Railroad Park is the 7th Best City Park in the U.S. according to USA Today

Can we get a round of applause for Railroad Park? According to a recent poll by USA Today Best10, Railroad Park is the 7^th Best City Park in the U.S.

Read on to learn more.

Railroad Park serves 500,000 Birmingham residents annually

In March, USA Today readers were asked to vote for the best city park from a list of 20 nominees. Railroad Park beat out some pretty big-time landmarks, including:

• Grant Park – Chicago, Illinois
• Discovery Park – Seattle, Washington
• Boston Common – Boston, Massachusetts

“We are thrilled to be recognized by USA Today as one of the Best City Parks in the nation. Railroad Park was designed to shine a positive spotlight on Birmingham.

We are honored to do this while simultaneously bolstering economic development and providing more than 500,000 Birmingham residents and visitors each year with hundreds of events and celebrations, free health and wellness programs, and a sense of community.”

Camille Spratling, Executive Director, Railroad Park Foundation

The city parks that beat out Railroad Park?

1. Gathering Place – Tulsa, Oklahoma
2. Golden Gate Park – San Francisco, California
3. Forest Park – St. Louis, Missouri
4. Wildwood Preserve Metropark – Toledo, Ohio
5. Klyde Warren Park – Dallas, Texas
6. Ala Moana Regional Park – Honolulu, Hawaii

Highly honored city park

This is not the first time Railroad Park has been honored by a major national publication.

In 2020, Money Magazine named the city park the best in Alabama and in 2012, Railroad Park won the “Urban Open Space Award” from the Urban Land Institute.

Have you visited Railroad Park lately? What are your fondest memories? Tell us on social media by tagging us at @bhamnow!