While Samford has many fun things to do on campus, the surrounding community and city offers many fun activities outside the realm of Samford. Birmingham is stock full of tons of places to eat, study, shop and more.
Surrounding communities like Birmingham, Hoover, Mountain Brook and Homewood all offer different cultures and can appeal to everyone’s interests.
Places to Grub
There are many places to eat around Samford that range from chains to locations exclusive to the area. Waffle House, Cook Out and Whataburger are a few classics that many students visit on a late night to enjoy a meal on a college budget.
Another budget-friendly place to grub is Yummy Bowl where you can order from the menu or build your own hibachi bowl for low prices. It is a great place to be in fellowship with friends and celebrate milestones.
Good brunch locations are Continental Bakery, Biscuit Belly, Edgar’s Bakery and Big Bad Breakfast.
Ono Poke, Soho Social, Taco Mama, Urban Cookhouse, Salvatore’s Pizza and Okinawa are all restaurants exclusive to Alabama.
If you are looking for a place to chill and sip coffee, Gatos and Beans is a cat café in Downtown Birmingham.
Places to Study
Samford has many places to study on campus such as the library. There are, however, many others near Birmingham, such as the popular Library in the Forest in Vestavia Hills.
Panera and Starbucks are good places to study, as well as other coffee shops singular to Birmingham. Cala, Caveat, Baba Java, Santos and the newer Whammy Coffee are one-of-a-kind locations that offer quiet spots to study with a delicious coffee or pastry.
Places to Shop
If you ever feel the desire to spend a little money, there are many places to shop. The Summit is an outdoor mall with many on-trend shops, and the Galleria offers air conditioning on hot days with many larger chains and stores.
For those who want a more budget-friendly option, there are many thrift stores such as Lovelady and Vapor that have many great finds.
Downtown Homewood is a street packed with many shops and cafés. Cookie Fix, Alabama Goods, The Pink Tulip Clothing and the Little Professor Bookshop are just a few.
Fun Activities
Whether you want a day full of the outdoors or a night of music and lights, Birmingham has all that and more to offer.
Many students visit the Birmingham Zoo and Birmingham Botanical Gardens, pickleball courts and Samford’s intramural fields.
Oak Mountain State Park and Lakeshore Trail are both good places to go for adventures out in nature.
For those wanting a night on the town, there are concerts at places like Saturn, Iron City and the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC). The Birmingham Art Museum is an experience with history and artistic expression.
With so many fun activities to do and coffee shops to visit, Birmingham offers so many ways to be around the culture of the city and environment. Although Samford is not in a traditional college town, it has so many places that appeal to the lifestyle and interests of college students.
