NationalGeographicTravellerAustraliaandNewZealandWinter2018

80 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER

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Birmingham

ALABAMA

It began life as a steel centre in 1871 and soon became Alabama’s biggest metropolis, earning it the
nickname Magic City. That industry is long gone but still honoured at the Sloss Furnaces. It closed
in 1971, but became a National Historic Landmark and cultural centre. Take a self-guided tour and
check out the metal-arts workshops or catch a concert. A statue of Vulcan, the Roman god of iron,
watches over the city from Vulcan Park and Museum, and this is a great spot from where to get
your bearings. Also worth exploring are some of the revitalised neighbourhoods, like Avondale,
woodlawn and the Loft District, which are dotted with hip bars, restaurants and shops.

EAT THIS

Get a full menu of southern classics

at Saw’s Juke Joint. its walls are

lined in vintage signs, there’s often

live blues musicians and it’s a self-

described ‘upscale dive’. Order the

pork ’n’ greens or barbecue chicken

with white sauce then load up on

sides like fried green tomatoes,

onion rings and sweet potato fries.

SEE THAT

there was once a time when life

was very different in alabama. it

was at the centre of the civil rights

movement and the city was once

known as Bombingham, such was

the violence that rocked it. Follow

the Birmingham Civil Rights

Heritage Trail, which traces march

routes and marks sites of note,

including the 16th Street Baptist

church and kelly ingram Park, in

a six-block area. Be sure to stop

at the Birmingham Civil Rights

Institute, where the Movement

Gallery tells the harrowing,

heartbreaking tales of the battle for

civil rights between 1955 and 1963.

DON’T MISS

Whether or not you’re a petrol

head, you’ll want to visit Barber

Motorsports Park. it hosts the

indy Grand Prix in april and

Motoamerica Superbikes in

September, but is also home to

the Barber Vintage Motorsports

Museum. in 1988, local

businessman and former race-

car driver George Barber began

collecting classic cars then vintage

motorcycles. now the museum

holds more than 1400 motorbikes,

the world’s most extensive lotus

collection and rare racing cars.

AFTER DARK

if you’re around on Saturday night,

there’s only one place to be: Gip’s

Place. it’s a proper, old-school juke

joint in a tin-roofed roadhouse in

Bessemer, about 30 kilometres from

Birmingham. the walls are festooned

with posters of blues legends, and

the same style is coming from the

stage. Just don’t forget to BYO beer.

THAT ONE TIME OF YEAR

not everyone wants to hang out in a

field, exposed to impending weather,

during a music festival. thankfully,

during august, the bars and small

venues of downtown Birmingham

are taken over by Secret Stages. Set

your sights on checking out as many

of the more than 60 up-and-coming

bands on the bill as possible because

the next big thing or your favourite

new act might well be among them.

A memorial to

Martin Luther

King in Kelly

Ingram Park.

Henry ‘Gip’ Gipson at his

eponymous juke joint.