Birmingham with kids

[DaisyDaisy2022]

We are visting relatives close to Birmingham over half term and planning to go into Birmingham for one day. Can anyone recommend things to do or places to eat? It'll be two adults and two boys, age 5 and 7. Thank you.

You could do the Sea life centre and/or Lego discovery centre. There's a few places to eat near the canal (Brindley Place) - DS likes Wagamama if that's still there.

For things to do
Thinktank and the attached science gardens
Birmingham botanical gardens
Lego land discovery place (in brindley place by the canals)
Birmingham museum and art gallery (check this as they have been renovating)
Cadbury world
Sea life centre

Thanks. I'd seen there is a legoland centre but it has mixed reviews so I wasn't sure about it!

Any restaurant ideas that aren't chains? My kids love wagamama but I'm after something a bit different.

I'd second the ThinkTank.

With restaurants, it really depends what kind of food you're after and your budget. The Custard Factory will have loads of independents and isn't too far from the Think Tank.

There are a few different places to eat in Grand Central, and there’s Treetops Miniature Golf in the Bullring which is suitable for all ages.

If you have a car, DD really enjoyed the Black Country Museum at that age. bclm.com

I think we visited at Oct 1/2 term.

The library is worth a visit if you're in the centre of town. Just going up the escalators is fun, and you can go all the way to the top where there's a roof garden where you can see out over the city.

The Medicine Bakery is a nice lunch spot.

Thinktank is really good but you need to walk back up in to town for food.

Toca Social (interactive football) has just opened in Bullring and that's good they may be too young though.

Lego centre is good but relatively quick for the cost however kids seem to like it plus you can go over to Brindleyplace after for something nice to eat! My kids like the Cosy Club there as does Brunch all day.

Second medicine bakery for breakfast/lunch. What kind of things do your kids like? China town is great for food. Or you have baked in brick in the custard factory for amazing pizza. Depends what you're after?

Lego place is shit. I was annoyed I'd spent Tesco vouchers on it. Sea life and think tank are good.

I live in Brum. Don't bother with Cadbury world. If you are in the Brindley Place area pop in Ikon gallery to go in lift ! It's really good !

Cadbury World isn’t great- it used to be but it’s been stripped down a lot in terms of the experience you get I feel.

sea life centre, Thinktank are both great and not far from the big library if you wanted to visit there as well.

Think Tank plus Science Gardens is very good, especially if they like imaginative/interactive stuff.
Bullring for Lane 7 bowling and other games plus / or the mini golf.
Albert's Schloss or Rosa's Thai off Chamberlain Square are good. Or Dishoom if they like Indian food.

Don’t bother with the Lego Discovery Centre. I had free tickets so took dd, for free it was fine but it’s really not worth the hefty entrance fee, plus loads of it costs extra when you get inside. We were probably only in there for an hour, once you’ve done each ride once and watched the film you’re mostly done!

We love Cadbury World though, I love the history of the place, I just wish the company was still run using the same ethos!

Sheldon Country Park if they’re into aeroplanes. I haven’t been but I believe there is a viewing area right by the airport as well as a playground.

I second the Black Country Museum also the castle and Zoo at Dudley is really good too .

Thank you everyone, some great ideas.

Bump. Resurrecting a zombie thread as we are a northern family of five, kids age 7, 11, 12 meeting a southern SIL and kids 8 and 11. Using Birmingham as a half way point in Feb half term. I would really appreciate any more suggestions! x

Another vote for Dudley Zoo and castle or the Black Country Living Museum. Not far from Junction 2 of the M5 and avoids Birmingham traffic etc.
Both are a great day out. I believe you can still do a narrowboat from the museum too. Not been for a few years but the schoolhouse and the very strict Victorian teacher is always good fun and helps the kids so easy they have it nowadays!
Great fish and chips there for lunch as well.

Also jumping on this thread to see if anyone has any recommendations of where to stay for a half term visit to Birmingham.

We need:

• car parking
• 2 adults + 2 children - ideally separate sleeping areas e.g. 2 interconnecting rooms, apartment. The kids would be fine to share a sofa bed but prefer a door between them and us
• ideally either centralish (but parking might be an issue) or East/South near M42 based on travel and friends we are visiting.
• Budget £800 ish for 4 nights, less is better!

I’ve found Staycity aparthotels reliable in London/Edinburgh (and York before that was for migrants). There is one in Birmingham we didn’t get round to trying.

I'd look for an Air BnB in the Jewellery Quarter - you want as near to St Paul's square as possible. Just don't park in the NCP it's extortionate.

Thanks, that's a good shout on an area to focus on.