Their camera systems weren't working yet they would not allow us to use our own. Other locations in…read moreGA, FL, & IN all have allowed it. Especially when they couldn't provide the service themselves.

Customer service was great. The manager was very respectful and spoke to everyone and make sure…read moreeveryone needed everything they needed. Great service. Don't know how someone could rate this nothing less than a five star.

I have been part of the Mercedes Marathon weekend since 2014, when I participated in the Regions…read moreSuperhero 5K. From 2015-2017 I participated in the Half Marathon (including my first attempt of the distance), then decided to go the full marathon these past 2 years. This has become a February tradition for me that I can see continuing even if I eventually relocate. This year, due to the ongoing interstate construction, the route was adjusted to exclude the streets around the BJCC and started and finished at Railroad Park. I am a big fan on the new locations and hope they consider keeping it in future years. The bathrooms in Region Field that were opened and Good People were much cleaner than the usual Boutwell Auditorium and much more comfortable to prepare for the race. Plus, the post race party location in the parking garage was large enough to comfortably accommodate the finishers to eat and recover. The course itself is mostly the same minus the previously mentioned omissions. The first leg is hilly as you ascend Highland and make your way to Avondale, then it is pretty flat as you navigate your way back to the start. Some may complain of the full marathoners having to take 2 laps for the race, but that's part of the challenge of the course and what makes this race unique. It's a fast course and is where I have set PR's for 2 consecutive years. Aid stations are well spread and they give plenty of Gu packs and drinks (even one with pickle juice, a must for preventing cramps!) Overall, whether you do the full marathon, join a relay team or just want to do the 5K, this is a great event to raise money for the Bell Center and tour some communities of Birmingham. So lace up in February and prepare for glory on the streets on our city!

Half Marathon #4 for me!…read more Note: I heard this year that they changed the course due to construction in Birmingham. I'm very glad they did. There was A LOT of construction when I drove into the city. Note 2: They are fairly responsive via email and social media if you have any questions. Parking: They used an app called Clutch. I didn't use it since I stayed at a Host Hotel. But from what I heard, people were very happy and pleased with Clutch. There's nothing more stressful the day of the race when you can't find parking!! Expo was at Boutwell Auditorium - very walkable from Host Hotels. Fairly small expo. One cool thing: they sell last year's shirts for 2 bucks! I almost got one but I have way too many race shirts, lol. Swag inside the clear bag you get (as well as what you get after you're done running the Half): Shirt, gloves, runners got free meals post race (From Jim N Nicks BBQ I think) + guests can also get a meal if they pay like 10 bucks each (not bad at all IMO), Mercedes Benz logo medal (it looks super cool!), a beanie that turns into a headband, and a beach towel that says you're a 13.1 Finisher with the Mercedes Benz logo and cool decorations. I was very pleased with all this. Oh and they had other discount stuff for restaurants, too! One qualm about the race: I read online they had a shuttle from the Host Hotels to the Start Line (since they had to change the route due to the construction) first come first serve (I can't remember if they listed a time). Ok, cool - very thankful for this. When I was at the Expo I asked about this: the guy at the Help Tent said they had several shuttles that were leaving at 5:45am. Ok, cool again - glad they have more than 1 bus since this race probably has I think 3,000 runners (?) and I'm sure they'd take advantage of it. As I got on the 1st Bus/made some friends... the bus left at 5:30am and arrived at the Start Line at like 5:45am. Uhh... the other buses I think didn't leave as early as us OR went back to do more rounds. My runner buds and I were all WTF. It was pretty windy/nippy, so we weren't that happy to arrive 1.5 hours before the race. Hell, when we arrived, the organizers were still setting up. Again, new route this year, so the shuttle idea was probably new... so I am VERY thankful they had this. Host Hotels were like 1.5 miles away from the start/finish aka long long long walk to/from the race. Hopefully, they can fix this for next year if they have to use the shuttle idea again! ^Good People Brewery is literally right at the Start Line, but I didn't discover that till like 15 mins before the race, sigh... people were inside chilling and drinking water/coffee. Wish I knew about it when I first arrived. Race: it is self seeded... so you may have some slow runners up front. They do have pacers though! The first like 5 miles had a lot of strong mini hills. You'll run by the rail roads in the middle of the race. The last few miles didn't have that many of hills and was much more flat. Overall, very fun race. I liked it. However, if you're the type that loves constant cheering from residents/people, this race may not be for you. They did have some crowd support but not a lot. The weather was cloudy and kind of nippy, so that may be why. I personally enjoy relaxed races (as in not a crazy amount of crowd support, haha. I like to zone out during my long runs). Thank you to the organizers, the people who did cheer/feed the runners during the run, and volunteers!

