Step1
Go Racing. The biggest motorsports facility in the world, the Talladega Superspeedway hosts five races a year including the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, the NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The track’s Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure lets visitors drive authentic Nextel Cup race cars at speeds as high as 165 miles per hour. For more racing action, check out Barber Motorsports Park, a 2.38 mile track home to the Honda Superbike Classic (April 18 to 20), the Porsche 250 (July 18 to 20) and the WERA National Challenge Series (September 19 to 21). If you will not be in town for the special events, check out local races hosted every weekend during the summer at the Birmingham International Raceway at the Alabama State Fairgrounds instead.
Step2
Stroll the Gardens. Open 365 days a year, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens boasts more than 30 displays specializing in rhododendrons and azaleas, The Asian Glade, Alabama Woodlands, crape myrtles, roses, camellias, hosta and more. Located next door to the Birmingham Zoo in Mountain Brook, it also home to a restaurant, gift shop and conference center and is a quiet spot for reading, family photo ops and weddings. Twelve miles away in the suburb of Hoover, Aldridge Gardens is the former estate of local couple Eddie and Kay Aldridge and showcases hydrangeas and other picturesque plants and trees around a paved walking path and lake. Sprinkled with whimsical bronze sculptures and home to an annual Hydrangea Sale & Festival each May, it is easy to navigate and a friendly spot for exercise.
Step3
Enjoy the Art. Located off of 8th Avenue downtown, Birmingham Museum of Art is the city’s premier place for perusing paintings, sculptures, glass art and other masterpieces from ancient centuries to modern day. The 15 thousand work collection includes Asian Art, African Art, Native American Art, Decorative Arts, Photography, Painting, Sculpture, Prints and Drawings. During the summer, Art on the Rocks events include evening musical performances, a scavenger hunt, demonstrations, hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Visit www.artsbma.org.
Step4
Celebrate Civil Rights. In 1992, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and museum opened across the street from 16th Street Baptist Church, where four little girls were killed in a race-related bombing in 1963. Today the museum’s permanent exhibits offer a self-directed journey through the Civil Rights Movement and addresses modern-day human rights struggles. Visit www.bcri.org.
Step5
See a show. Built in 1927 by Paramount Studios as an Alabama showcase for Paramount films, the Alabama Theatre was used primarily as a movie palace for 55 years, with the exception of the annual Miss Alabama pageant and weekly Mickey Mouse Club. Newly restored to its original splendor, today the theater is home to a Wurlitzer Opus 1783 pipe organ and regular plays, operas, ballets and concerts. Visit www.alabamatheatre.com.
How to Spend a Weekend in Birmingham, Alabama
Novice 
