Abbey At Vestavia Falls

Every city has a Cheers-style bar, and in Birmingham, it's Lou's Pub & Package Store. This local favorite finds people from all walks of life gathering around the bar and enjoying a few beverages while talking about their day. Patio seating is available, and in addition to featuring an impressively stocked bar, Lou's is also famous for its fine homemade cigars. This haunt has been a part of the area's nightlife since 1987, so make sure to take the time to stop in!

The Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival is held every August in Birmingham. The celebration is an opportunity for young and aspiring filmmakers to have their work presented to audiences who are just as enthusiastic about the art of creating a memorable movie. The event is an important acknowledgment of independent film and cinema, and attracts some of the most creative minds from all over the world. Also, it is an opportunity to meet key people as various mixers and receptions take place between screenings.

The rumble of a motor is a sound that we may take for granted today, but when motorcycles first appeared, the noise attracted lots of attention in more ways than one. When you visit the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, you can travel back in time and retrace some of the most significant aspects of the history of these vehicles. The museum is the home of the world's largest motorcycle collection that now features over 1,200 vintage and modern bikes. These range in age from a motorcycle that dates back to 1902 to the current models produced this year. Also, see common street bikes as well as rare Gran Prix race machinery when you visit this highly engaging facility.

The grooves are still spinning at Charlemagne Record Exchange in Birmingham. The staff gets kudos for not only being extremely knowledgeable, but they are uproariously funny and always try to help you find what you're looking for. And there is plenty of vinyl through which you can rummage. Various LPs and 45s are stocked, and you will want to flip though them all—you never know what you will find. If you select a few discs that you would like to preview, the listening station complete with a turntable and headphones will allow you spin it before you take it home!