I only learned about this place a couple of years ago when I was considering a trip to Birmingham…read more It showed up on a 'things to do' list. I read a bit more about it and decided that it might be worthwhile if we had time in the area. We finally ended up with a reason to visit Birmingham, and this seemed to fit nicely into the afternoon drive there. The museum and the surrounding racing complex is located just off I-20. You exit near the town of Leeds and then drive maybe 2 - 3 miles (much of which is a dedicated road that just leads to the entrance). The property is huge. When we visited, once you pass through their gates, they had a guy waiting in a truck to direct you. He was friendly. I got the vibe that they didn't want randos driving further into the actual racing area, as it was in use for some private event. So we turned into the museum parking lot. There are some sculptures outside the entrance. Then you go in and pay the ~ $22 entry fee. The building is huge. It is open around a central atrium, with floors on opposite sides staggered at 'half floor' levels. They advise you to take the elevator to the top (5th) floor and work your way down. We did so. The elevator itself is large enough for cars, which is probably how they shift exhibits around. The top 2 - 3 floors are exclusively motorcycles. I'm not by any means a 'biker' but I still found the displays interesting. They are generally grouped in like clusters, either by brand or vintage or function. We paused to read some plaques, but not a majority. If you read everything, you'd likely be here all day (which might be fine for you). We stopped to take photos and appreciate bikes that were of particular interest (and there were a lot). After completing one floor, you descend on a curved ramp down to the next floor below but on the opposite side of the building. They have areas dedicated to different types of motorcycle racing (track vs. drag), an area about vintage / old bikes (from 100+ years ago). Then you start seeing some racing cars integrated in, and by the bottom floor, it is pretty much all cars. The cars are also interesting (I especially liked a 1960 Corvette and a 1966 VW Beetle, for personal reasons). Most of the cars were for racing and had sleek / interesting designs. The back wall of the museum faces part of their private race track. You may occasionally see / hear cars going by. You can exit and walk across a bridge over the track to a wooded area beyond (in the interior of the track). There was a further bridge / platform where you could see more of the track, but we didn't go up there. I also liked the design of the building and the displays. Some seats are designed to look like tires. A display of dirt bike racing had simulated churned up dirt made of concrete to evoke the racing conditions. The whole place was well laid out and masterfully architected. I checked later and my step count for just walking through the museum and the adjoining grounds was about 6000. I think most people, regardless of their attachment to racing, motorcycles, or cars, would likely find this place quite interesting.

OK, you're not into motorcycles, I get it. However if you will just give this place a try you will…read morebe amazed. First, it is nestled is a stunningly landscaped motor sports park. At the back of the museum is a pedestrian bridge that lets you see the cars or motorcyckes on the track on most days and enjoy the botanical gardenlike path in the winding road track infield. Back inside the museum is the world's largest motorcycle collection, largest Lotus race car collection, an interpretive theater, and a look into the advanced design center. Quickly you will see the motorcycles as a form of art. There are antiques and the newest cutting edge machines near each other and the workmanship and design features will amaze you. The staff is very friendly and can answer most questions or find you an answer. It also is full of other things like a huge HP 3D printer, a Bentley that the Beatles drove around in, and a collectiion of outboard boat motors. This museum is known around the World probably as much or more that it is locally. People come in from other states or countries daily. Yeah, it is motorcycles but check it out and you will be surpised.

Just completed my third school, Masters R. While I didn't earn an R rating (I didn't deserve it)…read morethe school, the instructors, the facilities, it's all superb and worth the money. George Barber spares no expense in keeping the track in superb condition. For someone wanting a driving experience to improve driving skills, in current model Porsches, this is a no-brainer.

The previous posters did a great job with the overall description of the class. I accompanied my…read morehusband as a guest. A few other students also brought along guests and the staff treated us really well. There are areas to sit and watch while the drivers practice, as well as sit and take rides, as space permits. All guests felt that they were better drivers after leaving. The instructors also keep the learning fun and were all great-I particularly remember Andre and Todd who were very welcoming and made sure I was comfortable and had a nice time. One item to add is that the Grand Bohemian (Marriott) in Mountain Brook, outside of Birmingham, is the main hotel that partners with the driving school; most guests stay here, though it is not necessary. If you decide to do one of the driving packages, it includes private daily shuttles between the hotel and motorway (pick up at 7am) if you aren't using hotel points or other rewards. Nearly everyone took the shuttle. If you stay at this hotel and use hotel points or rewards (and don't pay out of pocket), you must pay $80 a day to use the shuttle or find another way to the motorway. Lyft is more popular than Uber and the cost is about $35 each way, so better to just rent a car. Depending on the course you take, there is also a dinner the evening of the first day of the course at the Grand Bohemian. My one suggestion is that if people are paying for the driving school that the hotel-motorway shuttle should be included, but it seems that this arrangement is made through the hotel, not the driving school. Overall, it was a great experience that exceeded my husband's expectations!

Friendly staff, clean facility, great bar for adults. They do allow birthday parties but we're just…read morehaving a fun day.

Hooligans is an amazing spot to have the most family fun. They have a 9 hole black light putt putt…read moreinside the arcade. They also have all of your favorites from years gone by and the best part? It's very family friendly priced. Take the whole family and stay as long as you want!