Visiting Birmingham... (Mountain Brook, Valley, Grant: how much, headhunter, hotel)

[loboABQ]

Hey all, I had a couple generic questions. I know a lot of what I am asking for has probably already been answered, but I don't really feel like scrolling through thread after thread (have done plenty of that though).

Anyways, I'll be visiting Birmingham later this month. I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Have lived here all my life. A buddy of mine lives in Birmingham. I've decided to take the plunge and visit.

I was wondering, just how bad is the humidity? I've been to Atlanta when I was a kid. Other than that, the south is a mystery to me. I love the weather here in ABQ as there is basically no humidity. A 95 degree day in July with 8% humidity is perfect! My friend keeps saying I am going to hate the weather there. Is it that bad?

Also, I'll be there a week. I'm not sure if I'll ever be back. What, if anything, would you consider a 'must-see'? Again, I have no prior knowledge of anything 'alabama' so anything would be new to me.

I'm in my mid 20s, single male, and enjoy going out, doing what the 'average' guy around my age would do.

Thanks.

[Southlander]

Humidity is bad. Real bad. You'll need to drink lots of Gatorade and water. Do your outside stuff in the early morning and late afternoon. Hottest time of day is from 3 to 4 p.m., then it cools down somewhat.
Must-sees - Barber motorcycle museum. Civil rights museum.
Just scroll down through a couple of pages and you'll find a thread or two.

Originally Posted by loboABQ

Hey all, I had a couple generic questions. I know a lot of what I am asking for has probably already been answered, but I don't really feel like scrolling

Frankly, you're lucky I felt like answering you. You can't have scrolled that much, because you would have found this thread right away: //www.city-data.com/forum/birmingham-area/339782-visiting-birmingham-first-time.html

[Bravo35223]

The deep south is very humid in the summer. I'd be prepared for it. The best times to visit are the Spring and Fall.

If you like live music and the bar scene, this is plenty to do....

[Threestep2]

Cozy warm, nicely humid, friendly people, good food, very good food!

I am a museum rat so I recommend a couple of hours in the BHam Museum of Art. Easy to digest, some small exhibits about different cultures, free, downtown. Decent collection of Flamish painters. Then lunch downtown. Be adventureous:>) Take sun screen.
Check the schedule of Alabama Theatre. Great ambience, drinks in the lobby, old movies during the summer, completely restored and in need of some updates again but a great place.
Morgan Vineyards for anyone?
Pack lunch and hang out at the Japanese Garden in the Botanic Garden. A bit run down, huge (!) and hungry koi, cool and shady.
Got some play money? Treat yourself to Barber and get a speed kick without ticket or points.

[loboABQ]

Thanks for your replies. I'll keep them in mind

[loboABQ]

Hey forum, I just returned back to ABQ from Birmingham after my week-long stay there. I have to say, Birmingham really surprised me. I'm not sure what I was imagining, but I really enjoyed what I saw.

I stayed in the Mountain Brook area, off highway 280. I was told this was one of the nicer parts of the city. However, I traveled extensively in all directions just scoping out the area.

First off, the scenery. It is incredible. Again, this is coming from someone living in the desert, but the green, lush landscape was really great. I never knew there were so many hills near Birmingham. And the thick, dense pines and other trees that lined the hillsides. It reminded me a lot of my treks to Northern New Mexico and parts of Colorado (the Rocky Mountains).

The humidity was not bad at all. Maybe I was expecting the worst, but it was very bearable. I prefer the dry heat we have here, but the humidity definitely was not bad. A perk, I did not have to use lotion even once! Here in ABQ, I'm constantly applying lotion as the dryness sucks the moisture from your body.

The first few days in the city, I felt a little suffocated. I'm guessing it was because I could not see the city. With all the trees and hills, it really felt like I was crossing many small towns and not a metro area of over a million. I was constantly asking my buddy, "Can you ever see great distances"? That definitely took some getting use to as here in the west you can see for literally hundreds of miles.

