Britain’s second-largest city is the heartbeat of the Midlands and offers an exciting weekend getaway filled with history, diverse culture, excellent cuisine, and opportunities to enjoy nature. Strolling Birmingham’s canal network might take you to quality galleries, art and waterside bistros, while the city’s deep industrial heritage is told through several fascinating museums.
Few cities in the UK have neighbourhoods as distinct (or as cool) as the Jewellery Quarter and Birmingham, the UK’s first designated “nature city,” is one of the greenest in the country.
All our recommendations below have been hand-selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best things to do in Birmingham. Find out more below, or for more inspiration, see our guides to the city’s best hotels, restaurants and bars.
Find things to do by type:
- Best free things to do
- Best for families
- Best for local history
- Best for a taste of Birmingham
- Best outdoor adventures
- Best live experiences
Best free things to do
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG)
Go deep into Brummie lore
Housed in an elegant Grade II-listed building, the 19th-century Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG) has overlooked Chamberlain Square since 1885. It is famed for its extensive collection of works by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood – most notably Edward Burne-Jones. In recent years, a wide and well-curated variety of local exhibitions has really set BMAG apart from the city’s other museums, and a recent refurbishment has enhanced the galleries and added a new family gallery, Wild City, telling stories about nature in Birmingham.
Insider tip: Just next to the Industrial Gallery hangs artist Cold War Steve’s epic Sgt Pepper-esque Benny’s Babbies. It’s packed with famous and more obscure Brummies – see how many you can spot.
Website: birminghammuseums.org.uk
Price: Free
Canalside walks
Stroll the city’s famous towpaths
“More canals than Venice” is the smug – if rather tongue-in-cheek – phrase that locals will invariably pronounce when discussing the city’s famous waterways. The lively towpaths around Gas Street Basin are where you’ll find plenty of bars and bistros to watch the world go by, although the meandering 45-minute stretch of the Birmingham and Worcester Canal south to Birmingham University is perhaps the most pleasant.
Insider tip: Not all of Birmingham’s canals are pretty, and some can feel a little unloved and off-putting for a visitor. Avoid the towpaths north of Livery Street and stick to those south of Newhall Street.
Website: canalrivertrust.org.uk
Price: Free
Digbeth Street Art
Find colour and creativity in an industrial urban landscape
Birmingham has plenty of street art, but you’ll need to walk down to Digbeth to find the most visceral examples. The railway arches and high walls flanking Digbeth’s Custard Factory form an imposing industrial canvas for Birmingham’s most talented graffiti artists, with some of the city’s boldest work found on Floodgate Street, Gibb Street and Lower Trinity Street.
Insider tip: There’s a small car park on Rea Street between Digbeth Coach Station and The Anchor pub that hides arguably Birmingham’s finest mural. Painted on a back wall by local artist, Mr Murals, it depicts the four members of Brummie rock icons Black Sabbath at the height of their late 1960s pomp.
Price: Free
Rooftop views
Soak up the scenery from the Library’s Secret Garden
Curvaceous oddities like the Bullring and cylindrical high-rise, the Rotunda, give Birmingham one of the UK’s quirkier skylines, and there are great views to be had from the Library of Birmingham’s Secret Garden. Though there’s nothing particularly secret about the panoramic seventh-floor garden, it’s a wonderfully elevated green space for some summertime serenity, above the hum of the city.
Insider tip: The ninth floor is home to the 19th-century Shakespeare Memorial Room. The viewing platform here isn’t panoramic, but it does have a plinth explaining what you’re looking at.
Website: birmingham.gov.uk/libraryofbirmingham
Price: Free
Best for families
National Sea Life Centre
Explore marine life miles from the coast
The National Sea Life Centre has been a fixture of Brindley Place for almost 30 years and is one of the city’s standout family attractions. Inside, there are more than 2,000 sea creatures from around the world, and the 360-degree Ocean Tunnel brings the unique experience of strolling with sharks, rays and turtles gliding above and beneath you.
Insider tip: It gets very busy at weekends, so try to book a mid-week visit. Look out for deals on the website, like 50 per cent off for residents (which includes “locals” from as far away as Wolverhampton).
Website: visitsealife.com/birmingham
Price: ££
Cannon Hill Park
Get lost in Birmingham’s most active park
There are more parks in Birmingham than in any other European city but Cannon Hill Park is perhaps its most compelling. Only two miles from the city centre, the park houses an arts centre, a wildlife conservation park, a crazy golf course, a boating lake and much more. Once the outdoor fun is over the buzzing bars and cafes of bohemian Moseley are a short walk away.
Insider tip: The Midland Arts Centre has a small (and well-hidden) outdoor amphitheatre that hosts occasional performances throughout the summer. Check the listing for events there, including its one-day music festival, Ryland Caravan.
