Davenport’s Pizza Palace
$$Birmingham
Family-owned since 1964, with dough and sauce made from scratch, old movie pictures on the walls and vintage video games.
Sat 11am–10pm · Sun 4:30–9pmSite ↗ for Davenport’s Pizza Palace
OCT 16 – 22 Birmingham · The Magic City
Birmingham weekend plans for little kids, found and checked for you.
Hoots & Howls fills the Birmingham Zoo with a noon costume parade, a Dino Dance party and magic shows this weekend. Bluff Park’s free Bash on the Bluff has a train ride and petting zoo, and Homewood celebrates its 100th birthday with a free citywide picnic from 2 to 7.
This week: 19 outings at 11 places, each one linked to the page we checked it on. How we check
Top 5 picks
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Saturday, sorted
A Saturday that actually works.
Here’s how we’d do Saturday, Oct 17. Two things from this week’s list, plus one of our regulars from Around town. Tap a stop for the details.
MORNINGHoots & Howls at the Birmingham Zoo10am–4pm · Birmingham Zoo · Included with zoo admission; optional $15 Candy Trail wristband- LUNCHAround townDavenport’s Pizza PalaceOpen 11am–10pm · Birmingham · $$ (opens their site)
- NAPHome by 1:30 for nap. Car seat, stroller, whatever works.
AFTER NAPHomewood Centennial Picnic2–7pm · Homewood Central Park · Free
Times come from each event’s page or the place’s own site. Plans change, so check before you head out. Print this plan
Every outing this week
Find your thing
Around town11 spots · checked Oct 16
The Birmingham places we go back to, again and again.
Not this week’s events, just the reliable stuff. Where to eat with a toddler, where to burn off energy when it rains, where to splash, what’s worth the admission, and where to spend a night without going far.
Eat
Kid-friendly restaurants
Places where a dropped fork is no big deal and nobody minds a little noise.
Hamburger Heaven
$Homewood, Hwy 280, Gardendale and Irondale
A local burger counter since 1982, with breakfast, hand-breaded tenders, and kids’ mini hamburgers and cheeseburgers.
SAW’s BBQ
$$Homewood, Avondale, Hoover and more
Carolina-style pulled pork, chicken and ribs, with sides like mac and cheese, beans and baked potatoes.
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Birmingham that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
Play
Indoor play and rainy days
For rainy mornings, cold afternoons and anyone who needs to run in circles for an hour.
$16.95Kids
McWane Science Center
Downtown, 200 19th St. N.
Hands-on science downtown, with an IMAX Dome and the Itty Bitty Magic City play area for little kids.
Tickets
- Adults $20.95
$$
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Civil Rights District, downtown
Self-guided galleries that take about 90 minutes. Better for school-age kids; children below fourth grade get in free.
Tickets
- Adults $15
- Children below grade 4 free
Seniors, military and students $13
Tue–Sat 10am–5pm (last entry 4pm) · closed Sun–MonSite ↗ for Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Birmingham that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
Splash & ride
Parks and outdoor play
Pools, fountains, zoos and theme parks: the big all-day outings.
DowntownFree
Railroad Park
A free downtown park along the railroad tracks, with lawns, ponds and free community programs.
Daily 7am–11pmSite ↗ for Railroad Park
Lane Park, Mountain BrookFree
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Free gardens next to the zoo, with plenty of paths for a stroller.
West BirminghamFree
Red Mountain Park
More than 1,500 acres on the Red Mountain ridge, with over 18 miles of trails, treehouses and a sensory trail. No parking or admission fee.
Red Mountain$
Vulcan Park & Museum
Ride up the world’s largest cast-iron statue for a view over the city, then walk the 2-mile Vulcan Trail. Cash isn’t accepted.
Tickets
- Kids $4
- Adults $8
- Under 5 free
+ tax (ages 5–12); + tax (13+)
Sun–Thu 10am–8pm · Fri–Sat 10am–9pmSite ↗ for Vulcan Park & Museum
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Birmingham that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
Explore
Museums, zoos and big outings
Museums, animals and farm days that hold a little one’s attention.
Birmingham Zoo
$$Lane Park
A big zoo with the Red Diamond Express train and an adventure tower.
Tickets
- Kids 2–12 $19
- Adults $24
- Under 2 free
Tax included; seniors $20
Daily 9am–5pm (last entry 4pm)Site ↗ for Birmingham Zoo
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Birmingham that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
Stay
Staycations and overnight trips
A night away without a long drive. New bed, same bedtime.
≈30 minutes · Pelham$
Oak Mountain State Park
Alabama’s largest state park, at 11,861 acres, with two beaches, six fishing lakes, a playground and the Alabama Wildlife Center.
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Birmingham that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
These don’t change week to week. Last checked . Hours and prices change, so check the place’s own site before you go. Know a spot we missed? Tell us at hello@littlesweekly.com.
On the horizon
Coming up
OCT 23 – 29Halloween weekendMore trick-or-treating, a few costume parades and some gentle spooky stuff. The list goes out next Friday.Get it in your inbox →
OCT 31Trick-or-treat night guideNeighborhood hours and the streets that are easy with a stroller. Early ones too, for kids who are asleep by 7.Get notified →
NOVEMBERFirst holiday lightsThe first holiday lights in town, and which ones you can see before bedtime.See it first →
Good questions
Outings for little ones in Birmingham: the FAQ
What can I do with a little one in Birmingham this weekend?
This week we found 19 outings that work for kids ages 0–6. Our top three: Hoots & Howls at the Birmingham Zoo, Bash on the Bluff, Homewood Centennial Picnic. See the full list.
Are there free things to do with little ones in Birmingham this week?
Yes, 17 of this week’s 19 picks are free, including library storytimes and Bash on the Bluff. Tap “Free” in Find your thing.
What are good indoor activities for kids in Birmingham when it rains?
16 picks this week are indoors, mostly library programs and shows. Tap “Rainy-day OK” in Find your thing.
Where can I find storytimes and toddler activities in Birmingham?
This week we list 15 library storytimes and baby or toddler programs. Each one links to the library or venue page with the time and place. See them in the list.
How do you pick what goes on the list?
We look at venue and library calendars and local family pages every week. Each listing links to the page we checked it on, and where the organizer or venue has its own page, we confirm the details there. We lean toward things that fit around naps and don’t need a long walk.
How do I get this list every week?
Sign up for the Friday email at the bottom of the page. It’s one short email, and you can unsubscribe any time.
For local businesses
Running something for little kids in Birmingham?
If it’s good for the under-6 crowd, we’d like to hear about it. Free events go on the list for free, always. If you want a guaranteed spot at the top or in the Friday email, there’s a sponsored option too, and it’s clearly labeled. We’re just getting started, so the first 10 local partners in each city get 50% off your first booking.
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