Birmingham, Alabama is classic southern charm and hospitality. This vibrant, beautiful city is nestled in the rolling foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and serves up nationally recognized dining, shopping and entertainment, world-class attractions, events and other things to see and do.

With affordable airfare and accommodations, this centrally-located southeastern city is easy to get to. Once you arrive you'll wish your time here was longer.

No one can ignore Birmingham’s checkered past – civil rights violence earned it the nickname ‘Bombingham,’ and an industrial economy yielded another unappealing nickname, ‘The Pittsburgh of the South.’ But that was decades ago. Today this midsized blue-collar city has a surprising amount of culture to offer, and it has integrated its civil rights struggle into the tourist experience. The nickname these days is ‘Diverse City.’ Birmingham’s urban core is mostly a business district, and only a few attractions sit beneath the skyscrapers.

To really capture the city’s essence, you’ll want to visit four neighborhoods – lively Five Points, near the University of Alabama Birmingham; funky Lakeview, home to one of the South’s greatest bars; charming Homewood, an upscale shopping strip with a pedestrian-friendly layout and a small-town vibe; and the Civil Rights District, an unforgettable cluster of attractions at the edge of downtown.