donation or offer a refund.) Admission is $20 per car.
Take in a Concert from the Car
June 4, 11, 18, & 25
Hoover Met Complex
Hoover Met Complex
Visit blackjacketsymphony.com for
more information.
Go Berry Picking
Find a list of farms that offer u-pick options at https://www.pickyourown.org/ALbham.htm
and be sure to pack a hat and bug spray.
PARKS, STATE AND LOCAL:
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which opened to
the public on April 26, 2018, is the nation’s first memorial dedicated to the
legacy of enslaved black people, people terrorized by lynching, African
Americans humiliated by racial segregation and Jim Crow, and people of color
burdened with contemporary presumptions of guilt and police violence.
The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass
Incarceration is situated on a site in Montgomery where enslaved people were
once warehoused. A block from one of the most prominent slave auction
spaces in America, the Legacy Museum is steps away from an Alabama dock and
rail station where tens of thousands of black people were trafficked during the
19th century.
The 2,799-acre mountaintop retreat is the highest point in
Alabama with an unbeatable view that is unlike any other. As you stand at the
top of Mt. Cheaha, you are surrounded by miles and miles of Talladega National
Forest. The forest continues on as far as the eye can see until the land meets
the sky. No matter what season, these breathtaking views are available all year
round.
Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve is located in the eastern
areas of Jefferson County near Irondale, a suburb of Birmingham. The park is
named after William Henry Ruffner, a geologist from the Washington & Lee University;
in 1883 he made a survey of the area that was eventually to become important to
the iron ore and furnace industry in Birmingham.
The mines closed in 1953 and the preserve is currently
operated by the Ruffner Mountain Nature Center. There are 12 miles of hiking
trails and wildlife includes owls, raptors, snakes and turtles. The 6,000
square foot Treetop Visitor’s Center and Education Pavilion was built in 2010.
1214 81st Street S, Birmingham, AL, Phone: 205-833-8264
Are you usually a Jemison Park walker or runner? Go to the
Irondale Furnace Trail for a switch-up. Like to play at the Crestline Tot Lot?
Venture to Overton Park instead and bring your tennis racquet too. Looking for
a new spot for your pup? Take a trip to the Cahaba River Walk for the dog park
and wade in the river while you are there. Looking to get off the beaten
path? Try the walking and jogging path behind Mountain Brook Presbyterian.
On an hourlong night tour of Dismals Canyon, see the tiny
bioluminescent creatures called Dismalites, larvae of an insect related to
fungus gnats. They are stunning. Glowworms are finicky creatures and unique to only a few places
on Earth — Australia, New Zealand and Alabama. Our guide said the ones here
glow from both their head and tails while their Down Under cousins glow from
just their tails. To book your tour, you need to call the Sunday of the week
you want to go. And bring a flashlight — a red light is optimal, if you have
it, since it’s easier for your eyes to adjust once you turn them off.
Where: 901 CR-8, Phil Campbell, (205) 993-4559
How far: 105 miles
Cost: $10, adults; $7.75, children, ages 4-12; we did a private tour (subject to guide availability, and not really “private”; there were a few other families with us) for an additional $20; regular tours with a max of 15 people are held Saturday nights.
Bonus tip: They also offer camp sites and plenty of trails to hike during the day.
How far: 105 miles
Cost: $10, adults; $7.75, children, ages 4-12; we did a private tour (subject to guide availability, and not really “private”; there were a few other families with us) for an additional $20; regular tours with a max of 15 people are held Saturday nights.
Bonus tip: They also offer camp sites and plenty of trails to hike during the day.
Llamas, bison and gazelles — these animals will put their heads right into your car window
looking for food.
Where: 1664 Venable Road, Hope Hull
How far: 103 miles
Cost: $21.95, adults; $16.95, children; $3 off each admission Monday through Friday; $4.95 per bucket of food
Bonus tip: The ostriches can come off as being little aggressive, so be extra cautious.
