In this post, I will help you to decide where to stay in Birmingham AL, the best hotels in Birmingham for all budget travelers, and the safest places to stay in birmingham.
Settled in 1871, at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Birmingham is the largest and most populous city in Alabama yet doesn’t even crack the top 100 in the country, demonstrating just how rural the state truly is. This makes it quite a unique destination and one that offers something different to most major cities.
Birmingham has been making great strides in recent years to try and get rid of the image of it being a crime-ridden city that is unsafe to visit. Unfortunately, despite all their hard work, they still need to do a lot more if they want to be successful, as Alabama is still one of the most dangerous city in America.
Now, that doesn’t by any means suggest that you should avoid making a trip to the city, especially to a bustling area such as Downtown, as the vast majority of visitors will have a pleasant time there without any issues. However, it is important to be cautious, stick to the heavily populated and tourist friendly areas.
Where to stay in Birmingham?
The best areas to stay in Birmingham are Downtown Birmingham and Five Points South. These are popular and safe neighborhoods for tourist that offer a wide variety of attractions and amenites.
Downtown is the best area to stay in Birmingham for first-timers due to its prime location. If you stay here, you will be located in the middle of action, within walking distance to tourist attractions, as well as many restaurants, bars, and shops.
Five Points South is also good place to book a hotel, located just a mile from Downtown Birmingham. It is the location of the University Of Alabama At Birmingham and is a great base for travelers on a budge, as its convenient location means you can enjoy the lower prices on offer and still get quickly back into Downtown.
Birmingham is home to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) that has American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. You can take direct flights from Chicago, Denver, Houston, and Miami.
To go to the city from the airport, you can rent a car, take a ride with Lyft, cabs, Uber, or take the Magic City Shuttle. You can easily travel with the car from nearby locations such as Hunstville, Nashville, and Atlanta.
| 💖 Best Area to stay in Birmingham: | Birmingham Downtown |
| 💎 Best luxury hotel: | The Redmont Hotel – Birmingham |
| 🏨 Best mid-range hotel: | Elyton Hotel, Autograph Collection |
| 💰 Best budget hotel: | Hampton Inn & Suites |
Map of Best neighborhoods to stay in Birmingham AL:
Best areas to stay in Birmingham AL for tourists are:
1. Downtown Birmingham
Downtown is the best area to stay in Birmingham due to its central location. If you book a hotel here, you will be located in the middle of everything, within walking distance to top attractions as well as many restaurants, bars, and shops.
Downtown Birmingham have numerous museums dedicated to teaching people more about the city and its people. The six-block area of the Civil Rights District has numerous of historic attractions such as the 16th Street Baptist Church, the Fourth Avenue Business District, Carver Theatre, and Kelly Ingram Park.
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute has photographs and the cell bars where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote the ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’.
The Southern Museum Of Flight, McWane Science Center, Bessemer Hall Of History, Alabama Museum Of Health And Sciences, and Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum all help to paint a clear picture of every facet of the city.
That’s before you even get to attractions like the Alabama Jazz Hall Of Fame, Alabama Sports Hall Of Fame, Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park, and Arlington Home.
If history isn’t your thing, there is plenty to enjoy in the way of arts and culture as well. Numerous theatres and arenas, many with rich, historic pasts, are dotted around Downtown, offering live shows on almost every night of the week.
Then you have the festivals that take place throughout the year, such as the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, Taste Of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival, and Southern Heritage Festival. There are also Mercedes Marathon, the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, Birmingham Freedom Fest, great HBCU football, and the Birmingham Bowl.
Birmingham also hosts city of The World Games 2022 which is an 11-day international multi-sport event in July with 3,600 elite athletes from over 100 countries in the world. If you come to this time, be sure to book accommodations in advance.
Families with kids will want to spend their fun day out at the Birmingham Zoo, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Vulcan Park and Museum, as well as numerous statues, and monuments for you to enjoy.
There are also numerous parks to relax such as the 19-acre urban green space of Birmingham’s Railroad Park that hosts yoga classes, skating area, playground, and movie nights;
You can also have natural attractions ar Red Mountain Park, Arlington Antebellum Home and Gardens, Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, Oak Mountain State Park, Cheaha State Park, the Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area, and Bankhead National Forest.
If you like to watch a performance, head to Alabama Theatre, Birmingham Children’s Theatre, Virginia Samford Theatre, and Lyric Theatre. Built in 1927, the Alabama Theatre is one of the last operating movie palaces in the country, with first-run and revival films, concerts and other special events.
If you like to shop for local products, head to the Pepper Place Saturday Market with a hundred vendors selling handmade local goods, from jewelry to artwork and crafts.
For hand-crafted brews, you can check out the Avondale Brewing Company, Trim Tab Brewing, and Good People Brewing Company. Wine enthusiasts will want to visit vineyards and wineries including Corbin Farms Winery, Ozan Vineyard & Cellars, and Morgan Creek Vineyards.
