Are you thinking of moving to Birmingham, Alabama soon? Are you still needing a few more pros to overweigh those cons so you can make that final decision? If you are finding yourself in a situation similar to this one, this article can help you go over some more pros of moving to Birmingham, Alabama, and help you make that decision.
To learn more about some of the reasons you should move to Birmingham, Alabama, keep reading!
1. Job Opportunities Are Endless
Finding a job in Birmingham is not a challenge. There are endless job opportunities in all fields and if not having a job already set up in the area prior to moving there is something that is causing any hesitancy, you can have peace of mind that because of the thriving job market that’s there you shouldn’t have too much of an issue finding a job. If you already have a job lined up in the area and are debating on taking it and that is what the hold up is for making the decision to move, know that if you try out the job and decide you don’t like it after the first six months or so, you have other options available to you.
2. It’s Not Expensive To Live There
For many people who are deciding whether or not to move somewhere new, finances are usually a top item of concern on their minds. There may be a concern as to the expensive nature of moving somewhere new and settling in a new apartment or house with prices higher than you would like. In Birmingham, you don’t have to worry about prices of living being astronomically high and how that may affect your budget. Both either renting and buying are fairly doable here and should not in any way prevent you from moving to Birmingham if that is what you decide to do.
3. Civil Rights Movement History Is Rich
You may already know of Birmingham, Alabama as one of the locations that were a key place of action in the Civil Rights Movement. If you are looking for a place to live that is rich in history, this is a good place to be. A lot of the residents have a deep respect for the Civil Rights Movement and the events that specifically occurred in Birmingham. If you yourself would like to gain a deeper understanding and respect for the Civil Rights Movement and for the events that took place there, Birmingham is a great place to learn more about it, especially from the residents that live there and want to share that.
4. Local Food Is Nothing You’ve Experienced Before
If you think you’ve experienced Southern cooking before moving to Birmingham you have yet to have the Southern cooking from Alabama which is arguably better than any other Southern cooking you’ve ever had. Some of the local’s favorites include fried chicken, barbecue ribs, pulled pork, biscuits, greens, and of course, grits. If good food is a big factor in determining whether or not you move somewhere, the Southern food you will find in Alabama will be a no-brainer factor in making that final decision on whether or not to move there.
5. Countless Educational Museums To Visit
There are countless museums you can visit in Birmingham. All of which range from the categories of art, history, cars, science, and sports. Needless you say if you love museums you have options to choose from and a wide variety of topics that are of interest to so many. If you aren’t really that interested in going to a museum about cars but are interested in going to a museum about sports you are in luck! Whatever museum you visit, there is potential for both educational learning as well as fun entertainment. If you have lived in an area without a lot of museums, you will surely get your museum experience here!
6. College Football Fans Will Thrive
If you are a college football fan you are in luck by living in Birmingham. There are multiple teams in the area including the University of Alabama, Samford University, and Auburn University. If you aren’t already a dedicated fan of any or all of these teams, you soon will be if you move to Birmingham. If you live in Birmingham and are a football team you very quickly become a fan of one or all of those home teams and that is a big part of the culture of the community there. If you don’t like football all that much but want to, Birmingham is a great place to get into football and learn to love it as much as the locals!
7. Outdoor Activity Options Are Neverending
Those who love doing any outdoor activity or thrive in the great outdoors will thrive in the neverending options of outdoor activities there are to enjoy and participate in Birmingham. One of the most popular outdoor activities that locals love is hiking Rufner Mountain, which has several different hiking trails of varying difficulty levels. Another popular outdoor activity is walking or driving through Vulcan Park and walking around the trees and seeing the world’s largest cast-iron statue that is located in that park. The Birmingham Zoo and Botanical Gardens are also fun especially if you have younger children.
8. Not Everywhere Is Open On Sundays
The majority of people may see this as a con, but it can also be a pro. Not everywhere in Birmingham is open on Sundays. While this could be seen as an inconvenience that you can’t go everywhere on Sunday you can on the other days of the week, this could help if you are looking for opportunities to slow down and not be on the go all the time. The benefit of not having access on Sundays to everything you typically do is that you are able to then prioritize your time during the week doing other things so you can then relax and spend time doing the things you want to do during the weekends including Sunday.
