Birmingham's only antebellum home pre-dated the city's founding in 1871. Arlington Antebellum Home is a fully restored Greek revival mansion built between 1845 and 1850 and set on beautifully-landscaped grounds. The mansion houses wonderful antiques and a collection of decorative arts from around the world. Truly a visit to a more genteel time. Two annual festivals, the Arlington Country Fair and Christmas at Arlington, are held here.

Gardens of roses, camellias, wildflowers, ferns and irises flourish in this quiet, panoramic setting. A Japanese garden and teahouse, serene in their simplicity, are high points of your tour. You will also find the largest greenhouse in the Southeast.

Take a meandering walk on the wild side, visiting over 1000 animals and birds housed in their natural habitats. The zoo features ongoing and constantly changing special exhibitions, as well as many "interactivities" for children.

This area features the Civil Rights Institute and Museum, Kelly Ingram Park and Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. Also nearby in the district is the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and historic Carver Theater for the Performing Arts. Honoring Birmingham native and Temptations lead singer Eddie Kendrick, is the Eddie Kendrick Memorial Park, just down the block. The area is east of the downtown business district.

The site of one of the most horrific occurrences of the American Civil Rights Movement (a bomb shattered the quiet of a Sunday morning and took the lives of four young girls), the 16th Street Baptist Church is a landmark to both people's inhumanity and their capacity for love and forgiveness. The congregation is vibrant, and the sanctuary quite beautiful with its Wales stained glass window. Please make sure to call ahead to schedule a tour of the church.