Where to Live in Birmingham Without a Car

Birmingham, Alabama is such a beautiful and vibrant city. There are an amazing amount of things to do in the largest city in Alabama and you don’t necessarily need a car to do them. Moving to a new city, especially such a big one, can be incredibly daunting. Many of the areas that people live are great for getting to know the beauty of Alabama and the artistry, history and culture of the city of Birmingham. Finding a new place to live can be even more difficult than the act of moving, but there is help in the form of a real estate website that helps find you real time listing prices, personal real estate agent directory for that specific area and advice blog posts on how to make the most of your time in the area. Birmingham is a city to be enjoyed, so let’s find some areas where you can enjoy it, even without your own personal transportation. It should be noted that there is public transportation available in Birmingham and the surrounding areas. The system is called the BJCTA or the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority.

Hoover, Al

Hoover, Birmingham is a city like no other in the state of Alabama. It is a region within the Birmingham-Hoover, AL metropolitan statistical area with a population of 84,126 people since the 2013 consensus. The city of Hoover continues to grow and improve, as the area has seen a major jump in steel manufacturing and financial banking. If you find yourself thinking that these big Fortune 500 companies are all that there is to offer, think again. Hoover is a great place to be closer to the nightlife while still maintaining the comfort you want at home. Hoover, Alabama is roughly 10 miles from the heart of mid- and downtown Birmingham. But, don’t let that distance on paper distract you from seeing what is all around the area. The largest shopping center in the Southeast region is the Riverchase Galleria, located only two miles from the heart of Hoover. It has shops of all kinds, restaurants to indulge in on the weekends, office space for the entrepreneur in you, and even hotels nearby for those nights you want to get away. If shopping is not your thing, you can get a baseball game ticket to watch the Birmingham Barons Minor League Baseball team that plays at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium only five miles from the heart of the city. The area around Hoover continues to be amazing, as it is strewn alongside the Appalachian Mountains, giving a serene picture to the city life and your future home base. If you are a young professional, just starting out as a family, or just want to try moving someplace new, Hoover, Birmingham, AL is the place you need to visit, see and enjoy. Hoover does have several cycling trails for fitness and recreation, however there are not very many paths that are friendly for a daily commute.

Red Mountain, AL

There is so much more than just the city life when it comes to enjoying your new home in Birmingham, AL. Red Mountain is an idyllic mountain range that entices the outdoorsy kind of newcomers and seasoned mountain explorers alike. The housing community of Red Mountain is just five miles from the heart of Birmingham, AL and a few miles southwest of that is the Red Mountain Park. The 1500-acre Red Mountain Park was a mining area in the early 1800’s and 1900’s and closed officially and completely in 1962. The park is now open to the public and still holds some of the history left behind, completely safe and interesting to learn.

Red Mountain Park also has many thrilling things to share with friends and family during your venture into the area, such as two overlooks of the heart of the city of downtown Birmingham, three historic ore mining sites you can explore, and three different and varying treehouses all along the 14-mile trail system designated safely by the city to fully enjoy the geocaching, hiking & biking, the Schaffer Segway tours, and Remy’s Dog Park for you and your pup. Red Mountain and its park are a great area to live in that you can get to and from without your car and can enjoy without the hustle and bustle of the city. Red Mountain has over 12 miles of bike-friendly trails, but again, none that are good for a daily commute to work or school.

Titusville, AL

When taking into consideration that Birmingham is such a large city, the reality of many young people continuing their education in more affordable cities comes to mind. Titusville is only six miles from the heart of Birmingham and within two miles of the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Another area which is about five miles south of Titusville, is home to Samford University. This proximity means that the young energy that makes up the city nightlife is close by and many businesses will continue to flourish as many of the younger demographics continue going to the University of their choice in the area to get a higher education. The area is definitely a starter area, as it is reminiscent of a small and quaint town with a high potential for growth in surrounding businesses and population. But, with its close proximity to restaurants and shops near the University and close to the city of Birmingham, you won’t need much to enjoy your stay and your new home in and around Titusville, AL. Because Titusville is so close to major universities in the area, unlike the other two areas, there are plenty of bike routes available.

These communities of Hoover, Red Mountain, and Titusville all have something different to offer you as you decide where to live in Birmingham. Once you come to visit your area of choice, it is only a few miles to the next one. Beautiful landscape follows along all of Alabama and Birmingham is just one of the areas in the state that has availability and accessibility for you, with or without the usual transportation. There are still many ways to get where you are going; you just need to see which place is the place you can begin something new, something great, and something that is all you.