Birmingham,+Alabama


 * Birmingham, Alabama **  **//Looking For Alaska by John Green//**

Birmingham, Alabama is the largest city in Alabama and the county seat of Jefferson County. Founded in 1871, Birmingham grew incredibly fast and quickly became industrialized, sometimes referred to as the “Pittsburgh of the South.” Birmingham is located in Central Alabama in an Appalachian Foothills valley. Birmingham sees hot summers and mild winters and plenty of rain, along with some snow and frequent severe weather. **Itinerary:** There is much to do in Birmingham, so you will not be bored. A stroll or drive through downtown reveals many different types of architecture, with the Wells Fargo Tower being the city’s tallest at 454 feet. The most unique looking building might be the Regions-Harbert Plaza, standing at 437 feet in the city’s center.

Spending a day in Birmingham is experiencing the Deep South. The Alabama Theater, Alabama’s oldest, hosts many different films and concerts. The Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Opera Birmingham perform in the Alys Stephens Center for the Performing Arts. The Carver Theatre is home to the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. If larger concerts are more your taste, the former Oak Mountain Amphitheater (Now the Verizon Wireless Music Center) is a large outdoor venue in Pelham and hosts multiple concerts throughout the year.

There are numerous art galleries and museums throughout Birmingham. Take a step back into a time in which African Americans were fighting for equality by visiting the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. This large museum documents the struggles of the 1950s and 1960s and is located in Birmingham’s Civil Rights District. The Civil Rights Institute is an affiliate in the Smithsonian Affiliations program. Other museums include the Southern Museum of Flight, the Alabama Museum of Health Sciences, and the Arlington Home. The McWane Science Center should appeal to all ages. The Talladega Superspeedway International Motorsports Hall of Fame Museum offers racing fans an interesting look at stock car racing.



In Birmingham, there are a number of outdoor venues in which to seek out entertainment and education. Railroad Park and Kelly Ingram Park are both historical sites in the city. Oak Mountain State Park is located a few miles south of Birmingham. The Birmingham Zoo and Botanical Gardens offer a wide variety of plant and animal life. Alabama Adventure Theme Park is a split amusement park, offering both thrill and water rides.

Numerous lakes located in and around the Birmingham area have led the area to being a fishing haven. What better way to relax than on the edge of a beautiful lake, surrounded by the mountains and red clay of the great state of Alabama.

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**Information courtesy of multiple sites including Wikipedia.**