Families and kids will want to spend a fun days at Alabama Adventure Amusement Park & Splash Adventure Water Park. It has the UpSurge tube ride, a large 800,000-gallon wave pool, lazy river, and Acapulco Drop for thrill-seekers.
All in all, Downtown Birmingham is a truly diverse destination with a rich history of Italian, Lebanese, Greek, Asian, Hispanic and Eastern European immigrants. Downtown also has a wide range of accommodations options from budget hotels to luxury hotels.
Central City and University of Alabama is where you’ll find the city’s most conveniently located hotels. If you want to stay close to Birmingham Zoo, you can pick hotels near the leafy southern suburbs of Mountain Brook or English Village.
Stay in Downtown Birmingham if you are first-time travelers; you want to stay in a safe neighborhood; you want good choices of accommodations, as well as shopping, dining, and nightlife.
Best places to stay in Birmingham Downtown:
The Redmont Hotel – Birmingham Located in Birmingham city center, this Alabama hotel is 9.7 km from the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. A fitness center, business center, and 24-hour reception are available for added convenience.
Hampton Inn & Suites Birmingham-Downtown-Tutwiler is within walking distance from BJCC, Hampton Inn & Suites Birmingham-Downtown-Tutwiler is set in Birmingham and offers rooms with free WiFi. Featuring a fitness center, the 3-star hotel has air-conditioned rooms with a private bathroom.
Elyton Hotel, Autograph Collection This 4-star hotel offers a restaurant, private parking, a fitness center, a bar, a 24-hour front desk, room service, and free wifi. Attractions nearby are McWane Center, UAB – Rheumatology, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.
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2. Five Points South
While the majority of people are going to want to stay in Downtown Birmingham, as it is where most of the city’s attractions are found, there is one other district that has a great number of visitors, that being Five Points South.
Located just a mile south of Downtown, it has one major attraction that draws visitors from all over, which is the University Of Alabama At Birmingham.
Part of the University Of Alabama System since 1969, it is the largest single employer in the state, responsible for creating more than 53,000 jobs, which represent 1 in 10 jobs in the Birmingham metropolitan area and 1 in 31 in the entire state.
It offers students the chance to study 140 different programs, spread out over 12 academic divisions, while also being one of the largest academic medical centers in the United States.
While not featuring any athletic teams as popular as the legendary Alabama Crimson Tide at its sister campus in Tuscaloosa, the University Of Alabama At Birmingham still has plenty of options for sport and entertainment while you are in town.
Their basketball team is undoubtedly the shining light of the university, competing at the highest level, Division I. That said, their baseball, golf, soccer, tennis, football, track and field, softball, cross country, rifle, bowling, and volleyball programs are all relatively successful and offer a great range of choices when it comes to what to watch.
Outside of the university itself, its influence spreads into the surrounding areas as well. As you often find in an area that is largely filled with students, the surrounding businesses usually price themselves to cater to a section of society that doesn’t have the most money.
That makes it a great choice for anyone on a budget, as everything from food and accommodation to goods and entertainment can be had at an affordable rate. It also creates a much more youthful and vibrant atmosphere, which is ideal for those who like to dine and drink in upbeat establishments.
Stay in Five Points South if you are, or are visiting, a student at the University Of Alabama At Birmingham; you are traveling on a budget or trying to save money; you are going to see one of the university sports teams compete; you want a destination with a youthful and vibrant atmosphere;
Best places to stay Five Points South:
Homewood Suites by Hilton Birmingham Downtown Near UAB features accommodations with a fitness center, private parking, a bar and a shared lounge. With free WiFi, this 3-star hotel offers a 24-hour front desk and a business center.
Home2 Suites By Hilton Birmingham Downtown has a restaurant, fitness center, a bar and shared lounge in Birmingham. Boasting a barbecue, this property is set a short distance from UAB – Rheumatology, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and McWane Center. The hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool and a 24-hour front desk and free WiFi throughout the property.
Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Birmingham Offering a season outdoor pool and fitness center, Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Birmingham is located in Birmingham, Alabama, 400 m from UAB Hospital.
Check out my virtual tour about the best places to stay in Birmingham:
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In conclusion, Downtown Birmingham and Five Points South are some of the best places to stay in Birmingham for tourists. They provides a wide range of acommodations for all budgets visitors to stay and explore the city.
Overall, Downtown is the best area to stay in Birmingham for first-timers because it is the most convenient location and it has widest range of accommodation. Staying here puts you within walking distance to tourist attractions, as well as many restaurants, bars, and shops.
Birmingham is a wonderful city, full of culture, that many people frequently overlook. Hopefully, you will all now have settled on a location to stay when you make your own trip to the city. That means all that’s left to do is go and start getting things booked, so you can experience it for yourself as soon as possible.