How far: 103 miles
Cost: $21.95, adults; $16.95, children; $3 off each admission Monday through Friday; $4.95 per bucket of food
Bonus tip: The ostriches can come off as being little aggressive, so be extra cautious.
The largest known stand of the shoals lily grow nearby and the only other places in the world where
this species is found are in South Carolina and Georgia, but it’s most abundant
here. Each blossom opens overnight and lasts for one day, its most prevalent
period between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Some of the rocks can be slippery and you
can’t always see what’s under the water. And don’t do anything silly that would
harm the lilies or other flora, please.
Where: To get down right along the river, GPS to River
Trace, West Blocton. There will be some open spots where you can park on the
side, but hang on until you see a little beach area with a tree swing. The
first good spot you come to has a rope swing, too.
How far: 49 miles
Cost: Free
More info: (256) 848-6833
Cost: Free
More info: (256) 848-6833
A statue at the top honors Cherokee Princess Noccalula.
Legend has it she jumped to her death from the top of the falls. Her father,
the village chief, wouldn’t allow her to marry her true love, instead setting
up a marriage with a nearby village’s wealthy chief. The distraught princess is
said to have leapt to her death on her wedding day.
Pets are
prohibited. There is still a way to experience the
falls. Park at the nearby Jack’s and walk over to check out the falls from
above. If you’re up for a hike and want to get under the falls, here’s how:
Walk across the pedestrian bridge toward the campground and take the path
immediately to the left. Walk on down; the campground will be on your right.
Follow the path until you get to the end of the campground. On your left will
be a trash can, tree stump and a path through the woods. Take that path. Keep
in mind that it’s pretty steep. Once you get to the bottom of the path, go left
and follow the rock line until you get to the falls; that stretch isn’t so
steep. Bring your hiking shoes, and be warned that it’s wet, muddy and very
slippery under the falls.
Where: Navigate to the Jack’s restaurant at 1502 Noccalula
Road, Gadsden.
How far: 66 miles
Cost: Admission to the park is $6 for adults, $4 for children between 4 and 12.
Oak Mountain State Park
How far: 66 miles
Cost: Admission to the park is $6 for adults, $4 for children between 4 and 12.
Oak Mountain State Park
Equipment rentals for stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, etc are available at Flip Side (see link below).
Where: Navigate to Flip Side, 8195 B John Findlay III Drive,
Birmingham.
How far: 13 miles
Cost: Park admission was $5 per adult, $2 per child under 12. At Flip Side, it cost us $20 per vessel, including life vests and paddles, for the first hour, plus $10 each vessel for each additional hour.
More info: flipsideal.com
How far: 13 miles
Cost: Park admission was $5 per adult, $2 per child under 12. At Flip Side, it cost us $20 per vessel, including life vests and paddles, for the first hour, plus $10 each vessel for each additional hour.
More info: flipsideal.com
Red Mountain Park is another great outdoors area that is
only a short drive to the south of the city centre.
It’s an area of natural beauty that’s almost within walking
distance of the suburbs.
It makes for a great day trip, particularly for the
adventurous, as there are many outdoor activities taking place at Red Mountain. The area was once the site of many mining operations as they
dug out the iron ore that fueled the city’s industrial boom.
Today, the redevelopment here is amazing, and what was once
an eyesore has been turned into an adventure playground, with a vast green
space and zip lining, rock climbing, hiking and biking trails and much, much
more to be enjoyed.
Located in the beautiful wilderness of the famous
Appalachian Mountain Range, the Talladega National Forest is one of the best
outdoor destinations in Alabama. This was once an area that was almost destroyed by
overlogging, but over the years it has recovered and now offers a pristine
environment for visitors to enjoy. There are great hiking trails through the forest and through
the start of the Appalachians, a veritable wilderness that is sure to make you
fall in love with Alabama’s scenery very, very quickly.
