Two frequently visited kids attractions in Birmingham are Alabama Adventure Water & Theme Park and Birmingham Zoo. Alabama Adventure, combining a water and theme park into one setting, is the largest of its kind in Alabama. Kids can spend the entire day tubing, sliding, riding roller coasters and gorging on funnel cakes till their tummies ache. The park is open from April to September. Single day tickets and seasonal passes are available. Birmingham Zoo, open year round, houses more than 200 species of mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians. Kids will gawk at the lions, laugh at the red kangaroos, and cheer on seal lions at the Splash Demonstration. Alabama Adventure and Birmingham Zoo have special areas for birthday parties.
Birmingham, situated in Northern Alabama, is surrounded by miles of nature. Kids can enjoy hiking, swimming, canoeing, picnicking and playing in the many state and local parks. Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama's largest state park, offers an elevated walkway in the treetops, giving kids a new perspective of nature. The park features biking, hiking, swimming, fishing and canoeing areas and a wildlife center. Other great outdoor attractions for kids in the Birmingham area are Caldwell Park, Alabama Veterans Memorial Park, Aldridge Botanical Gardens and Moss Rock Preserve.
Two thought-provoking and fun attractions for kids is Sloss Furnace National Historic Landmark and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Sloss Furnace has produced iron for nearly a century. The iron industry was the economic engine of Birmingham, driving the city to the forefront of Southern industry. The landmark foundry offers tours, seminars, workshops, lessons and birthday parties. Birmingham was the epicenter of the Civil Rights Movement. This is the place where Martin Luther King Jr. famously wrote his "Letters from a Birmingham Jail." The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute chronicles the long struggle for race equality in America. The institute has special exhibitions directed towards kids, like Heritage Alive and Juneteenth.
You can you find the largest cast iron statue in the world overlooking Birmingham. Casted in 1904, the statue symbolizes the importance of iron in the city's history, and commemorates Vulcan, the Roman god of the foundry. The museum brings to life Birmingham's iron history, and recounts the lives of people who created the city's foundation. Other Birmingham museums are the McWane Science Center, Southern Museum of Flight and the Birmingham Museum of Art.
Kids and Alabama both love cars. Close to Birmingham is two great tracks to go fast: Talladega Superspeedway and Barbara Motorsports Park. Talladega Superspeedway is famous for the Talladega 500, one of NASCAR's premiere races. Hundreds of thousands of spectator make their way to the racetrack to take in a weekend of racing. But the track has racing throughout the year and other events like classic car shows. Barbara Mostorsports Park offers car and motorcycle racing throughout the year.