9. Music Lovers Will Be Thoroughly Entertained
Avid concertgoers, music lovers, and festival fanatics will love that there are constantly new music events happening in Birmingham. If you are moving from a larger city that has big-name music artists touring into that town frequently, and are worried about losing that perk, don’t worry because Birmingham gets that too and you will not be let down. While there are big names that come and perform often, a lot of the locals also love the smaller, lesser-known artists that perform in local, more intimate venues as well that are entertaining to attend as well.
10. Plenty Of Fairs And Festivals To Attend
In addition to a large number of music events, there are to find in Birmingham, there are also plenty of fairs and festivals to attend all year round. For example, you can attend the Athens Grease Festival which is a festival that has tons of vendors that sell your favorite greasy, heart-attack-inducing foods, as well as the National Peanut Festival, the Rattlesnake Rodeo, and the Alabama State Fair. If you are someone who gets “FOMO” extremely easily, you will not want to miss out on any of these events, and you would love all of the smaller events that are held in between the bigger, more well-known ones.
11. Baseball Fans Will Never Be Bored
Just as football fans have their teams and those who are fans of baseball have the same perk! The Birmingham Barons and the baseball team of the University of Alabama are popular ones that the locals will go to and watch their games frequently. When you’re not busy watching baseball games, you can visit Rickwood Field, which is the oldest baseball field in the U.S. where you can tour and learn some historical facts about the stadium as well as the game. Baseball fans are well taken care of in Birmingham so if you love baseball, Birmingham is a good place to be.
12. Craft Breweries Are Everywhere
The locals of Birmingham take pride in the amount and quality of craft breweries they have in town. If food isn’t really that big of a deal when you are considering a new place to move to and beer is then you are in luck. Craft beer is a big deal in Birmingham and if you aren’t already a craft beer person you will shortly become one after spending a little time in Birmingham. There are lots of craft breweries to choose from and you will just have to move there in order to try them all. Those include Avondale, TrimTab, Ghost Train, Good People Brewing, and more.
13. Award-Winning Dining Options
If either the southern cooking or the craft beer fails to get you to come to Birmingham, the award-winning dining options that are available surely will. If you are worried that all the dining options available are barbeque and breweries, you would be incorrect. There are a number of high-end, award-winning restaurants that are available for a nice date night, a special occasion, or just because. Highlands Bar and Grill is a popular option for a high-end dining experience. Gianmarco is a classy Italian restaurant that will give you an authentic Italy experience while still in Alabama.
14. Nightlife Is Alive & Well
Those who have dedicated night owls and thrive on the weekends in the nightlife at their favorite clubs will be happy to hear that the nightlife scene is alive and well in Birmingham and you will not be disappointed in the options there are to have a good time in Birmingham. The Atomic Bar & Lounge is a popular spot to grab a drink and enjoy some dancing and music. If you are looking for a more lowkey option Oasis bar is a good option to listen to local bands play and enjoy a few drinks with friends. If you aren’t really a nightlife person but are wanting to try some new things out, Birmingham has options.
15. Stellar University Opportunities
If you have kids who are in high school and are at a point where they are starting to look into colleges, as stated before in regard to the numerous football teams in Birmingham, there are multiple universities and colleges that are of stellar reputations that would be worth considering if you choose to move closer to the campuses. These university options include the University of Alabama – Birmingham, and private colleges like Samford, Miles, and Birmingham-Southern. There are also well-respected law schools in the area including Miles Law School, Cumberland School of Law, and Birmingham School of Law.
16. Public Transportation Is Easily Accessible
The public transportation system in Birmingham is extremely easy to access and it should not be a hold-up to moving there if you do not own a personal vehicle to get around. The public transportation system in Birmingham includes a bus system, a train system, or either an Uber or a Lyft. There are multiple ways to get around the city and are fairly inexpensive. If you have a car, it would be best to use your car to get around, but the benefit of not having a car is that there are several other methods for you to be able to get around so you shouldn’t feel pressure to get a car immediately after moving to Birmingham.
17. Birmingham’s BBQ Is A Magical Experience
Not only is the southern cooking better in Birmingham, but Birmingham also has some of the best BBQs in the whole South. Once you try it you will never want to eat BBQ anywhere else. If you haven’t tried white barbeque sauce, that is reason enough alone to move to Birmingham in order to try that. Some of the local favorite BBQ spots are Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q, Saw’s BBQ, and Full Moon BBQ. It would be a lot to try all of these in just a trip to Birmingham, so in order to try all of these delicious BBQ places, it would be best just to move there.
