The Best Nature Escapes in Birmingham AL

Birmingham, Alabama is a large city located in the north-central part of the state. During the day, the city is as charming as any small town. By night, you start to see the city come alive as it lights up like Las Vegas.

Home to over 210,000 lovely people, Birmingham is as much a nature getaway as it is a history field trip. It’s the largest city in the state and houses the Vulcan statue, the second largest statue in the United States next to the Statue of Liberty. 

While most people will spend their time at the Civil Rights Institute -- which is definitely a must-see attraction -- you also can’t miss out on the nature-filled scenery this city has to offer. In fact, Birmingham was the city that founded Veteran’s Day, making this the perfect Veteran’s Day retreat.

To make sure you get the most out of your nature getaway to Birmingham, Alabama, we’re going to highlight our top-five nature escapes located in and around the city. Let’s get started! 

1.   Oak Mountain State Park 

Located on Double Oak Mountain about 20 miles south of downtown Birmingham, Oak Mountain State Park is as humble as it is beautiful. What started out as a 940-acre park in 1927 has now grown to be nearly 10,000 acres large and is known to be the largest park in Alabama.

Some of the fun things to do at Oak Mountain State Park are golfing, the water park, the wildlife, fishing, archery, hiking and mountain biking, marina rentals, swimming and beaches, dining, and much more. Trust us, you’ll want to spend every day here. 

2.   Birmingham Botanical Gardens 

When you’ve done everything you wanted to do at Oak Mountain State Park, we suggest heading over to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. It’s located on the foot of Red Mountain and is packed with nearly 70 acres of botanical gardens.

This is the perfect nature escape in Birmingham, Alabama and it’s designed to help you find that peaceful moment we’ve all been searching for. You’ll find over 30 different themes throughout the gardens and is also home to a wide range of history. 

3.   Birmingham Zoo

Once you’ve finished smelling the many aromas at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, it’s time to check out the Birmingham Zoo. After all, you can’t visit a new city without checking out their zoo! It’s the perfect nature getaway for anyone no matter what age you are. 

The Birmingham Zoo opened in 1955 and is the largest zoo found in the state of Alabama. It’s 122 acres large and houses over 230 different species of animals (over 950 animals in total). 

4.   Red Mountain Park

Another park with as much history as it has nature, Red Mountain Park is a 1,500-acre park located in southwestern Birmingham, Alabama. It’s home to a large majority of the city’s industrial history and is where a lot of the mining took place in the old days.

It has only been open to the public since 2012, recently adding ziplining, a huge dog park, adventure courses, and a wide range of trails to enjoy by yourself or with the family. 

5.   Vulcan Park and Museum

If you were interested in seeing the second-largest cast iron statue in the world, you can find it at Vulcan Park and Museum. The only statue larger is the Statue of Liberty in New York City. It marks a large amount of success the city saw as an iron producer back in the day.

You can get the full experience by taking a tour, checking out the observation tower, going to Vulcan Aftertunes, and the many trails that can be found here.

Now that you know how to get the most out of your trip to Birmingham, Alabama -- including Oak Mountain State Park, the Birmingham Zoo, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Vulcan Park, and Red Mountain Park -- you can feel confident about your stay and finally book that ticket over here!

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