Birmingham, Michigan travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Birmingham is a city in Oakland County, in Southeast Michigan.

1 sights · 1 things to do · 4 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 2 places to stay

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Birmingham

Shain Park

Located in central Birmingham, in close proximity to the Townsend Hotel, Shain park is Birmingham's main park and community gathering spot. In the center of the park resides famous artist and sculptor, Marshall Frederick…

Uptown Birmingham 8

Built as a single-screen movie theater in 1927, the Birmingham Theater was expanded in the 1990s to an 8-screen multiplex.

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 84°F; winter lows dip to about 19°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Jul. (climate data from nearby Detroit)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
DTW Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Detroit — 24 mi away (major hub). Directions
FNT Bishop International Airport, Flint — 40 mi away. Directions

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 1-day itinerary

Day 1

Morning Shain Park
Lunch Mitchell's Fish Market
Afternoon Uptown Birmingham 8
Dinner Flemings Steak House
Evening Dick O' Dow's

Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.

Food for you

Cuisine (tap to filter)

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Photos

Map

Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.

Understand

Birmingham is an upscale suburb of Detroit. As the northernmost "Streetcar Suburb" it is the furthest suburb from Detroit to feature a walkable somewhat historic downtown core with shopping, dining, and entertainment. Though long since removed, the street car line from Detroit along Woodward Avenue terminated in downtown Birmingham and made a loop to head back towards Detroit in what is now Booth Park. Likewise, the housing stock in Birmingham tends to be older and more varied than in suburbs further north such as Bloomfield Township, Troy, and West Bloomfield, but larger and more upscale than in suburbs closer to Detroit such as Royal Oak, Southfield or Berkley. Birmingham is a blend of the opulent estates and tract homes to the north and the more dense suburbs to the south.

Get in

By train

Go Amtrak (Troy Transit Center)

Train service to and from Chicago on the Wolverine Service (5–6 hours, $25–50), with many connections in Chicago. Deeply discounted tickets at short notice are often available at Amtrak's Weekly Specials page.

📍 1201 Doyle Drive (Troy)

Maps Website

Get around

Most travel through Birmingham requires a car. SMART bus service serves Birmingham but is of limited use (routes through Birmingham are only along Woodward Avenue and 15 Mile/Maple Road).

Birmingham can be most easily reached by taking Woodward or Maple road. Parking is normally easy and inexpensive, as there are multiple parking structures and lots that offers free two hour parking.

The downtown Birmingham area is quite walkable.