Cool Tourist Attractions to Visit and Fun Things to Do in Birmingham, England

February 4, 2022 Mustafa Natalwala 2093 Views

Birmingham is a city in the West Midlands in England. It is sometimes called the “second city of the United Kingdom”. Some of the top things to do in Birmingham include exploring museums, old mansions, factories, art galleries and house museums. The city used to be a market town in Warwickshire during the medieval times. Some of the best places to visit in Birmingham, England hail from this period. You get to visit ruined castles and houses of noble families from the period during Birmingham travel.

The town saw great progress during the industrial revolution. It is regarded as the first manufacturing town in the world. Many of the old factories from this period have been converted into museums and are now among Birmingham tourist attractions. You will find factory museums concerning jewelry, coffin works, pens and so on. One of the most interesting places to go in Birmingham is the Back to Backs. This place is a large museum which recreates the life and living spaces of the working class people of the 19th century.

If you are looking for outdoor things to do in Birmingham, you can head for one of many country parks that surround the city. There are also lakes and wetlands which are located just a short drive away. There are also adventure parks within the city for fun activities in Birmingham.

The city is also well known for its culture. Art galleries, art museums, opera houses, orchestra halls, performance centers are all part of Birmingham sightseeing. One of the biggest cultural tours you can enjoy here would be that of Shakespeare’s early and late life. A little outside the city lies the house where renowned English author William Shakespeare was born. The tour also includes his retirement house and the house of his wife. These have become some of the most popular things to see in Birmingham.

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Table of Contents

The Top 9 Tourist Places to Visit in Birmingham in 2 Days (Trip Itinerary)

Day 1

1. Winterbourne Botanic Garden

These botanical gardens exhibit plants gathered from around the world. It is also recognized among Birmingham tourist attractions for historic glasshouses and restored pergola. These gardens are also a great example of Edwardian suburban villa gardens which were inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement in the country. You would need about an hour or so for these gardens when you visit Birmingham.

You can book your skip the line admission ticket of Winterbourne Botanic Garden in advance.

2. Barber Institute of Fine Arts

This museum houses creations of fine art by some of the most renowned names in history. You will discover some of the top things to see in Birmingham in this museum including works of Van Gogh, Rodin, Rubens, Monet, Botticelli, Gauguin, Bellini, van Dyck and many more. Exploring this art museum will require at 2 to 3 hours of time from Birmingham travel.

3. Birmingham Back to Backs

This museum recreates life of working class people as it was during the 19th century. It is one of the best places to visit in Birmingham to learn about history of the city. A tour of this museum requires at least 2 hours.

4. The Bullring

This huge shopping center is the venue for many fun things to do in Birmingham city center. The complex offers everything from shopping to entertainment and food. The structure itself is a fine work of architecture among modern Birmingham attractions. You can easily spend a couple of hours at the Bullring.

Day 2

1. St. Philip’s Cathedral

This cathedral was built in 1715 and is one of the smallest cathedrals in the country. It is one the most historically significant attractions you will come across during Birmingham sightseeing. The cathedral has a storied history of reconstruction, world war bombing, restoration and continues the oldest building in the city still in use for its original purpose. It will take you an hour to tour this cathedral.

2. Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

This museum dives into history of several fields like archeology, metalwork, art, politics, culture, jewellery, industry, natural history, ceramics, ethnography and more. It is among the most informative places to go in Birmingham. It will take you about 2 to 3 hours to tour it.

3. Coffin Works (Newman Brothers Coffin Furniture Factory)

This museum is dedicated to coffin furniture factory of Newman Brothers. This factory has a history spanning over a century and has an integral association with the city’s history as well. Despite seeming a little unusual, it is still among top things to do in Birmingham. You will need an hour to tour this factory museum.

4. Pen Museum

This museum is also built inside a former factory. As the name suggests, it used to be where pens were made. The museum outlines the history of pens and the role of the industry in the city. You will find some unique pens while touring this museum. It is one of the most interesting places to see in Birmingham associated with an everyday object. You will need an hour for this museum as well.

5. Museum of the Jewellery Quarter

The jewellery industry once thrived in this city and this area known as the jewellery quarter was the happening heart of that industry. This museum is housed in a former factory owned by Smith & Pepper. It dives into the history of the jewellery quarter and its role in the history of the city. It is among Birmingham must see places and will require an hour of your time.

If you are looking for fun activities to do in Birmingham, check out the section below. We have compiled an exhaustive list of attractions to explore in and around the city.

