Birmingham Staycation Guide: Where to Stay, What to Do and Where to Eat

Birmingham is one of the most central places in England for a break, and one of the most underrated. The canal network threads right through the middle of the city, the Jewellery Quarter and Digbeth have kept their industrial character, and the food scene ranges from the famous balti houses to smart modern restaurants. It also makes a good base for Shakespeare country and the Cotswolds edge, with Birmingham itself worth a couple of days before you head out.

How long to stay

A weekend covers the city centre, the canals and one of the big parks. Three nights gives you time for a day trip to Stratford-upon-Avon or Warwick, both of which are easy by train.

Where to stay in Birmingham

Most visitors are best off near New Street station or around Broad Street and Brindleyplace, where the canals meet the main restaurant district. See the Birmingham hotels page for the full list.

Character and comfort

Hotel du Vin occupies a converted Victorian eye hospital near the Colmore business district, with individually designed rooms and a bistro known for its wine list. Hyatt Regency Birmingham on Broad Street stands next to the ICC and Brindleyplace, a few steps from the canal towpath. For a pub stay, The Old Crown is a nine-room historic inn in Digbeth that accepts dogs.

Near New Street and the Bullring

Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre New St Station is right by the station and the shops, and easyHotel Birmingham City Centre on John Bright Street is a compact budget option, rated 4.6 from over 7,000 Google reviews, which also takes dogs. Families or longer stays may prefer Staycity Aparthotels Newhall Square, with self-catering apartments.

Out of town

Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club is a golf and spa hotel in the countryside to the east, with an indoor pool and sauna.

Things to do

The Birmingham attractions page has the full list. These are the best places to start.

Canals and the city centre

Walk the towpath from Gas Street Basin past Brindleyplace and the ICC to get a feel for the city's industrial past; it is free and flat. From there it is a short walk to the Library of Birmingham, whose upper terraces look over Centenary Square, and on to the Jewellery Quarter, still home to hundreds of jewellers and workshops. For an evening, Birmingham Hippodrome stages musicals, ballet and touring West End shows.

Museums and families

Thinktank at Millennium Point has hands-on science galleries and a planetarium, and Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park is a small zoo focused on endangered species. Football fans can take a behind-the-scenes tour at Villa Park, home of Aston Villa.

Parks and gardens

Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Edgbaston has Victorian glasshouses and 15 acres of gardens. Nearby, Cannon Hill Park has a boating lake and walking trails and welcomes dogs, and to the north, Sutton Park covers around 2,000 acres of heath, woodland and lakes, rated 4.7 from over 10,000 reviews.

Where to eat

Birmingham is the home of the balti, and the Balti Triangle south of the centre is still the place to try one. In the centre, Dishoom is a reliable choice for Indian food, Turtle Bay serves Caribbean dishes from a jerk pit, and Rosa's Thai covers Thai favourites. More ideas are on the Birmingham restaurants page.

A two-day plan

Day one

Start with a canal walk from Gas Street Basin to Brindleyplace, then head up to the Library of Birmingham and on to the Jewellery Quarter for lunch and a browse. Spend the late afternoon at Thinktank if you have children with you, and finish with dinner in the city centre or a show at the Hippodrome.

Day two

Take a bus or taxi out to Edgbaston for the Botanical Gardens in the morning, then walk to Cannon Hill Park for lunch by the lake. In the evening, head to the Balti Triangle or Digbeth for food.

Day trips from Birmingham

Trains run to Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace, and to Warwick, whose castle is one of the best-preserved in England. Worcester has a riverside cathedral, Coventry pairs its bombed medieval cathedral with the modern one beside it, and Kidderminster is the starting point of the Severn Valley Railway.

Camping and cottages near Birmingham

Kingsbury Water Park Camping and Caravanning Club Site has lakeside pitches, glamping and a play area and welcomes dogs. Somers Wood Caravan Park near Meriden is an adults-only touring park, and Knowle Donkey Sanctuary Campsite takes tents, caravans and motorhomes. Browse all campsites near Birmingham or Birmingham cottages.

Practical tips

Birmingham New Street has direct trains from London Euston and most major cities, and Moor Street and Snow Hill have services from London Marylebone, so a car is optional; see staycations without a car. If the canals appeal, our guide to canal boat staycations covers hiring a boat, and UK city breaks without flying compares Birmingham with other cities.