Broads in Birmingham

We found spring at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens!

Oh, y'all. I'm starting to feel something like hope. In the past several weeks, all of the older folks in my life have been vaccinated, and now my friends and I have been as well. (For the record, I took naps for a couple of days after my first dose, and I ate like a horse the day of my second dose. Other than that, I've had no side effects other than overwhelming optimism.) 

The days are getting warmer, and spring is showering us with flowers. To celebrate, my friend Anita and I decided to hit the road for a long weekend in Birmingham. It had been a while since either of us had been to the Magic City, and we were excited to see how it had changed.

I loved this fiber piece at the Birmingham
Museum of Art. Gorgeous.

(A note: Upon traveling with me for the first time, many of my friends are taken aback at my devotion to travel planning. I am quite detailed about it, do a lot of research, and produce a very thorough itinerary. Now, this itinerary need not be followed to the letter by any means, but it does provide a good skeleton upon which to hang an enjoyable trip. When I sent Anita my itinerary, she did not think I was a psychopath. She was impressed with my planning and attention to detail. It was then that I knew we would make excellent road buddies!) 

Day 1

We left at around 9 a.m. on a Friday morning, rolling into town just after lunch to nosh at El Barrio. We loved this place! We were seated immediately and started with chips and salsa. (The salsa tasted very fresh and slightly sweet.) Then, it was on to the carnitas tacos, which were delicious and filling without being too large of a portion. The restaurant was lively, with locals enjoying a Friday lunch out on a spring day. And there's a huge, colorful mural along one of the walls of the restaurant that livens up the space. Service was friendly, prompt, and knowledgeable about the menu. We enjoyed our lunch here, and I'd definitely return. 

After lunch, we headed for Aloft Birmingham in Soho Square. Though amazingly convenient to all things Birmingham, this hotel is actually in Homewood, situated in a cute area full of great restaurants and fun local shops. Everything was walkable. They had a parking garage, but we were able to park on the street the whole weekend. (I'd learned my lesson when staying in Birmingham last fall; the idea of a rooftop bar is a great one, but in execution, you can end up with sleepless nights as inebriated patrons come and go!) This property had everything we needed (There's an indoor pool, a small fitness center, even a pool table in the lobby!) and was in a fantastic location. We checked in, unpacked, and stretched a bit.

We saw a rainbow as we left the art museum!

Our initial plan was to head straight to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and soak in all things spring. Unfortunately, it was raining. We pivoted quickly to the Birmingham Museum of Art, which was a hop and a skip from our hotel. The museum offers free parking and admission, and there were so many beautiful things to see! We started in the sheltered sculpture garden and made our way through three floors of gorgeous art. There are some fun murals in the larger public spaces, and they have an impressive collection of religious iconography. Their current exhibition on display is "All Things Bright and Beautiful," which examines themes of power and legacy. Plenty of local artists are represented in their collection, and upper floors offer treasures from other cultures. We spent nearly two hours here and really liked it. 

On our way back to the hotel, we were surprised with a rainbow in the sky as the clouds cleared. After gussying up a bit, it was back out on the town for our dinner reservation at Bocca, a local Italian gem. I'd tried to stop by this restaurant for a meal on previous trips to Birmingham, but I could never make it happen. I'm pleased to report that the stars finally aligned, and I'm so glad they did! The restaurant has a valet that parks your car and a lovely dining area. We were seated immediately and started with cocktails. (Anita had the white sangria, and I chose a champagne cocktail called the rosa spritzer - a delightful concoction of vodka, housemade rosewater grenadine, lemon and prosecco. Delish!) 

Bocca had an excellent cocktail menu.

We moved on to secondi, selecting a plate of rabbit tagliatelle to split. So good, with the noodles cooked perfectly al dente. Then, Anita chose the halibut, while I opted for the veal marsala. The veal was lightly sauced, served with a medley of gorgeous local mushrooms and some asparagus. Really, really good. Anita said the fish was some of the best she's ever had. Though we were very interested in the dessert options, we were too full to sample them! The service here was very professional and offered a lot of expertise. A five-star experience. 

Then, it was off to bed, as we had a full day planned when morning came!

Day 2

We slept in a bit the next morning. (There had been some severe weather - and some very loud thunder in the wee hours - that had interrupted our rest.) Once we felt up to facing the day, we got dressed and headed to The Yard for breakfast. My family had eaten here back in the fall and had really enjoyed it. (Plus, it's one of the few places open for breakfast on the weekends in the downtown area. Also a plus.) I got the avocado toast (topped with two poached eggs - yum), and Anita chose the fancy Cream of Wheat. The coffee is good here, and the service is adorable. The dining area has large plate glass windows that front the street for great people-watching. 

After sating our hunger, it was back in the car for our 10:30 a.m. timed tickets to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. This was another local attraction that I'd always heard wonderful things about, but had never been able to get myself to. It's an impressive facility, with expansive exhibit space and a very important collection. After a short film that explains Birmingham's Civil Rights history, visitors walk through a series of galleries that explore different themes. The barriers gallery examines segregation and Jim Crow, convict labor in Birmingham's mining industry, and inequality in everything from education to the justice system. This narrative moves visitors through the story of Rosa Parks and the bus boycott. The powerful confrontation gallery brings you face to face with the judgement, bias, and unrealistic expectations of others. 

