Looking to get out of the city for the day? Here is my list of 10 best day trips from Birmingham Alabama. These are the kinds of things you can spend an entire Saturday doing. Wake up early, grab a coffee, hit the road to your fun filled destination, and still get home in time for dinner. Everything on this list is within a 3 hour drive from Birmingham!
1. Lula Lake Land Trust
- 2 hours from Birmingham
- Only open Saturdays and Sundays
- You must make reservations ahead of time at Visit (lulalake.org)
- There are two gorgeous waterfalls here and plenty of hiking trails
- I recommend hiking the 5.2 long Middle Trail, Trail B, Bluff Road and Trail A loop
- Hiking is easy, trails are well maintained, and this is a place for any skill level
- Park hours are 9am-5pm
- Link to hike on All Trails
2. Walls of Jericho Hike
- 2.5 hours from Birmingham
- 6.4 miles total
- Listed as “hard” on All Trails. The first 3 miles are downhill. The way back up is the hard part. 1341 feet of elevation. Still, I think this hike is quite do-able. Took us 3-4 hours and that’s with us taking our time/relaxing at the bottom. Bring snacks and water and wear good hiking boots
- We went in March and the water levels were high which I think made for the most beautiful views of the pool/waterfall (pictured above); however, we did get a little wet as the path was flooded over a bit just at the end
- Link to this trail on All Trails
3. McDill Point Hike at Cheaha State Park
- 1 hour 21 minutes from Birmingham
- 4.7 miles total
- “moderate” on All Trails
- 1,043 feet of elevation
- $5 state park entry fee
- Link for hike on All Trails
4. Lake Guntersville Bike Path
- 1 hour and 25 minutes from Birmingham
- 7.2 mile paved bike path next to Guntersville Lake
- Load up your bike and fill a cooler with lunch and drinks. If its hot out, bring a bathing suit so you can dip in the water as well
- Link to this path on All Trails
5. Stephen’s Gap Cave Hike
- 1 hour and 53 minutes from Birmingham
- 1.4 miles total
- You must obtain a free permit from https://permits.scci.org and make an account to visit. This will provide you with the gate code needed for entry as well as a parking pass
- Wear shoes with good grip. The cave is wet and slippery
- You can obtain permits to rappel into the cave but you must possess the skill and equipment required to do so. People have died doing this
- All Trails Link
6. Alabama Safari Park
- 1 hour and 34 minutes from Birmingham
- Park at the visitor’s center and buy your ticket and a bucket (or 2) of food
- Drive through the Safari in your own vehicle and feed animals through the window of your car
- Zebras, camels, cows, llamas, birds, and many more will come to your window to be fed and are not at all shy
- There are also giraffes near the entrance that you can walk up to and feed over the fence
- Adult admission is $22 per person and kids get in for $17 each
- Link to website
7. Providence Canyon Hike
- 3 hours from Birmingham
- Hike into the canyon and do 2.6 miles total on the canyon floor or hike the Canyon Perimeter for 2.1 miles of views of the Canyon from the top
- I personally think the Canyon Perimeter provides better views and is more enjoyable
- Both hikes are easy
- Grab lunch in Columbus, GA afterward. I recommend My Boulange & Tower Pizza for French cuisine and macaroons next to a mini Eiffel Tower. Then grab a coffee at Iron Bank Coffee Co (an old bank repurposed into a cool coffee shop) and walk to Chattahoochee River Walk
- Grab a beer at The Cannon Brew Pub
8. Cloudland Canyon Hike
- 2 hours and 5 minutes from Birmingham
- 1.1 miles total
- “Moderate” on All Trails
- Follow signs to both “Hemlock Falls” and “Cherokee Falls” and see 2 different waterfalls
- Very do able for all skill levels. Lots of stairs down to the falls
- Link to hike on All Trails
9. Tigers for Tomorrow Animal Preserve
- 1 hour and 18 minutes away
- See over 160 animals including tigers, mountain lions, African lions, ligers, bears, wolves, black leopards, ocelots, tortoises and more
- Of note- these animals have been rescued from less desirable situations and CANNOT be integrated back into the wild safely
- This is a non-profit organization and your admission fee goes towards care for the animals
- Make reservations at Tigers For Tomorrow Home
- $25 per person
10. Caney Creek Falls Hike
- 1 hour 25 minutes from Birmingham
- 1.7 miles total
- Easy hike
- All trails will take you to private property where you CAN NOT park and will be towed if you park on the road. Use google maps and it will take you down a short dirt road to a new trailhead where you will follow the signs to the parking
Adventure is closer than you think! Enjoy.
Also check out my other post for outdoor adventures within Birmingham: 14 Outdoorsy Things to Do in Birmingham AL | All the Way Alanna
-Alanna