Birmingham campsites

Birmingham’s premier park, Cannon Hill Park, first opened to the public in 1873 and has many formal flower beds that reflect its Victorian origins. It has Green Flag status to recognise it as a site of excellence. There are more than 100 species of trees, including giant redwood and a conservation area. Kingfishers, bats and nuthatches are among the resident wildlife here, so get your camera and get exploring.

Then there’s Shire Country Park which begins at Sarehole Mill, one of Birmingham’s last two working watermills. It was also a childhood playground for JRR Tolkien and one of the inspirations for his writing. The circular walk follows the River Cole where you can see kingfishers.

Other parks worth mentioning for their wildlife and green spaces are Edgbaston Reservoir and Summerfield Park.  Here you’ll find recreational activities such as sailing and rowing.

All aboard!!! Canal boat trips, offered by Sherborne Wharf, depart multiple times every day from the International Convention Centre quayside in the heart of Birmingham. This is a great way to explore the city’s industrial heritage and fascinating past in a unique way and the boat trip will guide you along quiet stretches of the canal, perfect for a great day out.

Did somebody say CHOCOLATE? A visit to Cadbury World, one of the biggest chocolate factories in the world, is more than just a factory tour. Visitors are invited to explore the history of Cadbury confectionery and learn more about the fascinating process of chocolate production. With 14 different zones to discover, visitors can even add their favourite treat to liquid chocolate and create their own type of chocolate praline.

Take education outside of the classroom and bring history to life at the Birmingham Museum and Gallery. This stunning building houses the Staffordshire Hoard Gallery, which is the biggest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found. Take the time to pour over and study this treasure as it lays safety beneath glass.

Thinking caps are what’s called for at this award-winning museum with over 200 hands-on displays in the field of science and technology. Thinktank is sure to have imaginations firing and brains buzzing. Over four floors are yours to explore with talking robots, gurgling guts, a chocolate wrapping machine and actual steam engines! The Planetarium hosts a wide variety of shows on space and astronomy, and The Science Garden is an outdoor discovery space where mechanics and transportation are brought to life.

Come and have an underwater adventure at the National Sea Life Centre with 60 displays of freshwater and marine life and over 2000 creatures. There are 15 zones to explore where you can get nose to nose with reef sharks in the ocean tunnel, stroke a starfish and feel crab shells in the Rock pool and see Mango and Starky, the resident Asian Short Clawed otters at the Otter Sanctuary.

Fancy being on the BBC? BBC Birmingham's Visitor Centre tucked away on level three of The Mailbox. Visit and have your photo taken with Doctor Who's Tardis or a Dalek. You can also pose behind the Strictly Come Dancing desk and show off your best Len Goodman impression. There is an array of ballroom outfits from the TV series on display as well as variety of TV props and memorabilia to see.

If you’re unfortunate to encounter bad weather, never fear, Birmingham has you covered. You can bounce off the walls at Boing Zone, challenge the wall and see how high you can climb at Redpoint Birmingham or Rock Up Birmingham.  For the competitive family head on over to Bowlplex Birmingham and see who score the most strikes.

When the sun comes out put your putting skills to the test at Birmingham Mini Golf. The exciting 36-hole mini golf course is filled with putting islands, bridges and wild waterfalls for you to tackle and is great fun for all ages.

There are many excellent attractions and places to visit nearby as well, such as the beautiful Lickey Hills Country Park and the pretty Tudor timber-framed house of Baddesley Clinton. The cities of Coventry, Worcester, Wolverhampton and Leicester are also all within convenient travelling distance for visitors looking for day trips from Birmingham.