Powerful exhibits at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

The movement gallery illustrates how difficult basic travel was in a racist and segregated society. Martin Luther King Jr.'s letter from a Birmingham jail is featured prominently, and his words are still eloquent, beautiful and true. Many of these threads culminate in a powerful, large gallery that focuses on the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, in which four little girls lost their lives. (The church itself sits directly across the street from the institute, a powerful reminder and witness to history.) This attraction does an excellent job of explaining the factors that led to the Civil Rights movement in Birmingham, introducing visitors to the key players and putting those events and personalities in a national context. We loved this museum. 

The public art at Kelly Ingram Park
provides historical context.

By the time we'd explored all of the galleries, it was a bright, sunny day outside. We took the opportunity to stroll through Kelly Ingram Park, which is also right across the street. This park was an assembly spot for many activists in the Civil Rights movement, and today, it houses a shady walking trail and several pieces of stirring public art related to the area's history.

Afterwards, we stopped in at Brick and Tin for a bit of lunch. This place is obviously a neighborhood favorite, and it's tucked in a completely charming neighborhood. You order at the front counter, find a seat, and then the friendly staff brings your food out. I had a cup of corn soup and a bit of fruit, and Anita chose a chicken panini. Prices were reasonable, and the place was packed with locals. 

As the day was completely lovely, we decided to seize the moment to explore the Birmingham Botanical Gardens (which, by the way, are completely free to visit). Ah, bliss! It was a perfect spring day. The sun was out, there was a lovely breeze, temperatures were pleasant, and it was too early in the year for the mosquitos to be out in force. We first ambled through the formal rose garden, then made our way through fountains and greens to the conservatory. We strolled the bog garden, then had a delightful walk through a wooded fernland, azaleas blooming madly everywhere we looked. 

We rested, chatted, and laughed a bit on a shaded bench swing before crossing to the Japanese garden, marked by a substantial red gate. Maples, bonsais, sweet little bridges, and a bamboo forest surrounded a large koi lake. A local high school must have been hosting a prom on property that Saturday night, for as we left, we saw group after group of elaborately dressed young girls, flitting through the garden like butterflies to have their photos made. (We left the gardens in the nick of time, just before the parking lot got too crazy!) This was such a wonderful way to spend a spring afternoon. The gardens are very well-kept, and there's plenty of room to spread out and find peace. 

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens are lush and beautiful. 

After cooling our heels back at the hotel for a bit, we ventured out for dinner. A quick walk found us at Soho Social, nary a block from our hotel. We were seated immediately, and I ordered a mojito along with the steak and fries. It hit the spot! There was plenty of steak (I couldn't finish it all.), a nice pile of fries, and some sinful brussels sprouts (covered in honey, bacon, and cheese crumbles). I was hungry after all of our rambling that day, and I ate. It. UP! (A note - This place is pretty loud and is obviously a favorite of young college types. If you're looking for something a little quieter, there's a restaurant on the other side of this same building called Soho Standard. The menu there looked a little pricier and a little more upscale. It was definitely quieter, and the clientele looked a little older.)

Sometimes, a girl just needs a steak.

After dinner, we took the opportunity to walk around our neighborhood in the soft night air. This whole area is delightful - cute little local shops, fun restaurants, coffee houses. From now on, this will be my go-to spot to stay when visiting Birmingham. Just strolling here is a pleasure. 

We turned in and had an excellent night's sleep. 

Day 3

In the morning, we awoke and walked across the street to a place we'd been eyeing for days - Big Bad Breakfast. What a fun spot! There was a (very short) wait, and then we were seated. Our waiter was charming and helpful, pouring us big cups of coffee and answering our questions about the menu. 

We wanted to be virtuous. We really did. But then we saw the giant biscuits coming out of the kitchen and being served to other diners. And our virtue was gone with the wind. We both got the big bad breakfast - two eggs, biscuit, bacon, and fruit. DIVINE! I couldn't finish it all (leaving one egg and a slice of bacon), but the biscuits WERE fantastic. And so was the bacon. And the egg. And the fruit. And everything. In short, I highly recommend this place. 

Next, we packed up, checked out of the hotel, and drove to our last adventure - a visit to Vulcan Park and Museum. It had been AGES since I'd been here (and Anita, too), but the weather was sunny and perfect, and it was only five minutes from our hotel, so off we went! This is one of the largest statues in the U.S., and it's the largest cast iron statue in the world. The Vulcan was created for the 1904 world's fair to tout Birmingham's prowess as a mining and manufacturing leader. The statue and park sit atop Red Mountain, which contains a big seam of iron and was once a mining hotspot. There are still miles and miles of old mine tunnels that run deep within the mountain. 

Birmingham from the observation deck at Vulcan Park. 

We got there at around 10 a.m., just as the attraction was opening. We browsed the gift shop and bought a ticket to the observation deck. Up, up, up we went! You have lovely views of Birmingham from the top. (And you also have a close-up view of the statue's bare behind! We'd done a little research the night before and discovered the song "Moon Over Homewood," which is a HOOT!) 

The Vulcan statue

After enjoying the view (ahem), we went back down the elevator and explored the trails on Red Mountain a bit. They have paved, well-marked trails that lead to unpaved (but also really well maintained) trails. Occasionally, you'll pass some old ruin or pile of bricks that are a remnant of the mining activity that once took place there. And, fascinatingly, the little trickles of water that you see here and there (It had been a rainy week, after all.) are slightly rust-colored. The history of the mountain is all around you. We did about three miles (out and back), but I got the feeling that the trail system goes much further. Would be worth a second trip to investigate more! 

Once we had finished snooping around, it was back in the car for the uneventful ride home. I had a fantastic time celebrating spring in Birmingham with Anita, and we're already cooking up plans for our next trip!