A community center that welcomes all regardless of age, gender, or race, the Spring Street Fire House is a vibrant, lively, and welcoming venue in the city. The program offers a diverse variety of events, ranging from concerts and other performances, to art shows, and interesting festivals. Checkout the website to know more about the venue.

A venue that hosts a passel of events all year round, Das HAUS is a culture club that brings the partying and music scene of Germany to downtown Birmingham. Centrally located and easily accessible, this club is an ideal spot to head to on a Saturday evening, when the music scene is at its most vibrant. Bands and musicians from all over the state come here to perform in front of an equally lively audience. Also, there is food and drinks on offer, so you won't have to head out to refuel. Call for more information.

Situated along 6th Avenue, the 16th Street Baptist Church is a beautiful church in the heart of the city. Conceptualized as early as 1873, it has had a long history. The initial building was demolished in 1908 and the current structure was built in 1911 by the famous Wallace Rayfield. During the Civil Rights Movement, the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing killed four women. Today, the church continues to function with great vitality, and has also been declared a National Historic Landmark. Call to book individual or group tours.

Cahaba Grand Convention Center offers a perfect combination of classy ambiance and world-class facilities Immaculate and exemplary service is what distinguishes it from the rest. Featuring variety of conference and meeting rooms, it is an ideal venue for private and corporate events alike; catering services are on offer too. For more details, check website or call ahead.

BJCC North Exhibition Hall is a part of the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex which is a vast area meant for various events like exhibitions, conferences, trade shows and so on. With 90,000 square feet as its space, the North Hall has all the state-of-the-art facilities and services. It also has a banquet hall, a lobby and a lounge area. It is also well-equipped with telecommunication facilities, video production, lighting, sound and so on. Events here include cocktail parties, art exhibitions, regional conventions, concerts, music and dance shows and so on.

When you think of an art gallery, you think of fine art of landscapes, buildings, and unknown people. But, New Life Art Gallery combines two unlikely combinations: art and sports. The gallery showcases (and sells) paintings by David A. Moore, a renowned international artist whose work is revered by many. Avid golfer? Football aficionado? There's something for you. But, the gallery by far features and caterers to University of Alabama Roll Tide football, where, as they say, football is a sport, but in Alabama, football is art. Artwork is reasonably priced, with online shopping available. Worth a visit, even if you're not an art lover. - Terah Shelton

Its difficult to dig deep into Civil Rights history in Birmingham without hearing about The Four Little Girls. In 1963 four little girls (Denise McNair, Cynthia Wesley, Addie Mae Collins, and Carol Robertson) were killed when members of the Ku Klux Klan planted 22 sticks of dynamite outside the basement of the 16th Street Baptist Church. Shadow Lawn Memorial Gardens was the original place that housed their remains. The 40-acre cemetery is also said to be the final resting place for over 100 Civil War veterans. Recent actions have tried to raise funds and awareness for the unique piece of Birmingham history. - Terah Shelton

At a time when racial prejudice was at an all-time high, Alabama Penny Savings Bank offered African-Americans something almost unheard of: their own bank. Founded by William Reuben Pettiford in 1890, the Alabama Penny Savings Bank was the first black-owned bank in the state. Even more, they were the second largest black bank in the country, offering African-Americans the money they needed to finance homes, businesses, and churches. Before Alabama Penny Saving Bank closed in 1915, at one time, they conducted business as high as a half million dollars. Worth a visit to see an important piece of black history. 

If you wish to see Alabama in a different way, consider taking a ride on a hot air balloon. Air Alabama is the only hot air ballooning company in the Birmingham, Alabama area. They offer hot air balloon passenger flights as well as special occasion flights. Sunrise - their a 90,000 cubic balloon and Enlightened - a 77,00 cubic feet accommodates a pilot and up to three passengers. Each flight is over an hour, with views of the Alabama landscape. Considering a career in aviation? Air Alabama offers hot air balloon pilot training. Reservations are required. Passenger flights are price at $200.00 per person. - Terah Shelton

Face it. Birmingham and the civil rights movement go hand and hand. But, often overlooked by tourists is A.G. Gaston Gardens, Birmingham's first African-American owned hotel. Built in the 1960s by African-American businessman A.G. Gaston (arguably the richest black man in America at the time), the former hotel housed black guests and civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King, and served as a meeting place to plan and organize activities. But, don't be fooled by the current facade of pale pink, the A.G. Gaston motel provided first class accommodations of master suites with air conditioning and private bathrooms, something unheard of during that time. Not to be missed.