Birmingham, AL

You can't spend too much time talking about southern cities without mentioning Birmingham, Alabama. So here is my take on the former iron and steel town which is also referred to by locals as the Magic City. The headquarters of Southern Living Magazine is here and it has done a better job than some other cities of maintaining a "southern" feel.

While it ranks up there just below Nashville and Charlotte in metro population, I've always found B'ham to be a little lacking in the fun department...but I find myself there a few times a year for work so here it goes...

To DO--They have a solid zoo, nice shopping areas at Riverchase mall and the Summit, and the Civil Rights Institute is a good place to get a sense of some of the important things that have happened here in the past. For Golf, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail winds through the area and mixes some world class courses with very reasonable rates. If you are a NASCAR fan, get your fix at Talladega less than an hour east of downtown, it's not my thing, but to those in the know it's among the best! The Barons play AA baseball here, and it's a good show, there is also thriving arts and entertainment area around the UAB, the local extension of the University system. One of my favorite sites in town is the Vulcan statue pictured at the top of this post, it's the world's largest cast iron statue and you get some pretty nice views of the valley from the park as well, it's a constant reminder of the city's former importance in steel working. If you find yourself downtown after dark looking for something to do, there are several options in the bar/club/lounge scene, Bell Bottoms, Blue Monkey, and the Burly Earl are all fun. College Football is a religion around here, and you have two denominations, Auburn and Alabama, the game is sometimes played in Birmingham, and if you ever get a chance do WHATEVER it takes to go to this one.

To EAT--What they lack in big city sophistication they make up for in down home cookin' (meaning grease), but seriously, this is like most southern cities in that they can cook! Highlands Bar and Grill is a treat, and you can't go wrong with Cafe Dupont or Bottega. For steak, they do have Ruth's Chris, Flemings', and also a Shula's. La Dolce Vita, Village Tavern, and Bellini's are all good local interpretations of quality. Standard Bistro has been called one of the greatest "Southern style" restaurants in the world, for a more old school meat and three try the Irondale Cafe (the inspiration for the cafe in the movie Fried Green Tomatoes). Ocean and 26 Twenty Six next door are two of my favorites in town, but for a really trendy feel, check out iCON. Can't talk about a southern city without a mention of BBQ...You've probably seen the Dreamland ads in an in-flight magazine at some point, in my opinion skip it and head to Jim n Nicks, Full Moon or Big Daddy's (recently voted best ribs in the city).

To STAY--One of the things that keeps me coming back to Birmingham (other than work!) is the Tutwiler Hotel, originally built in 1914, this is now flagged a Hampton Inn, but don't let it fool you, it is as nice as anything in town! Other downtown area hotels include the recently re flagged Doubletree, good location but nothing to write home about, and several other chain properties from Marriott and Hyatt Place. Only one B&B in the university area, Cobb Lane, has been reasonably well received. For a treat, the Renaissance Ross Bridge Spa and Golf Resort is a place you can comfortably let the wife hangout while you attend some business meetings, but it can get expensive.

That should get you started on your exploration of the largest city in Alabama, WAR EAGLE!