Birmingham AL to Atlanta drive: Distance, time & best stops

The distance from Birmingham AL to Atlanta by car is 147 miles, with a 2h10m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Birmingham to Atlanta drive are Talladega, the Talladega National Forest and the Pine Mountain Gold Museum.

Planning a Birmingham AL to Atlanta road trip itinerary

The drive from Birmingham, Alabama, to Atlanta, Georgia, connects two Southern cities rich in history.

Atlanta played a massive part in the Civil Rights movement, and a black history and civil rights tour taking in the city’s Martin Luther King Jr sites is pretty much a must-do.

Elsewhere, Zoo Atlanta, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History and the Atlanta Botanic Garden cater to nature-lovers, while the High Museum of Art and Margaret Mitchell House are key cultural sites.

For more Atlanta experiences, try a sightseeing trolley tour for orientation and overview. Or a guided bike ride to get a better feel for the neighbourhoods.

Other Atlanta favourites include the World of Coca Cola, Midtown food and cocktail tours and multi-brewery beer tours.

Birmingham, Alabama, has a rich civil rights heritage. This is best explored on a civil rights tour which links the key sites and, crucially, puts them into context. Other Birmingham experiences include ghost walks and multi-brewery beer tours.

For museums, you’ve got the McWane Science Center, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark. 

If planning to visit several of them, a Birmingham Area Multi-Attraction Pass will save you money.

Birmingham to Atlanta distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Birmingham AL to Atlanta is 147 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 10 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-20.

The best stops to add to a Birmingham to Atlanta road trip itinerary are Talladega, the Talladega National Forest and the Pine Mountain Gold Museum.

Best stops between Birmingham AL and Atlanta: Talladega, Alabama

For those who like their driving fast and exhilarating, Talledega AL is something of a pilgrimage site. The Talladega Super Speedway is known as NASCAR’s most competitive track. It’s also home to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, which celebrates history’s greatest racing drivers and speed record breakers.

Birmingham to Atlanta drive: Talladega National Forest

The vast Talladega National Forest was set up to protect new growth pine trees after the timber industry devastated the originals. The best way of exploring is on the 29 mile Talladega Scenic Drive, which starts down state route 281 near Heflin.

This scenic drive packs in several lookouts, and climbs to 2,407ft with magical views of the Appalachian Mountains. There are several waterfalls near the route, should you wish to park up and go for a walk.

Birmingham to Atlanta road trip attractions: Pine Mountain Gold Museum

In Stockmar Park, Georgia, the Pine Mountain Gold Museum heads through former gold mines. The star attraction for most visitors is the Golden Nugget train, which chugs along a mountain railway.

The Pine Mountain Gold Museum also offers scenic walking trails, farm animals and the opportunity to pan for gold and gemstones.

More Atlanta travel

Other Atlanta travel guides on Planet Whitley include:

• Visiting the home of the Gone With The Wind author – Margaret Mitchell House.
• Guides to state parks near Atlanta: Sweetwater Creek State Park, Panola Mountain State Park, Red Top Mountain State Park.
• Getting to Atlanta: The best stops on the Detroit to Atlanta drive, Memphis to Atlanta drive and Nashville to Atlanta drive.
• Atlanta road trips: The best stops on the Atlanta to Montgomery drive.
• Road trips from Atlanta to Florida: Where to stop on the Atlanta to Gainesville drive, Atlanta to Tallahassee drive and Atlanta to Tampa drive.