Website: cannonhillpark.co.uk
Price: Free
Thinktank
Delve deep into science and local achievements
The Birmingham Science Museum Thinktank at Millennium Point is perhaps as entertaining for adults as it is for children. The Planetarium, the interactive mini-city (MiniBrum) and the Science Garden will entertain and educate younger visitors, while its cavernous space also houses a suspended WW2 Spitfire and the only surviving Birmingham tram. James Watt’s 1791 Smethwick Engine is the world’s oldest working steam engine.
Insider tip: Parents might fancy rolling back the years at Gamesworld. One-hour sessions cost £3.50 per person and there are over 80 games to choose from, including Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario World.
Website: birminghammuseums.org.uk/thinktank
Price: ££
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Meander through greenhouses and gardens
Located in leafy Edgbaston Village, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ undulating 15-acre plot showcases 30,000 plants from around the world. The four Victorian glasshouses range from subtropical, to arid and alpine, and the Japanese Gardens feature the National Bonsai Collection. There’s an adventure playground for children.
Insider tip: Bringing your own food and drink for a picnic on the grassy hillside is a nice thing to do during the summer, however, the on-site Medicine bakery is considered one of Birmingham’s top independent cafés.
Website: birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk
Price: ££
Best for local history
Pen Museum
Learn how writing was democratised
While the written word might feel like a dying art, Birmingham’s Pen Museum celebrates the practice in all its glory. The Jewellery Quarter is a fitting location as in the 19th century over 100 steel pen-nib factories in the neighbourhood employed around 8,000 skilled craftspeople. Try your hand at calligraphy and learn the pen trade’s history at this quirky museum.
Insider tip: The gift shop sells the sort of writing-related paraphernalia that’s hard to find elsewhere, including handmade wooden pens, dip pens and calligraphy ink. It’s a cracking place to pick up a gift if you have an avid writer or artist in your life.
Website: penmuseum.org.uk
Price: £
Birmingham Back to Backs
See how working-class Brummies once lived
Surrounded by the bars, pubs and theatres of Hurst St, the Birmingham Back to Backs are in a rather boisterous setting for a heritage site, but these humble homes are the city’s last surviving 19th-century back-to-back houses. Guided tours take visitors on a journey from 1840 to 1970 and offer a window into ordinary working life before Birmingham’s grand suburban expansion.
Insider tip: Look out for the George Saunders Collection. Originally from St Kitts, George ran a successful tailor’s shop from Court 15 on Hurst Street between 1974 and 2001, and this small museum holds the UK’s only collection of work by a Caribbean tailor.
Website: nationaltrust.org.uk
Price: ££
Sarehole Mill
See how the young JRR Tolkien was inspired by Birmingham
JRR Tolkien’s curiosity was piqued by the peculiar architecture and mysterious woods in south Birmingham, where he lived, and in the early 20th century the 250-year-old Sarehole Mill and nearby woodlands of Moseley Bog both fascinated and inspired the future Lord of the Rings author. Explore Tolkien lore by touring the watermill and then going for a ramble in Moseley Bog.
Insider tip: The Mill is open Friday through Sunday. It’s located five miles south of the city centre and a 10-minute walk from Hall Green train station.
Website: birminghammuseums.org.uk/sarehole-mill
Price: £
Best for a taste of Birmingham
The Stirchley Stroll
Sample the best beers on this neighbourhood crawl
Stirchley is Birmingham’s craft beer neighbourhood du jour, and its plethora of bars, pubs and taprooms means a ragtag pub crawl can easily be mapped out. The mighty Attic Brew Co is a good place to start or end an evening, but make sure to add stops at the waterside Glasshouse and to sample everything from sweet cherry lambics to imperial stouts at Cork & Cage.
Insider tip: The name Stirchley doesn’t appear on any train station map, but Bournville is your best place to alight. Speaking of which, the famous Cadbury World is just a short hop away if you fancy a quick chocolate fix, first.
Price: ££
Birmingham Cocktail Weekend
Sip on the city’s coolest tipples across an exuberant weekend
How does a £6 cocktail sound? Birmingham is blessed with sublime bars and talented mixologists, and Birmingham’s two Cocktail Weekends are a convivial way to sample the best of the city’s creativity. More than 40 cocktail bars take part in the summer and winter editions, and you’ll receive a handy guidebook when acquiring the weekend’s wristband at the Jack Daniel’s Honey Hub at Hotel du Vin.
Insider tip: If you buy a Summer and Winter Edition Combo Ticket, there’s a small discount. Also, some of Birmingham’s finest cocktails can be found at Madeleine, inside the Grand Hotel, which is a stone’s throw from the Hotel du Vin.
