RTJ Trail — Birmingham

The crown jewel of the RTJ Trail. At 8,191 yards from the tips it's one of the longest courses in the world — but the routing through the Shades Creek valley is what earns the reputation. Dramatic elevation changes, shots across ravines, and a finishing hole over a waterfall that would feel theatrical if the golf weren't so genuinely demanding. The RTJ experience at its most cinematic. Book the stay-and-play package with the Renaissance and treat it like a destination resort, because it is one.

The flagship at Oxmoor Valley, ranked the best of the two 18-hole layouts on the property. Carved through the ridges and valleys south of Birmingham, the Ridge Course plays with consistent elevation drama, long carry requirements, and views across the Oxmoor Valley that earn it a place on any Alabama itinerary. The layout is demanding but fair — the RTJ signature. Green fees are a fraction of what the quality would command at a private course.

The Valley Course plays lower and wider than its sibling, through the meadows of the Oxmoor Valley floor. A more generous layout off the tee but with water and wetland features that demand accuracy on approach. Good for the second round of the day — the pacing is different from the Ridge Course and the contrast keeps the trip interesting. Walking-friendly.

40 minutes north in Owens Cross Roads, Hampton Cove's Highlands Course sprawls across 3,000 acres of rolling north Alabama terrain — the largest RTJ Trail property by acreage. Wide, generous fairways in the mountain valley give it a different character from the tighter Birmingham layouts. The right day-trip option when the group wants a change of scenery and a course that plays better in the wind.

The resort the RTJ Trail was built to anchor. Marriott's Renaissance brand on property at Ross Bridge — 259 rooms with course views, a full-service spa, multiple dining options, and the 18th-hole waterfall as your backdrop. Walk out the back door to the first tee. The stay-and-play package makes the math obvious. The only question is whether you want to leave the property at all.

The Birmingham base camp for groups that want a hotel in the city rather than on the course. Boutique-style Hilton Curio property in Homewood — a walkable neighborhood south of downtown with good restaurants and bars a short walk from the lobby. 15 minutes to Oxmoor Valley, 20 minutes to Ross Bridge. The right choice if the group wants flexibility between courses and evenings in a real neighborhood.

An hour south of Birmingham in Sylacauga, Pursell Farms is a 3,500-acre working farm turned luxury retreat — with its own RTJ Trail course (Farmlinks), sporting clays, kayaking, and farm-to-table dining. The overnight that turns a Birmingham golf trip into a proper Alabama experience. Worth the drive if the group has an extra day and wants something genuinely different.

The restaurant that put Birmingham on the national culinary map. Chef Chris Hastings won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: South in 2012, and Hot and Hot has been the anchor of the Birmingham food scene for decades. Southern-influenced New American cuisine built on farm relationships and daily market sourcing. Reserve for the last night. The dinner that confirms Birmingham belongs in the conversation.

Homewood institution. Smoked meats, vinegar-based sauce, the kind of pulled pork sandwich that justifies the drive to Alabama by itself. No pretense, reasonable prices, the right post-round lunch when the group is hungry and nobody wants to think about calories. Multiple locations — the Homewood original is the one.

Frank Stitt's flagship — classic French technique applied to Alabama ingredients, a wine list built over four decades, and a dining room that has served as the model for Southern fine dining since 1982. A James Beard Award-winning restaurant and one of the most consistent in the South. The first-night dinner at the Highlands sets the tone for the whole trip.