There are so many well-known attractions in Birmingham that it’s about time we highlighted some of the hidden gems that make this city unique.
Birmingham Oddities
Birmingham Oddities is a tiny shop located on 2300 1st Ave N, and if you don’t look hard enough, you might just pass by it and never notice. This shop offer a gallery of oddities of all kinds. Specimens range from tribal human trophy skulls to hand-made voodoo dolls. They also have great pieces from local artists. Here’s everything they advertise for on their website: medical oddities, odds-and-ends items, bones, t-shirts, books, prints, and photos. So no matter what you’re looking for, or if you have nothing specific in mind at all, you’ll be sure to love the quirkiness of this place!
And that’s not all! This store is only open on Saturday from 10am-4pm, so make some time this weekend and find something odd.
Bangor Cave
No odd travels road trip would be complete without a stop at a spooky cave that was once a speakeasy. A fair warning must be given about this place though: it is located on private property and is not open to the public, so you can visit at your own risk (even though we don’t advise it). Bangor Cave is located in Garden City, Alabama, about 40 miles north of Birmingham. The limestone cave was once one of the most famous nightspots in the South, housing a bar, bandstand and dance floor during Prohibition. It is located near a still-used railroad track off U.S. Highway 31 in the tiny community of Bangor, near Blount Springs.
Charlemagne Records
Charlemagne Records is a used record store in the Five Points South neighborhood of Birmingham. Located at 1924 1/2 11th Ave S, Charlemagne is owned by siblings Marian McKay Rosato and Mike McCay. As you walk up the stairs to this vinyl paradise, you feel like you are going to a secret shop in NYC that no one else knows about. Charlemagne houses a definitive new release section, local Alabama section, blues, reggae, rock, and new and used vinyl sections.
Books, Beans & Candles
Books, Beans & Candles is Birmingham’s largest metaphysical and coffee shoppe, specializing in the occult, Wiccan, and metaphysical supplies. This place is also Alabama’s largest seller of rare occult books. This place can be difficult to spot because it looks like your average home, so we have provided an address below. Just look for the Books, Beans & Candles sign!
Address: 1620 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd S Birmingham, AL 35205
Hours: Mon-Fri (11am-9pm) Sat-Sun (12pm-7pm)
No matter which hidden gem you decide to visit, Limbaugh Toyota can provide a means to get you there!
Disclaimer: The stock image is being used for illustrative purposes only, and it is not a direct representation of the business, recipe, or activity listed. Any person depicted in the stock image is a model.