Cadbury World
A visitor attraction since 1990, Cadbury World is sure to go down well with the kids. Who doesn’t like chocolate?! Explore the fantastic history of the Cadbury brand in its original Bournville home, an operating factory since the early 1900s. There are interactive activities, the famous Cadabra ride, an outdoor play area, café, gift shop and so much more to do.
Cadbury World, Linden Road, Bournville, Birmingham, UK
Original Cadbury building | © Marie/Flickr
National Sea Life Centre
Birmingham’s Sea Life Centre is home to over 2000 creatures and is situated in the midst of Birmingham’s bustling Brindleyplace district. If you plan your trip in advance you may even be able to catch talks and feeding times with penguins, sharks and turtles amongst other species!
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
The city’s biggest museum offers free entry, although donations are welcomed. Here kids can learn all about Victorians, Egyptians and Romans as well as World War II in the museum’s various exhibition halls and activity rooms, the latter packed with interactive displays.
BMAG, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, UK
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery | © Jared Zhengquan/Flickr
IMAX & 4DX cinema
For a unique experience, why not indulge in some 3D cinema? Cineworld on Broad Street is the home of IMAX 3D, and more recently 4DX, a revolutionary cinematic experience which stimulates all the senses. Special effects in 4DX include wind, fog, lightning, rain, bubbles and scents, which the kids will love.
Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park
Previously called the Nature Centre, the Wildlife Conservation Park sits next to Cannon Hill Park and is home to an array of animals from across the world including red pandas, lynxs, monkeys and wallabies. With entry costs staying low and the free-entry mac Birmingham in the park next door, the Conservation Park makes for a great day out.
Wildlife Conservation Park, Pershore rd, Birmingham, UK
Monkey at the Wildlife Conservation Park | © Joanne Goldby/Flickr
Ackers adventure
Ackers is an outdoor adventure park based in Sparkbrook, just outside the city centre. Perfect for all the family, Ackers offers dry slopes for skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing, as well as spaces for climbing, watersports and orienteering activities.
Thinktank Science Museum
Let’s face it, kids love science. Birmingham’s Thinktank museum, conveniently situated in the city centre is an award winning museum which celebrates all things scientific – with a local twist. Take the Spitfire exhibition for example, its innovation key in World War II and its lasting effect on the city of Birmingham. Here you’ll also find exhibitions on the industrial heritage of Birmingham plus a planetarium, galleries and interactive displays on marine worlds, natural sciences and future medical advancements.
Millennium Point, Curzon st, Birmingham, UK
Spitfire jet at Thinktank, Birmingham | © Andre/Flickr
Cocks Moors Woods Leisure Centre
One of the largest leisure centres in Birmingham; Cocks Moors Woods is a great way to keep the kids happy. Sporting a swimming pool with a wave machine, plus a 50 meter flume and baby pool, all ages are catered for here. For the teens and young adults in the family, gym classes are also available. During seasonal periods the leisure centre also hosts special events including roller discos and pool parties.
Cocks Moors Woods, Alcester Rd South, Kings Heath, Birmingham, UK
Botanical Gardens
If you have a budding Alan Titchmarsh in the family, make sure to visit the Botanical Gardens. Not only is the garden home to buildings and monuments dating back to the 1800s, including an original brick shelter from the Cadbury factory, there are over 30 horticultural areas to explore. Take the Victorian greenhouses for example, proudly showing off over 1000 exotic and unusual plants or the beautifully quaint Japanese garden with a variety of Bonsai trees. Keep an eye out for birds, too!
Botanical Gardens, Westbourne rd, Birmingham, UK
Rose Garden at the Botanical Gardens | © Charles W. Prince/Flickr
Lickey Hills Country Park
For the explorers in the family, look no further than the Lickey Hills. Located in Rednal on the southern edge of Birmingham, this country park boasts 524 acres of unspoilt land. This certified country park has a Green Flag Award and is home to an array of wildlife including lizards, grass snakes and a range of birds including warblers and robins. If exploring has tired the kids out, head for the park’s café adjacent to the car parks.