Things to do in Birmingham

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Birmingham

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Black Country Living Museum
Library of Birmingham
Think Tank Birmingham Science Museum
Ikon Gallery
Dudley Castle
Aston Hall
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts
Birmingham Back to Backs
National Motorcycle Museum
St. Philip’s Cathedral
Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
Haden Hill House
New Art Gallery Walsall
Oak House Museum
Clent Hills
Sarehole Mill Museum
Midlands Art Center
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
Lapworth Museum of Geology
Pen Museum
Bromwich Manor House
Blakesley Hall Museum
Soho House
Selly Manor Museum
Transport Museum
The Coffin Works Museum
Hagley Hall
St. Martin’s Church
Highbury Hall
Castle Bromwich
St. Chad’s Cathedral
Forge Mill Needle Museum
Walsall Leather Museum
Shri Venkateswara Temple
Roundhouse Birmingham
Birmingham Central Library
Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery
Aldridge Transport Museum
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
Anna Hathaway’s Cottage
Shakespeare’s Retirement Home
Stratford Ghost Walk

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Birmingham

Sutton Park
Lickey Hills Country Park
Kingsbury Water Park
Sandwell Valley Country Park
Waseley Hills Country Park
Leasowes Park
Elmdon Park
Edgbaston Reservoir
Brueton Park Lake
Moseley Bog
Woodgate Valley Country Park
Earlswood Lake
RSPB Sandwell Valley
RSPB Middleton Lakes

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Birmingham

Cadbury World
National Sea Life Center
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
The Bullring
Dudley Zoo
Cannon Hill Park
National Exhibition Center
Winterbourne House and Gardens
Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park
Bear Grylls Adventures
Edgbaston Stadium
LEGOLAND Discovery Center
Eastside Projects
Ackers Adventure
Walsall Arboretum
Ash End House Children’s Farm
Sheldon Country Park
Star City
Forge Mill Farm
Broomey Croft Children Farm
Ghetto Golf
Attwell Farm Park
Middleton Hall & Garden
West Bromwich Albion Football Club
Sandwell Park Farm
Adventure Island Mini Golf
Mr Mulligans Birmingham
Echills Wood Railway
Kings Heath Park
Woodgate Valley Country Park
Akamba Heritage Center

Shopping in Birmingham

The Bullring
Grand Central
Great Western Arcade
Birmingham Rag Market
Jewellery Quarter
City Arcade
Custard Factory
New Street
The Mailbox
Piccadilly Arcade
Resorts World Birmingham
Martineau Place
The Square Shopping Center
Burlington Arcade
Selfridges
The Cube

Offbeat Places, & Adventure Activities in Birmingham

Boating
Adventure Park
Hiking
Swimming

Sightseeing in Birmingham

Gas Street Basin
Victoria Square
Stratford upon Avon Canal
Dudley Canal
Worcester and Birmingham Canal
Brindley Place
Warley Woods
Handsworth Park
Eastside City Park

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Birmingham

The Ivy
Lulu Wild
Mythos Taverna
Feast and Forest
Adam’s
Cafe Dupont
La Galleria
Iron City
Tattu
Oven Bird
Land
Magic City Grille
Hot Box
The Collins Bar
Craft
Blue Pacific
Bar Estilo
Original Patty Men
Slice
The Pig & Tail
Sabai Sabai
Baked in Brick
Bonehead
Medicine Bakery
Tropea
Indian Brewery
The Meat Shack
Isaac’s
Tamu Cafe
Siamais

Where to Stay in Birmingham?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range and Budget Hotels in Birmingham. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Birmingham.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Birmingham

How to Reach Birmingham?

By Air

The fastest option for Birmingham travel is via the city’s eponymous airport. You can get direct flights from several cities in Europe, Asia and North America. These include Delhi, Dubai, Toronto, Islamabad, Luxor, New York, Paris, Amritsar, Bucharest, Jersey, Belfast, Brussels, Edinburgh, Geneva, Glasgow, Stockholm, London, Prague, Dusseldorf, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Budapest, Krakow, Rome, Venice, Athens, Malta, Naples, Salzburg, Split, Turin, Verona, Vienna, Frankfurt, Munich, Sofia, Zurich and many more.

You can get trains, buses, and cabs to get to the city from the airport. If you are on a tight schedule, you can begin with the best things to do in Birmingham closer to the airport as well. You will get buses for day tours as well.

By Road

If you want to visit Birmingham by train, you should refer to the rail network in the United Kingdom. You will get a direct or connecting train from almost any major city on the island. The bus network includes smaller cities and towns as well. But you can’t expect direct buses to Birmingham from every place either. The easiest way would be to get to the nearest major city and find train travel from there.

If you are planning to travel by road, you should head for routes M1, M42, M6, M40 or M5.

By Water

You can book a boating trip through Canal River Trust. It includes intercity travel as well along the canal route.

Image Reference

Winterbourne Botanic Garden – Elliott Brown / Flickr
Barber Institute of Fine Arts – Elliott Brown / Flickr
Birmingham Back to Backs – Tony Hisgett / Flickr
The Bullring – Harry Burgess / PixaBay
St Philip’s Cathedral – Tony Hisgett / Flickr
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery – Phil Beard / Flickr
Coffin Works (Newman Brothers Coffin Furniture Factory) – Simon Bradshaw / Flickr
Pen Museum – Katchooo / Flickr
Museum of the Jewellery Quarter – Andrew Stawarz / Flickr