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Can you recommend a child friendly stop off near Birmingham on our long drive South?

23 replies

Givemestrengthorgin · 04/05/2019 22:49

We are driving from Scotland to Cornwall for our summer holiday. Planning to break the drive down and stay one day/night somewhere past Birmingham. But we don't know that area at all.. Can anyone recommend any child friendly (6 and 4 yo) attractions that we could visit for the day (without heading too far off the M5!)?

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Pineappleunder · 04/05/2019 22:52

It's a bit further south,but Cotswold farm park?

Swissgemma · 04/05/2019 22:54

Stratford upon Avon... great to wander around. Good child friendly restaurants. Parks and green space by the river. Lots of b&bs, air bnbs and a couple of premier inns!

AlannaOfTrebond · 04/05/2019 22:56

There are a couple of NT properties close to the motorway within 20 or so miles of Birmingham.

Croome Court is near Worcester and has lots of stuff for kids, Hanbury Hall is slightly closer to Birmingham but I don't know how kid friendly it is.

Alternatively there is Cadbury World in Birmingham.

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RomaineCalm · 04/05/2019 22:58

West Midlands Safari Park near Kidderminster?

NeverTwerkNaked · 04/05/2019 22:58

Stratford has become our favourite stopping point - big park and canal, lots of history, and the wonderfully quirky MAD museum

Underactor · 04/05/2019 23:00

Worcester Woods is a good one.

Gloucester services have a great indoor play area.

Do you want to stop for an hour or for longer? The NT places are definitely winners if you wasn't to stop for longer!

MadisonAvenue · 04/05/2019 23:02

In Birmingham itself there's a Sealife Centre and a Lego Discovery Centre, and Drayton Manor Park isn't very far away near Tamworth.

GreenTulips · 04/05/2019 23:02

There’sa monkey farm I’ll see if I can find it

Oswin · 04/05/2019 23:03

Stourport. Lovely river and park. Larger fun fair and a small fair too.

BikeRunSki · 04/05/2019 23:04

Lickey Hills Country Park immediately to the south of Birmingham. We do Leeds - Taunton several times a year, and the food ladies of MN told me about this place a few years ago. Right on boundary of M5/M42. Free parking. Acres and acres of country park to run around. Playground. Cafe. Toilets. Tiny shop selling shiny gem stones/polished minerals, notebooks, pencils and other museumy stuff. The DC love it.

SlobDylan · 04/05/2019 23:06

Hanbury hall is nice.

Still18atheart · 04/05/2019 23:07

Slimbridge wetland bird sanctuary is in Worcestershire / Gloucestershire area is good for fresh air etc.

Knittedfairies · 04/05/2019 23:07

Cadbury World? Bit on the expensive side though...

GreenTulips · 04/05/2019 23:07

monkey-forest.com

AfterTrentham · 04/05/2019 23:08

The Snowdome in Tamworth would be a good way to kill an hour - your DC can try climbing or tobogganing.

nellyitsme · 04/05/2019 23:33

The monkey forest at trentham - junction 15 off the M6 then down the A34 towards Stone. The monkey forest is before you get to Stone and is part of the trentham estate

Once the kids have ran around a bit in the monkey forest go slightly back up the road towards stoke to the shopping village. It's got some great shops and eating places. There's a big garden centre with lots of eating places as well. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=trentham+shopping+village&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari#trex=mt:lcllakp,rcf:nav,rccludocids:12315074487523905146,rcq:Trentham%2520Shopping%2520Village,ruu_q:Trentham%2520Shopping%2520Village. Stone is worth a visit too. It's a lovely small canal side town.

Christmastreeohchritmastree · 04/05/2019 23:40

Little owl farm park is good. It's 15 mins off the m5 junction 6. There is a travel lodge 2 minutes down the road as well.

AfterTrentham · 05/05/2019 07:24

@nellyitsme I'd forgotten about the monkey forest (ironically given my username!). I agree Trentham Gardens is a good shout - plenty for the kids to do, and shops and restaurants as well.

SleepingStandingUp · 05/05/2019 07:27

Think Tank in Birmingham?

BikeRunSki · 05/05/2019 07:30

Black Country Living Museum
Slimbridge Wetland centre

Cakemadeoffruit · 05/05/2019 07:33

Black Country Living Museum. www.bclm.co.uk 5 mins from junction 2 M5, has a full Victorian village and you might recognise the scenery as parts of peaky blinders was filmed there. Can take part in a Victorian school lesson, ride a canal boat, go down a mine and there's an old fashioned fair ground. My kids love it there!

Rhinofeet · 05/05/2019 09:28

For the ages of your kids, I'd do Drayton manor which has Thomas land and a zoo.

We often do the trip in the opposite direction, although not quite as far as Scotland! Drayton manor works well

Givemestrengthorgin · 05/05/2019 11:15

Thanks everyone...great to have these suggestions!

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