Things to do with kids in Birmingham

12 family-friendly places in Birmingham: zoos, aquariums, playgrounds and more.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Do
Alabama State Fair
Like most state fairs, what began as a way for Alabama farmers to show off their livestock and produce has evolved over the years into a much larger spectacle. The fair lasts ten days and attracts visitors with exciting carnival rides, yummy food and drink, a petting zoo, live music performances mostly in the country & western genre, and even a full-fledged circus with parading elephants and acrobats on the flying trapeze. The venue is the Birmingham Race Course at the far east end of town.
Mid-September; check website for hours of operation$10; children 5-12, seniors over 62, and active military $5; ride passes $25
See
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and Motorsports Park
The park is meticulously well-kept. IndyCar and Superbike racing will thrill any visitor. This is truly world-class racing in a park that one would expect to see only in Europe or in a much larger city.
Mon-Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun noon-6PM; museum closes one hour earlier Oct-Mar$10, children 4-12 $6
See
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Interpretive museum and research center, where you can learn about the struggle for civil rights through such engaging exhibits as a mocked-up 1950s-era segregated city, a replica of a Freedom Riders bus from Mississippi, and even the actual door from the cell in Birmingham Jail where Dr. Martin Luther King was held (see below). Researchers have at their disposal an expansive archive of documents and recordings.
Tue-Sat 10AM-5PMAdults $15, seniors 65+ $13, college students, children grades 4-12 $13, children grades 3 and under free.
See
Birmingham Zoo
More than 750 animals, including cheetahs, cobras, lions and anteaters.
Labor Day-Memorial Day: daily 9AM-5PM; Memorial Day-Labor Day: Mon Wed-Thu 9AM-5PM, Tue Fri-Sun 9AM-7PMGeneral $11, children 2-12 & seniors 65+ free
See
McWane Science Center
This is a place where kids can explore science. Some of the highlights are the World of Water with fish and other aquatic life and the Alabama Collections Center with fossils and pre-Columbian artifacts.
Sept-May: Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM, Sat 11AM-6PM, Sun noon-6PM; June-Aug: Mon-Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun Noon-6PMExhibit halls: adults $9, children 2-12 & seniors 65+ $8, children under 2 free; exhibits and IMAX:$14/12/free
Eat
Melt
Melt has been serving gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches to hungry Birminghamsters since 2011, first out of their food truck and now at their brick-and-mortar location in Avondale. The menu comprises about a half-dozen varieties that you can further customize with your choice of meats or veggie toppings, along with a few salads and appetizers. Quick and attentive service is all the more impressive given how busy the place constantly is. Good option for families.
Tue-Thu 11AM-9PM, Fri Sat 11AM-9:30PM$10–15
Buy
Pepper Place Market
There's plenty to interest the visitor at the old Dr. Pepper bottling plant out by Sloss Furnaces, but the marquee attraction is this local weekend farmers' and artisans' market that runs from mid-April to mid-December, rain or shine. You'll find the same sort of fresh produce as at the Alabama Farmers Market, but you can also "shop local" for an ever-changing selection of artisan honey, prepared foods, toiletries, candles, arts and crafts, ad nauseam — or take in a live band, attend a long list of seminars and product demonstrations, or enjoy fun kids' activities.
Sat 7AM-noon
Eat
Saigon Noodle House
Locals are divided on what to think of the pho at Saigon Noodle House: some complain about imbalanced ingredients (heavy on noodles, light on meat) and an overall lack of authenticity; others rave about the generous portions at bargain prices. If you're hungry for something else, there's also a full slate of banh mi sandwiches, vermicelli noodle bowls, stir-fried mains with rice or noodles — even a kids' menu. The ambience is a cut above what you'd expect from a suburban strip-mall location, too.
Daily 11AM-9PM
See
Southern Museum of Flight
If you're interested in aviation history, this is the place to go. The museum has more than 100 aircraft on display, both civilian and military (among them a Wright flyer replica), as well as plane parts, photographs and other artifacts.
Tue-Sat 9:30AM-4:30PMAdults $5, seniors & students $4, children under 4 and active military members free
Do
Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival
The end of August sees the Historic 4th Avenue Business District, once the most prominent African-American commercial center in the city, swing to the strains of jazz music courtesy of a bevy of acts both locally-based and nationally-known. Bring the youngsters down to the Kids' Zone, learn to swing dance, or tuck in to a meal from one of Birmingham's best food trucks (they don't call it the "Taste" of 4th Avenue for nothing!)
End of August
Do Not mapped
Birmingham Artwalk
Much like the Magic City Art Connection, art is only the beginning of the story at the Birmingham ArtWalk: it's a multifaceted street party that takes over the Loft District in early September with art, live music, food and drink, and street performances. But by comparison with its springtime counterpart, the ArtWalk seems to not take itself so seriously: there's no competition pitting artists against each other, but rather a convivial and notably family-friendly vibe, with lots of activities for young folks.
Do Not mapped
Magic City Art Connection
Not just a juried art festival showcasing the work of nearly 200 artists from Birmingham and across the nation working in a wide variety of media, but also a multifaceted extravaganza that takes over every last full weekend in April with live music, a "Corks & Chefs" event where local culinary talent takes center stage, and an engaging slate of kids' programming.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Birmingham (CC BY-SA 4.0).