Birmingham AL to New Orleans drive: Best stops, distance & time
The best road trip stops on the Birmingham AL to New Orleans drive are Tuscaloosa AL, Meridian MS and Hattiesburg MS. The distance from Birmingham AL to New Orleans is 344 miles, with a 5h2m driving time.
Planning a Birmingham AL to New Orleans road trip itinerary
The Birmingham AL to New Orleans drive connects one of Alabama’s major cities to the most enjoyable city in Louisiana.
Birmingham, Alabama, has a rich civil rights heritage. This is best explored on a civil rights tour which links the key sites and, crucially, puts them into context. Other Birmingham experiences include ghost walks and multi-brewery beer tours.
For museums, you’ve got the McWane Science Center, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark and more.
The top-rated Birmingham accommodation picks are the Drury Inn and Suites Birmingham Grandview and the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Birmingham South.
New Orleans resolutely refuses to feel like any other American city. From the raucous hedonism of Bourbon Street to the European-influenced charm of the French Quarter, New Orleans is mesmerizingly unusual to hang out in.
Top New Orleans experiences include French Quarter food tours and haunted pub crawls. Or jazz cruises aboard the steamboat Natchez and cemetery walking tours.
For other attractions, try the National WWII Museum, the Vue Orleans observation deck and the urban enslavement tours at Hermann Grima House.
If looking for New Orleans accommodation, the pool and jazz bar-equipped Royal Sonesta in the French Quarter is a great option. The Virgin Hotel downtown has a huge sense of fun, too.
Birmingham AL to New Orleans distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Birmingham AL to New Orleans is 344 miles. You can expect a driving time of around five hours and two minutes. The quickest route is along the I-20 and I-59.
The best stops to add to a Birmingham AL to New Orleans road trip itinerary are Tuscaloosa AL, Meridian MS and Hattiesburg MS.
Birmingham AL to New Orleans road trip attractions: Tuscaloosa AL
Tuscaloosa is home to the University of Alabama, with many of the top attractions linked to the university. The Paul W. Bryant Museum is a celebration of football and the Alabama Museum of Natural History covers fossils and dinosaur skeletons. The period-furnished Gorgas House Museum, meanwhile, dates back to 1829.
A Tuscaloosa multi attraction pass is arguably worth the investment if cramming in several attractions.
Best stops between Birmingham AL and New Orleans: Meridian MS
The Meridian Museum of Art is on the National Register of Historic Places. Meanwhile, the Meridian Children’s Museum keeps younger visitors entertained.
Elsewhere, the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience celebrates Mississippi’s contribution to the arts world. And the Greek Revival-style Merrehope does the historic home thing.
- Find more attractions with the guide to the Birmingham to Meridian drive.
Birmingham AL to New Orleans drive: Hattiesburg MS
Hattiesburg MS is the fifth largest city in Mississippi, and it has something of a craft brewing scene. Try the Colludium brewpub or the Southern Prohibition Brewing taproom if you’d like to taste a few interesting beers. Otherwise, the main attractions are Hattiesburg Zoo and the African-American Military History Museum are the top attractions.
More Birmingham AL road trips
Birmingham to Atlanta | Birmingham AL to Charlotte NC | Birmingham to Chattanooga | Chicago to Birmingham AL | Birmingham AL to Dallas | Birmingham AL to Destin FL | Birmingham AL to Gulf Shores AL | Houston to Birmingham AL | Huntsville to Birmingham | Birmingham AL to Jackson MS | Birmingham to Knoxville | Memphis to Birmingham AL | Meridian MS to Birmingham AL | Birmingham AL to Mobile AL | Birmingham AL to Montgomery | Birmingham AL to Nashville | Birmingham AL to Orlando | Birmingham AL to Panama City | Birmingham AL to Pensacola | Birmingham AL to Tampa | Tuscaloosa to Birmingham.
More New Orleans road trips
Atlanta to New Orleans | Baton Rouge to New Orleans | New Orleans to Biloxi | Charlotte to New Orleans | Chicago to New Orleans | Cincinnati to New Orleans | Cleveland to New Orleans | Dallas to New Orleans | New Orleans to Destin FL | New Orleans to Galveston | New Orleans to Gulf Shores | Houston to New Orleans | Huntsville to New Orleans | Jackson MS to New Orleans | Kansas City to New Orleans | Lafayette LA to New Orleans | Memphis to New Orleans | New Orleans to Mobile AL | Nashville to New Orleans | New Orleans to Orange Beach | New Orleans to Orlando | Panama City to New Orleans | Pensacola to New Orleans | Pittsburgh to New Orleans | New Orleans to San Antonio | Raleigh to New Orleans | Savannah to New Orleans | Tallahassee to New Orleans | Tampa to New Orleans | Tulsa to New Orleans.