Recreational amenities are abundant with all the cultural attributes of a much larger metropolitan area. Moreover, the Birmingham - Hoover Metropolitan Statistical Area is nestled in the hills and valleys of one of the most beautiful areas of the country. With four seasons, Birmingham is a great place to go play outdoors whether it's hiking in Oak Mountain State Park (alternatively, the Pinhoti Trail is a little more than an hour’s drive away and is now officially connected to the Appalachian Trail), smelling the flowers at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens or canoeing down the Cahaba River.

Click one of these outdoor activities to learn more about it.

• Alabama Adventure Theme Park Two parks inside one theme park: Splash Beach Water Park and Magic Adventure Theme Park. 5051 Prince St.
• Aldridge Gardens A 30 acre botanical gardens located in the heart of Hoover. Complete with a 7 acre lake and walking trail, Aldridge Gardens is laden with many varieties of hydrangeas and other native Alabama flowers. 3530 Lorna Rd., Hoover.
• Birmingham Botanical Gardens The glory of nature can be found right in the heart of the city at the 67 acre Birmingham Botanical Gardens, adjacent to the zoo in Lane Park. Come for the rhododendron, camellias, wild flowers, ferns, delicate bonsai plants, roses, desert flowers, even a Japanese Garden, complete with a Japanese Teahouse and Zen-like sense of peacefulness. 2612 Lane Park Rd.
• Cahaba River. Alabama Small Boats offers canoe trips on the state's last free-flowing river. This five-hour trip includes canoe rental and accessories including transportation to launch site. Shelby County Highway 52 near Helena. Alabama Small Boats, (205) 424-3634.
• Desoto Caverns Just a short drive from Birmingham, DeSoto Caverns offers tourists the magnificence of underground rock formations and caverns. DeSoto was the first officially recorded cave in the United States. 5181 DeSoto Caverns Pkwy., Childersburg.
• Oak Mountain State Park Golf. Boating. Hiking. Fishing. Horseback riding. A petting zoo for the kids. Oak Mountain State Park at almost 10,000 acres is the largest park in the Alabama state system.
• Rickwood Caverns Rickwood Caverns in north Jefferson County is a treat for those with a mind to go underground. Rt. 3 Box 357, Warrior.
• Ruffner Mountain Nature Center Ruffner Mountain's 1,000 acres of woodlands comprise the nation's second-largest urban nature preserve. With 10 miles of hiking and walking trails, it offers a serene getaway in the heart of the city. The nature center includes exhibits of native animals and historic artifacts from the mountain's iron ore mining past. 1214 81st St. S., Birmingham 35206.
• Tannehill Historical State Park Tannehill Historical State Park offers visitors a glimpse into the lives of ordinary Alabamians in the 1800s, with a large collection of 19th century cabins and the Old Tannehill Iron Works. 12632 Confederate Pkwy., McCalla.
• Temple of Sibyl. Listed on the Alabama Register of Land marks and Heritage and located on Highway 31 at the entrance to the city of Vestavia Hills, the Temple of Sibyl offers tremendous views of Shades Valley and the Samford University campus from atop Shades Mountain.
• Vulcan Vulcan Park, located atop Red Mountain, is home to the world's largest cast iron statue and features spectacular panoramic views of Birmingham. Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and forge, was originally built in 1904 and has stood as a symbol of Birmingham for over 100 years. A 10-acre urban green space surrounds the statue and observation balcony that sits upon a pedestal. Visitors to Vulcan Center find interactive exhibits and displays that give insight into the region's history and industrial growth.1701 Valley View Drive, Birmingham 35209.
• The Wildlife Center Located in Oak Mountain State Park, the center is Alabama's oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center. The center, open to the public for self-guiding tours, features the Treetop Nature Trail. A beautiful, elevated walkway in the woods, the trail offers close-up views of non-releasable hawks and owls in natural habitat enclosures built among and around the trees. 100 Terrace Dr., Pelham.

Back to Top