Good place to stay with kids in Birmingham

[bedknobsandstickbrooms]

Hello,

Thinking of taking the kids (7 and 3) to Harry Potter Studios.

We will be driving from near Edinburgh so thinking of staying in Birmingham for around 3 days and getting the train to HP world at Watford Junction from Birmingham New Street, which would take around an hour.

Can anybody suggest anywhere good in or around Birmingham for us to stay, with quick / easy access for New Street, and things that we can do / things that are worth seeing etc?

Thinking of visiting early April.

The following Saturday- 6th... You'd be ok then.

0921- 1 hour and 17 mins.

I haven't booked anything at all yet, but those are the only dates that we both have off work, so if those dates don't work might just need to scrap it 😞

I think you could be right. Or possibly @Junegirl15 is right and there may be more dates released nearer the time.

I wonder if I could give Avanti a call and ask.

The other option is to just drive from Birmingham instead of getting the train.

But would he 2 hours there and back, so a lot of driving in a day. At least on a train we can move about and relax a bit:

Could you fly to London?
And have a couple of nights there?

EasyJet go Edinburgh to London Luton return from about £200 for the family. Thats if you travel Fri 29th and return Sunday 31st.

Would that work?

Have you checked.tickets for Harry Potter we went in the summer and was booked up way in advance. I tried about 6 weeks before we went and there we're only a few slots left for when I was planning to go which was.in the suer hols but.midweek

Good suggestion, that didn't even cross my mind to be honest.

Although I must admit it doesn't appeal.

I hate dealing with airports, particularly with kids, and we live a fair distance from the airport.

Yes, I've checked and they are available. As you say though, I know they get booked up far in advance so was keen to get this booked this weekend....then the train thing threw a spanner in the works.

It would be less far to drive to the airport though than to Birmingham. And it's simpler if you have no checked baggage.
The children would probably love it.

You could hire a car and find a premier inn or something between Luton and the studios.

I expect the cost would not be much different than you paying for the fuel and train tickets...

HP studios is a FULL day out as well, not a couple of hours. With a little one especially, you could take your time. What with a couple of meals out, it might be enough doing just that without lots of other Birmingham days out on top...

@winesolveseverything yes, I'll look into it. Thanks for the suggestion

Honestly I would drive from Bham to Harry Potter world. And that might open up more places to stay. The train to Watford and then coach to HP and then return leg etc unless youre staying right in Bham city centre and even then there's quite a bit of swapping and changing. Then you could stay more on the outskirts of Birmingham and travel in for think tank but then have your car for Warwick castle or black country living museum. This also has the advantage that if you're out of the city parking will be much more reasonable or maybe even included. If you're on a direct line into Bham or on the tram line it won't be a problem to get in. Tram information is here https://www.westmidlandsmetro.com/ Or maybe go a bit further out and do Stratford upon Avon?

If you drive into Birmingham remember there is a clean air zone and pay else you'll have a fine https://www.gov.uk/clean-air-zones