Also, where are the sidewalks? lol. I was told "People in the south don't walk" lol. Granted, I saw some in Downtown Birmingham, but for most other parts, they were nowhere to be seen.

Did I say I loved the Greenery? I went on a tour of the older, 'rougher' areas. I was told how this was the 'bad part of town'. I must say that although you could definitely tell these houses were older and the neighborhoods could be cared for a little bit more, they were nowhere near the level of 'trash' as you see here in rural New Mexico and some rough parts of ABQ. Maybe it's because your green grass and thick trees make the areas more desireable to look at, I don't know. But, it seemed like people generally took some type of interest in their property as there was little 'junk' that I saw. Maybe it's because here in ABQ, the junk can not be hidden so it's seen by everyone. Also, green grass and trees look much better than dirt, sagebrush and cedar trees (more like shrubs).

Even today as I'm back in ABQ, it's so hard for me to imagine how much the city is intertwined with nature and the geography there. You can see that Birmingham was built with what it was given. It didn't destroy what was there in order to build what it wanted. I've been to a few cities where the entire area was destroyed (trees, hills, even small waterways in some cases) in
order to create/add on to the city.

The people were really friendly. It was interesting people-watching and picking up on the southern accent. It's really comforting actually. It comes across as very relaxing and I'm sure it made me more courteous, even if it was subconsciously.

Overall, I was very impressed with Birmingham. You often hear many negative things about Birmingham, Alabama and the south in general. While I know it is not perfect there, no place is. You guys should be proud to live there. It has many attractions, genuine people, a very laid-back atmosphere, and a setting to die for.

I just wanted to give props to Birmingham and Alabama in general as you always hear negative stereotypes about the south. I came away from your city with a whole new perspective about Birmingham.

[Threestep2]

Thank you!
Foreigner, showed up with a second-hand somewhat British tint, adopted some of the subtleness asap, will never try to sound Southernese, but got the rough edges off:>)
When are you coming back? Beer in the fridge, washmashine is used to strangers.

[seekinghome]

"Overall, I was very impressed with Birmingham. You often hear many negative things about Birmingham, Alabama and the south in general. While I know it is not perfect there, no place is. You guys should be proud to live there. It has many attractions, genuine people, a very laid-back atmosphere, and a setting to die for."

Thank you loboABQ, my sentiments exactly, in the short time that I've been fortunate enough to live here.

[Bravo35223]

Thanks for coming back lobo with your "after-visit report"....so frequently, posters come here and ask for advice and we never hear back from them...

Yes this is a beautiful city...and your opinion is one I have heard probably over 100 times (I am 53 so a liittle long in the tooth).

I am a headhunter and we recruit executives for clients all over the country...(The Presbyterian Health System in ABQ is a new client for example). And of course, as you can imagine, we have many clients in Alabama...

A small college here (Samford) engaged us to find a new executive for one of their key spots. We located a well qualified individual in central Texas. He worked at a much larger and well known university and was extraordinarily qualified for this job. Our team had to refuse to take No for An Answer and simply said repeatedly...."Just take the free airline ticket, free hotel and free meals and spend 2 days....just take the time to ACTUALLY LOOK AT IT".

So he did....and as he told the story of leaving the airport, and driving through Red Mountain and seeing Shades Valley for the first time....he was stunned....the perception and reality we so diametrically opposite that he had a hard time reconciling it in his mind. "How can a place with such a terrible reputation be so beautiful?"

He took the job, which had heated competition....was emphatic to the hiring authorities that he REALLY wanted the job.....this after we had to hound him to just get on the airplane.

There's an informal saying about Birmingham...."Can't get 'em and can't get 'em out"....once most people move here.....they don't leave. Retire and die here....

[bhamgrad]

Thanks for the great review of our city! If you really want to see it in its prime....you gotta come in mid-to-late April. The colors are amazing: Dogwood, Wisteria, Daffodiles....you name it! The city looks like one huge botanical garden!! We'd love to have you! Come back anytime!