Birmingham tips

[Birminghamvacation]

Hello, will be stopping in Birmingham for a few days this month. Would be grateful to know any tips, places to visit and eat? Anything I must do or see in Birmingham? Thank you

Birmingham Back to Backs is really good. The tour was so interesting that even my 10yo was fascinated!
Have a look to see what’s on at the Hippodrome or Symphony Hall.
Explore Brindleyplace and the canal quarter. It’s a real Cinderella part of the city and is now crammed full of restaurants and bars. It’s quite an atmospheric area and a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the main City.

Thank you so much. Yes I forgot to say I will be travelling with a tween

The coffin factory is really interesting...
Medicine on new street is a delicious bakery.
Gas street social is a nice restaurant.

The Jewellery Quarter is really interesting - there are several museums which are essentially old factories that have been preserved and lots of still active shops and workshops, some of which you can see in action.

For food there’s loads of choice, favorites of mine central are Rosa’s Thai, Dishoom, Sabai Sabai & Itihaas & Purity Tap Room & Kitchen. There’s all the normal chains around Brindley Place as well.

The library is amazing, some roof top gardens, table tennis.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g186402-Activities-zft11306-Birmingham_West_Midlands_England.html

This gives a good selection of (mostly) child and adult friendly places to go / see.
Tried and tested by the @Lifeinlists inmates!

Oh wow guys, thank you. I'm busy searching all these places

You can easily get to Cadbury World on the train from New Street Station - there are at least 4 trains an hour and the journey takes 11mins, then its a 10-15min walk from Bournville Station.

Back to backs are really interesting but you would need to book in advance.

Born and bred Brummie here! Without knowing your specific tastes, https://www.independent-birmingham.co.uk/ is a great website for tried and tested dining venues. As you say you're with a tween, I adored the Thinktank at a similar age- if I remember correctly theres an IMAX cinema attached if that's your bag!

If you can narrow down any more specific requirements I would be more than happy to help! As PPs have mentioned, back to backs are great and you can get some delicious food in the chinese quarter there- I recently visited cafe soya which was delicious and very reasonably priced.

The tween is disabled. I did look up the think tank and was surprised when it wasn't recommended on here. The library looks amazing and ticks alot of boxes. I will be driving and we have a blue badge for parking. I have booked the legoland discovery centre but that is all so far, again I was a little surprised that wasn't recommended. Lego is a hit with the tween so im sure it will be fine. We are there for a weekend

Back to backs have very narrow steep staircases.

Hi just wanted to update after our weekend. Library looked good but the lift was broken so couldn't get to roof garden. Lego and Cadbury world didn't go very well, managed an hour at both. Think tank garden was good. Filled most of the time at various shopping parks.

@Birminghamvacation can I ask why Cadbury and Lego didn’t go well? I’m hoping to visit over the summer and they were on my list.

Cadbury was mainly to do with my child's disability. It was very busy, the main entrance was very overwhelming with people, noise, characters etc. You then basically walk round an empty factory, it was heavy rain so couldn't use the park.
The lego centre is very small, there's not alot to do and you can't fill a day.
If you are taking anyone with disabilities, Merlin have now changed their access passes. We now can't visit merlin attractions due to the change because it leaves so much uncertainty.