Birmingham to Worcester coach

Birmingham may not be the capital of Alabama, but it does hold the crown as both the cultural and entertainment capital of the Cotton State. The second-most populous city, Birmingham was founded during the Reconstruction Period, which followed the American Civil War.

Quietly going about its business as an industrial powerhouse, producing much of America's iron and steel, Birmingham didn't enter the world's consciousness until the Civil Rights Movement one hundred years later. It’s one of the 8 iconic cities on our Martin Luther King, Jr. road trip, as it’s the city where Dr. King wrote his famous “Letter From a Birmingham Jail.” When visiting, be sure to stop at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute to learn more about the city’s civil rights history.

Today known as America's 'Magic City,' new life has been blown into downtown Birmingham in recent years. Its streets have been cleaned up, allowing the city's historical gems such as the Alabama Theater to shine once more both by day and by night.

The Birmingham Museum of Art contains the most extensive collection of artworks in the southeastern United States. It's connected to the nightlife districts of Five Points South, Lakeview, and Uptown by a series of charming tree-lined public squares. Close by Five Points South also lies Red Mountain's Vulcan Park, home to the world's largest cast-iron statue. It was made for the St. Louis World Fair of 1904.

Birmingham is an important regional hub linking the Deep South, the Appalachian Mountains, and Piedmont. Travelers can easily reach other noteworthy destinations in the U.S., including Dallas, Phoenix, and Montgomery, thanks to the hundreds of bus and train routes to and from Birmingham.

We dare you to pronounce it right on the first try. Named after Worcester in England, Worcester is the second-most populous city in Massachusetts. The city boasts an extensive history, particularly because of its industrial and weaponry prowess during World War II; take your dad (or your dad friend) to the Worcester Historical Museum to learn more.

For those more interested in science and nature, visit the popular EcoTarium, which includes hands-on exhibits and an outdoor campus featuring forest and meadow trails. Then, to apply your newfound natural knowledge, take a relaxing stroll through Green Hill Park to try to identify the lake's wildlife. In the evening, visit The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts to catch anything from a burlesque show, Broadway performance, or even a silent film.

Worcester's location at the heart of the state makes it easy to travel to this bustling city. Worcester has its own regional airport, or head to Boston's Logan Airport for a wider variety of flights. Amtrak trains provide daily services from Boston, and coach service is available on Greyhound, Jefferson Lines, OurBus, and Peter Pan.