Elana Koehler / Contributing Writer
The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a fantastic place to release the stress from midterm exams and observe the beauty of nature. This amazing location is open to the public and free of charge. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Those looking to take some colorful photos with friends can look no further than the Color Tunnel. This is definitely a must-see place to take any friends that come to visit Birmingham. Katy Beth Boyers | The Samford Crimson
An escape room is a great activity to encourage bonding with friends or family. After all, who doesn’t love testing their sleuthing abilities? Breakout Birmingham offers multiple different escape rooms with varying difficulties. A group of seven brings the price to $20.99 per person, but book a room during a weekday to receive a 10% discount. Photo courtesy of Elana Koehler
One of the best ways to get a view of Birmingham is from the Vulcan observation tower at night. The evening ticket price is $5 per person, and for $6 during the day you can also visit the museum to learn about the history of the Vulcan and Birmingham. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The Birmingham Museum of Art features fantastic displays of paintings, drawings, pottery, and much more. The museum general admission is free, and often has events in the late afternoons. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
For those who enjoy hiking, Red Mountain Park has plenty of trails and is currently open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Use of the trails and entrance to the park are free, but there are also zipline and rock wall activities available for $29 per person. Photo courtesy of Wally Argus
Another incredible site to visit is the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Entrance to the exhibits about movements, human rights and more costs only $6 if you show your student ID. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Topgolf offers holes with varying levels of difficulty ranging from beginner to advanced. The cost is the lowest between 9 a.m. and noon, and going on Tuesdays adds a 50 percent discount. Going with a group of friends brings the cost down to about $3 a person.
