At this point many of us have heard the tale of Richella and Ben, the young couple from Birmingham, England who booked a flight to Vegas from the “wrong” Birmingham. Rather than booking their trip out of BHX – the airport in their hometown of Birmingham, England – the booked a flight out of BHM – our airport right here in the Magic City. Little did Richella and Ben know this small mix-up would soon turn into the best mistake of their life.
Everything worked out in the end for the couple when it came to their Vegas trip, but we decided they couldn’t leave the states without experiencing what this Birmingham – our Birmingham – is all about. Though their stay was short (not even 48 hours!), we created the ultimate itinerary for this fun couple – featuring some of the city’s coolest attractions. Check it out for yourself and let it inspire you to explore some of these Birmingham hot spots for a quick getaway.
DAY ONE
- After landing at BHM, Ben and Richella were greeted with big smiles and appropriately adorned with Aviate apparel. The couple checked-in at The Redmont, downtown’s newly renovated, historic hotel.
- Not every city can boast having the world’s largest cast-iron statue. The couple was treated with sky high views at Vulcan Park & Museum to get the best first impression of our city.
- Next stop – a great meal. Nothing says Birmingham better than a dinner at Bottega Cafe served up by James Beard nominated chef, Frank Stitt.
- No evening is complete without a nightcap. Ben and Richella were ushered to The Collins Bar, a quintessential cocktail spot where the talented mixologists can make anything from your favorite classic to a custom creation.
DAY TWO
- There’s no better way to start a day than with a hearty breakfast. These early risers hopped on Zyp bikes and grabbed their breakfast at downtown coffeehouse staple, Urban Standard.
- From there, Ben and Richella Zyp’d through downtown on a guided tour of the Birmingham Civil Rights District. They learned about the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the history our city was built on.
- Did you know the U.S.’s only Porsche Driving School can be found at Birmingham’s very own Barber Motor Park? Ben and Richella took a spin on the track topping high speeds and then followed it up with a tour of world’s largest motorcycle collection at the Barber Museum.
- All that driving can work a big appetite. This busy pair stopped by the gorgeous Woodlawn Cycle Cafe on their way back into the city for a hearty, hand-crafted meal that will leave ‘em wanting more. But, the adventure is not over yet!
- We rushed this daring couple over to Red Mountain Park, where they spent the afternoon riding around on Segway tours and swinging through trees on their zip lining course.
- When Ben and Richella told us they were vegan, we skipped our usual meat-and-threes and barbecue joints to treat them to something a little different than usual southern fare. Located in the thriving 2nd Avenue North district, El Barrio Restaurante pulled through with some good eats and great times. Serving up some of the finest multi-regional Mexican cuisine, it was a must to start the meal with El Barrio’s delicious guac and pair it with their popular grapefruit margarita.
- Time to embrace the Birmingham night life! Ben and Richella caught a show from alt-rock superstar Jenny Lewis at Iron City with the all their tour guides throughout the trip. After the show, they kept the party going with a trip to neighborhood watering hole Parkside Cafe. There they kicked back with their new friends on the patio and made sure to play nice with Brandon, the infamous bar cat.