Close to Childersburg can be found one of the most
attractive cave systems in the United States.
This huge underground cavern is found deep in the earth and
is named for Hernando DeSoto, the Spanish explorer who also stayed at the
Native American settlement in what became Childersburg.
The cave is historically important to the indigenous culture
here as it was used as a burial ground.
Geologically, it’s a very unique place, and visitors can
undertake underground tours into the huge cave, accompanied by light shows that
add to the ambience.
The Little River Canyon National Preserve follows the
winding contours of the Little River, which despite its seemingly diminutive
name, has over time created one of the deepest canyons in North America. This is one of Alabama’s best outdoor sights, and the
tree-lined canyon is utterly spectacular to experience first hand.
There are powerful, tumbling waterfalls hidden along the
river, and epic rock formations wherever you look. The short hiking trails take you right into the gorge, where
you will be immersed in the setting, while longer biking trails can help you
get further afield. The river too, is perfect for kayaking and canoeing, and
offers a great opportunity to relax along the waters as the scenery flies past.
The Cathedral Caverns are a collection of underground caves
that are just waiting to be explored to the north of Birmingham.It makes for an excellent day trip, as the cool caves are
stunning in their gloomy underground darkness. The protected site can be explored as part of the cave tours
that take visitors into the network of chambers and caverns hidden in the
rocks.
You will soon find that Alabama is really a quite
extraordinary state when it comes to the immense natural beauty to be found
here. Yet another incredible forest to visit which is in close
proximity to Birmingham, is the Bankhead National Forest. This area of wilderness offers visitors the chance to enjoy
the clear, calm waters of the Sipsey Fork River which meanders through the
protected area, while along the length of the river can be found waterfall
after waterfall, just waiting to be explored.
Guntersville is found to the north of Birmingham, just a
short drive away from the city. It’s located on the stunning edge of the huge Lake
Guntersville, and it’s one of the most picturesque places to visit in the
entire state. Imagine clear waters surrounded by mountain peaks: that’s
Guntersville, and while the scenery will leave you amazed, the hikes and the
trails will leave you utterly immersed in this outdoor paradise.
Just an hour and a half to the south of Birmingham is the
spectacular Payne Lake, a protected area that’s surrounded by wilderness and
forest which offers a great chance to enjoy a wonderful lakeside setting. It’s peaceful, quiet and relaxed, with walking trails
surrounding the glistening waters of the lake and opportunities to camp or
picnic. The hiking is easy and immersive, and you will find yourself
wondering why you need to even think about going back to the city life at all.
COVERED BRIDGES:
TOWNS:
Tuskegee is a few hours drive to the south of Birmingham,
and this historic city offers visitors a great day trip opportunity. There are several small museums that give an insight into
the local history and into the civil rights movements here, while outdoor
lovers can head into the nearby Tuskegee National Forest, which has the unusual
distinction of being the smallest national forest in the country.
While the boundaries might not be very large, the wealth of
natural beauty contained within the forest is absolutely wonderful.
Mobile is found on the short coastline of Alabama, far to
the south of Birmingham. It makes for a unique trip, because Mobile is in many ways
very different from industrial Birmingham. Whereas Birmingham was founded by English settlers, Mobile
was originally a part of French Louisiana.
It’s a lively, culturally vibrant city, with a great and
scenic seaside setting. Enjoy the warm Gulf weather, the great French inspired
culinary scene and even, at the right time of year, the oldest Mardis Gras
festival in the states.
The Town of Spectre is an abandoned movie set in Elmore County,
AL. It was left behind after shooting wrapped on Tim Burton’s 2003 film Big
Fish. Spectre (fictional town in the movie) is located on Jackson Lake Island,
a private island on the Alabama River about 10 miles northwest of Montgomery.
LAKES:
IN TOWN, THOUGH MOST CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC AT THIS TIME:
Birmingham Zoo (reopening soon, appt only)
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