Website: birminghamcocktailweekend.co.uk
Price: ££
The Balti
The iconic Birmingham dish
Developed by Birmingham’s fledgling Pakistani community in the early 1970s, the balti is a fiery one-pot curry that’s become something of a Brummie institution. Sadly, the number of authentic balti restaurants has dwindled since its 90s heyday, but visitors can still find a magnificent example of the dish at local favourite Shababs, in a corner of the city referred to as the “balti triangle”.
Insider tip: The Ladypool Road isn’t easily reached from the city centre, so take a taxi. The restaurant is BYO.
Website: shababs.co.uk
Price: ££
Best outdoor adventures
Kayaking the canals
Glide along the city’s famous waterways
Birmingham’s canals aren’t just for walking. Get to know them more intimately by climbing inside a kayak for a guided tour starting from the historic Roundhouse Birmingham on Sheepcote Street. The fun 90-minute group tours cover around three miles and pass by some of Birmingham’s most famous landmarks as well as quieter stretches.
Insider tip: Kayak ticket holders get a 20 per cent discount at the canalside pub and restaurant The Distillery, next door to the Roundhouse. The beer garden is one of Birmingham’s better outdoor spots for a pint.
Website: roundhousebirmingham.org.uk
Price: £££
The Lickey Hills
Climb to a peaceful perch
The Midlands is a largely flat landscape, but the scenery at Lickey Hills Country Park is a peaceful escape, with views of the hazy Birmingham skyline in the distance (head for the viewing spot near the Visitor Centre). Ten miles south of the city centre, the park’s tangled woodlands and undulating trails are lovely too, though watch for flying golf balls if you stray too close to the Lickey Hills Golf Club next door.
Insider tip: If you have the time for a day trip, the Malvern Hills are just a 40-minute drive away, and their soaring ridges offer some of the finest walking experiences in the Midlands. There’s a regular train service to Great Malvern, too.
Website: birmingham.gov.uk
Price: Free
Kevin Thomas’ walking tours
Hear tales of Birmingham’s curious past
Walking tours are an excellent way to gain a deeper understanding of a place. In Birmingham Kevin Thomas’s Heritage Walking Tours reveal the city’s many faces with humour, passion and curiosity. With tours like “Five ways to die in Birmingham” and “Birmingham is revolting”, Thomas isn’t afraid to step into the city’s more macabre past.
Insider tip: Thomas offers a range of tours but he can’t do them all every week. If there’s one you want to experience, book it well in advance, and prepare for all weather possibilities.
Website: birminghamwalkingtours.co.uk
Price: ££
Best live experiences
Moseley Folk & Arts Festival
Dance all weekend on a jubilant hillside
A laid-back three-day music festival in dreamy Moseley Park, the annual Moseley Folk & Arts Festival in late August is a perfect summer send-off. The lush lake and hillside setting with alternating stage set-ups, quirky stalls and a selection of Birmingham’s best independent food vendors make this the city’s most delightful music festival. In July, look out for the Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival.
Insider tip: Bring blankets and fold-up chairs. If you’re feeling flush, the VIP upgrade includes use of the exclusive Black Swan Bar – a much faster way to a pint.
Website: moseleyfolk.co.uk
Price: £££
Cricket at Edgbaston
Be part of a cricketing legend
Proudly boasting one of the liveliest atmospheres of any English cricket stadium, Edgbaston is the genial home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, T20 team, the Birmingham Bears, and the Birmingham Phoenix, who compete in The Hundred. England men’s test matches are when Edgbaston really shines, though, so try to snag one of these tickets to see the stadium at its most rambunctious.
Insider tip: The Eric Hollies stand is where you’ll find the best atmosphere for England tests. Also, “Day 5” tickets can be secured for as little as £25 (though there’s no guarantee of play).
Website: edgbaston.com
Price: ££
The Birmingham Rep
Take in Birmingham’s best productions
There are plenty of places to see a show in Birmingham, but the Birmingham Repertory Theatre (known as The Rep) has a certain magic inside its doors. Opened on its current Centenary Square site in 1971, productions include everything from new Shakespeare interpretations to international stand-up comedy inside the steeply raked 825-capacity main theatre, The House.
Insider tip: Theatre enthusiasts should book a spot on one of the Rep’s Backstage Tours to get a closer look at the props, workshops and paint shops that go into a production. There are Family Backstage Tours available, too.
Website: birmingham-rep.co.uk
Price: ££
How we choose
Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
About our expert
James March
Second City native James March is Telegraph Travel’s Birmingham expert and has spent much of his life there. He defended Birmingham’s good name while living in France and Canada, and these days you’ll find him swanning around the cafes and bars of his local Jewellery Quarter.