Homewood
Homewood is a suburban college town located less than five miles south of Downtown Birmingham. The city is best known as the home of Samford University, a private institution enrolling over 5,000 students and employing hundreds of locals as faculty and staff members. Just north of campus, 18th Street anchors a popular walking district, with charming storefronts hosting favorite local hangouts like O’Henry’s Coffee and longtime fixtures like Savage’s Bakery. Living in Homewood puts you in the ideal position to experience the best of Birmingham while also enjoying the region’s terrific outdoor offerings, with the Birmingham Zoo, Red Mountain, and countless golf courses surrounding the community.
Birmingham
As one of the major economic centers of Alabama and one of the signature cities of the Southeast, Birmingham has done an impressive job of adapting to the new demands of the 21st century. The city that once built a reputation as the “Pittsburgh of the South” thanks to a robust steel manufacturing industry is now a hip community attracting entrepreneurs, artists, and innovative personalities. Birmingham remains one of the most active business hubs in the region, with headquarters for everything from banks to biotech firms operating in the city. The dining, nightlife, and entertainment scenes have all grown rapidly in recent years, and just about everyone in town has an opinion about where to find the best brewery. Gorgeously preserved historic buildings and a pervasive attitude of down-home hospitality have kept Birmingham’s famous southern charm intact as well, creating a unique environment where the best elements of the traditional and the modern complement each other. The surrounding hills and forests provide beautiful scenery as well as unlimited opportunities for outdoor exploration on the weekends.
Jacksonville
Jacksonville is gigantic. At nearly 900 square miles, it is by far the largest city in the contiguous United States, in terms of geographical area. The landscape is so vast and varied that you are almost certain to find any kind of environment that suits you. From the high-rise buildings downtown to the marina condos along the river to the suburban neighborhoods farther from the urban core, your apartment rental options in Jacksonville are nearly endless. Jacksonville is never short on leisure activities. The dining and entertainment offerings are top notch, from the bustling nightlife in downtown to the upscale shopping at Saint Johns Town Center and everything in between. Football fans will feel right at home in Jacksonville as NFL Jaguars games tend to draw big crowds no matter how the team is doing. The Jags’ home field has also served as neutral turf for the annual University of Florida-University of Georgia rivalry game each Halloween weekend for decades. The city limits contain a mind-boggling 111,000 acres of public parks and nature preserves, ensuring that you are never far from a lush green space. Located where the Saint Johns River flows into the Atlantic Ocean, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve is one of Jacksonville’s most popular spots for outdoor recreation. Easy access to Atlantic Coast beaches can make the entire city feel like one huge beach town. Locals love heading to nearby beaches for surfing, boating, fishing, and sunbathing.
