Travel + Leisure names Birmingham one of the top underrated American cities

Travel + Leisure thinks Birmingham is underrated. Is being underrated a good thing? Do we like flying under the radar a bit, so we can keep a good thing to ourselves? Most Birmingham folks are proud to share their city with the world.

We love highlighting the cool things going on in Birmingham. We like to brag about our innovative business start-ups, the festivals, our world-class Birmingham Museum of Art, as well as our fantastic food choices and the green spaces and parks. The list could go on and on; our UAB Health System is one of the largest academic medical centers in the country, not to mention the beautiful college campuses and our 67 acre Botanical Garden, one of America’s premier gardens.

Travel + Leisure magazine posted a  story on Oct. 20, that highlighted America’s Most Underrated Cities. This is a feature they do from time to time, based on their reader’s responses to their Annual Favorite Places survey. T + L refined the list to 20 amazing American cities.

Some are large, some smaller cities, and many that aren’t considered travel destinations.

Travel + Leisure compiled a list from the Southwest to the Northeast, and yep, you guessed it, Birmingham made this list!

They featured cities like Phoenix, and Louisville. Birmingham came in at no. 8 out of the 20 underrated cities that made the list. Read the excerpt here:

Birmingham, Alabama:

If you’re looking for a less busy southern destination, try Birmingham, which has a remarkable number of green spaces and quiet, suburban areas. Don’t miss Red Mountain Park (a 1,500-acre stretch of trees and hills with a 40-foot zip line).

Of course we know there is so much more to the Magic City. Just this month Vogue, yes that one, the foremost American fashion and lifestyle magazine, did a story on our city. How Best to Spend a Weekend in Birmingham, the South’s “Magic City”

All this positive press is heartening. As Birmingham progresses, and we revitalize, it’s nice to see the rest of the country paying attention. Check out the latest stories about Birmingham, AL.

What cool spots in the city would you include, if you were writing about Birmingham? Any underrated venues you would like us spotlight? Let us know!