Boutique Hotels in Birmingham, AL

Nestled in Alabama’s most populous Jefferson County is Birmingham, Alabama, one of the most charming destinations and the perfect setting for your next southern tour. As a slow-growing metropolis, Birmingham has all the right ingredients that make up this well-rounded city— delicious modern food and drink options, arts and heritage museums, adventure parks, and a wide variety of green spaces to stroll through. The city maintains a sweet country feel mixed with metro life, perfect for those curious about life in the south while craving the perks of modernization. So pack a western hat and your good walking shoes and get ready to see this southern city from the best boutique hotels in Birmingham!

First stop? While touring town, pay a visit to the well-regarded Birmingham Museum of Art, home to one of the most extensive collections of artwork in the Southeastern U.S., with over 24,000 works, ranging from paintings to prints, sculptures, and drawings that represent numerous cultures. Here you can find pieces from Asian, European, American, African, Pre-Columbian, and Native American artists and makers. Plus, the museum’s Vietnamese ceramics collection is said to be one of the finest in the world.

Next stop on your museum tour? Built in the early 1900s, The Vulcan in Birmingham is the world’s largest 50-ton cast iron statue, and one of the most idyllic settings to take in a breathtaking view of the city from atop Red Mountain. You can tour this colossal work both during that day and at night when you can see the lights of the city from above. If visiting during the day, remember to bring a jacket as it can be very windy at the top of the statue! With an elevator and stairs, this landmark is accessible to all people and offers a little museum with information and the history of the Vulcan Statue for a fun educational day of exploration.

Something else unique to the city of Birmingham is its Southern Museum of Flight— a fascinating civilian aviation museum that features nearly 100 aircraft, engines, artifacts, models, photographs, and paintings to discover. This flight museum is also home to the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame, which presents Alabama Aviation History through collective biography.

Next, pop over to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, a free-of-admission botanical garden spanning 67.5-acres and located adjacent to Lane Park at the southern foot of Red Mountain. The gardens are inhabited by over 12,000 different types of plants, outdoor sculptures, and 25 unique gardens! Get your steps in on the several miles of walking paths and be sure to see its stunning Rose garden, Japanese garden, and famed water lilies.

With all this museum hopping, you’ll be ready for a nice meal from one of Birmingham’s awaiting restaurants. Head to the Central City district where you’ll find endless eateries clustered up and down its bustling streets. Choose from local favorites like barbecue and biscuits, or sniff out something surprising from the city’s global fusion food scene. Cap the evening with an elevated cocktail or beer from one of the many microbreweries in town before heading in for the night.

Have an unforgettable stay in Birmingham, and don’t forget to check out our top boutique hotels in Key-West, Fort Lauderdale, and Atlanta