Last Minute Travel Deals to Birmingham

Birmingham Last Minute

Pack your bags and get ready for an exciting last minute adventure. You’re headed to Birmingham! Located about 140 miles west of Atlanta and 140 miles southwest of Chattanooga, Birmingham is a spectacular Southern city that attracts many visitors with its convenient central location. Another draw is the fantastic weather, mild in any season.

Founded in 1871 as an industrial enterprise, Birmingham was named for one of the UK’s industrial cities. The city quickly grew to become the primary industrial center of the South, earning it the nicknames of “Magic City” and “The Pittsburgh of the South.” Iron and steel production were the city’s major industries.

You’ll find no end to the things you can do on your last-minute vacation to Birmingham. If you’re a music fan, you’ll definitely want to see the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, where you’ll find exhibits on display in the historic, art deco Carver Theater.

Sports fans will be excited to visit the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, located at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center. Here you can see memorabilia from sports heroes like Paul “Bear” Bryant, Jesse Owens, Joe Louis and many more.

Of course, nature is alive and well in beautiful downtown Birmingham, so in the warm spring and summer months, you’ll want to head to the Aldridge Botanical Gardens, not far away in Hoover. You’ll love the stunning 7 acre lake and walking trail. Many varieties of hydrangeas and many other native Alabama flowers grace the gorgeous grounds.

If you’d rather stay within the city limits on your last-minute getaway, you could check out the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, adjacent to the zoo in Lane Park. Rhododendron, camellias, wild flowers, ferns, delicate bonsai plants, roses and desert flowers will surround you and make you think you’ve escaped to some luscious, far off destination. There is even a Japanese Garden with a teahouse!

Other options for outdoor activities are Oak Mountain State Park and Ruffner Mountain Nature Center. Enjoy a day of golf, boating, hiking, fishing, horseback riding or take your little ones to the petting zoo! This gorgeous park spans almost 10,000 acres, making it the largest in Alabama. The Nature Center is not so small, either; this 1,000 acres of woodlands comprises the nation’s second largest urban nature preserve.

Birmingham has a rich culture, and as a visitor, there are plenty of ways for you to experience it. Head to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute for a bit of history, both of this area and of the whole nation. The Institute is located at the site of some of the most important events in the Civil Rights era. Check out the Birmingham Museum of Art, too, which boasts extensive collections of American, Renaissance, Oriental and African art.

Superb shopping, fabulous dining and excellent people watching are the main draws at Cobb Lane, full of restaurants, specialty stores and antique shops. This landmark has been around for 60 years and is adorned with a quaint cobblestone courtyard.

Of course, there’s no better way to see a city than to take a last minute tour. Downtown tours are available that let you get a peek at all of the city’s finest establishments. Later on, when the sun goes down, head toward all the action at Five Points South, the city’s top entertainment district.

If you’ve got kids along and they’re not too worn out, you can take them to see the nearly 1,000 animals at the Birmingham Zoo, one of the most visited attractions in the whole state.

There are so many beautiful sites and relaxing destinations in the South. Choose the quaint and friendly charm of Birmingham for the most well rounded last-minute vacation experience. Now start packing already!