The old steel mills which were supplied iron ores from the mines along the mountain have now been replaced by new industries like banking and medical Research. And University of Alabama in the city also gains a lot of prestige to the city. City of Birminghamoffers some excellent places to visit. Five points on the Southside is one of them. You will find many fabulous restaurants nearby. Live music concerts are also there to render you a musical welcome. This city is safe enough to visit the sights at any time. However, you need to follow some instructions regarding safety concerns which might suggest you to avoid a particular region in particular time. South of Red Mountain and north of Fultondale are absolutely safe to roam around any time. People hankering after Southern Barbecue must head towards the Demitri's in Homewood in Birmingham. Be at Woodrow's on University Blvd. in Tuscaloosa and experience the real charm of grill—it will be out of the world experience for you I bet. Shopping opportunities are also in abundance. You will be stunned to see the Riverchase Galleria in the city of Hoover to the south of Birmingham---it is the largest mall of southeast. Besides galleries, Hoover also features some upscale big box retailers such as Costco and CompUSA.