Holidays in Birmingham

Birmingham makes a sensible base for days out because so much sits within easy reach of it — not just the city's own attractions, but a scattering of museums, mills and family places across Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Shropshire and Leicestershire. The trick is to stop thinking of it as one city day and start thinking in loops: pick a direction, pick two or three places that suit the weather and the people you're with, and leave room for a long lunch.

Best for families

If you're travelling with children, two names do the heavy lifting. LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is in Birmingham itself, which makes it the obvious anchor for a city day — it's indoors, it's built for younger children rather than teenagers, and it tends to swallow a couple of hours happily. The Wave, over in Warwickshire, is a water park, so it's the one to hold in reserve for a day when everyone needs burning off rather than educating.

Climbing Frame in Worcestershire is listed as a theme park and is another good option when the main aim is letting children move about. Pair one of these with something quieter — a museum, a cafe, a slow drive home — rather than trying to stack two high-energy places into the same day.

Rainy-day options

Birmingham and the counties around it are unusually well stocked with indoor places, which is handy given the weather. Stourbridge Glass Museum in Worcestershire tells the story of a craft the area is genuinely known for. The John Taylor Bellfoundry Museum in Leicestershire is a similar sort of pleasure — a working trade explained properly. And the National Telephone Kiosk Collection, also in Worcestershire, is exactly what it sounds like, and all the better for it.

For something with a bit of theatre about it, the RSC Costume Workshop in Stratford-upon-Avon shows you the making side of stagecraft rather than the performance. The Collections Centre in Warwickshire is another indoor option worth knowing about when plans need rescuing.

Heritage and history

Sarehole Mill is the heritage stop that keeps you inside Birmingham, and it's the one to pick if you'd rather not drive far. Beyond the city, Staffordshire offers The Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum, the Staffordshire Regiment Museum and the Museum of Cannock Chase — three quite different takes on local and national history, and enough to build a full day around on their own.

Further out, Dudmaston Hall and The Darby Houses in Shropshire suit anyone who likes houses and collections, while Redfern Cottage in Staffordshire and Castle Donington Museum in Leicestershire are smaller, more local affairs. The Almonry Museum and Heritage Centre and Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum round out the list for anyone working through the region methodically.

How to group them into a day

A few combinations that hang together without too much driving:

• City day with children: LEGOLAND Discovery Centre in the morning, lunch, then Sarehole Mill for something calmer in the afternoon.
• Staffordshire history day: The Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum, then the Staffordshire Regiment Museum, with the Museum of Cannock Chase if you still have energy.
• Making and craft day: Stourbridge Glass Museum in Worcestershire, with the National Telephone Kiosk Collection as a light second stop.
• Warwickshire family day: The Wave, then something quiet — Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum works well as a wind-down.

Where to eat

For a proper sit-down meal, the New Inn is the pub option to look out for. Otherwise, the region's reliable stops are cafes and coffee houses: The Open Door Cafe, Coffee#1, Costa and Starbucks all hold five-star hygiene ratings, which is worth knowing when you're somewhere unfamiliar and need to feed people quickly. Our advice is to plan one decent meal a day and treat the rest as coffee and cake between attractions — it keeps costs down and stops the day becoming a series of queues.

Turning it into a short break

Two or three nights is about right if you want to cover more than one county. Build it as a hub-and-spoke trip: one base, one direction per day. Day one indoors in Birmingham, day two north into Staffordshire, day three west towards Worcestershire or Shropshire. There are currently no BritStays properties listed in the Birmingham region, so you'll need to look elsewhere for accommodation — or treat these as day trips from home if you're within striking distance.

Before you go

Check opening days directly with each attraction. Smaller museums such as Redfern Cottage, Castle Donington Museum and the National Telephone Kiosk Collection may open seasonally or on limited days, and the RSC Costume Workshop is a working space rather than a permanent open-all-hours museum. Book ahead for LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and The Wave if you're going in school holidays, and take swimming kit if The Wave is anywhere in your plans.