Manchester Airport 1 hr 30
Thinktank Science Museum (16 min) Close encounters with technology past, present and future in family-friendly interactive displays. Aston Hall (11 min) Jacobean-style mansion with tours of its period rooms, scenic gardens & occasional special events. Cannon Hill Park (23 min) Tennis courts, bowling green, boats on the lake and walking trails in 120 acres of woodland. National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham (22 min) Family-friendly exhibits with a variety of sea creatures (most offer play areas & group packages). National Trust - Birmingham Back to Backs (17 min) Guided tours of 4 fully restored historic houses that show how life changed between 1840 and 1977. Cadbury World (28 min) Self-guided tours through colorful interactive displays about chocolate-making & Cadbury history. Dudley Zoo and Castle. (32 min) Walkthrough zoo in grounds with exotic mammals and reptiles, plus a farmyard area and face painting. Black Country Living Museum (30 min) Exploration of life in an 1850s iron-working town, with a coal seam, forge, steam engine and shops. Sandwell Valley Country Park (21 min) Outdoor action in 660 acres of woods, farmland, lakes and streams with hiking and biking trails. Museum of the Jewellery Quarter (14 min) Live demonstrations of the jeweller's craft with legacy tours of time-warp workshops. Sutton Park (9 min) 2000 acres of parkland with bike/bridle paths and lakes, for walking, jogging, cycling and angling. Library of Birmingham (18 min) Europe's largest public library is a modern, 31,000-sq-m. building with a cafe & a gift shop. Drayton Manor Theme Park (23 min) Large adventure playground with 12 rides based on Thomas the Tank Engine, indoor play and parklands. Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (18 min) Victorian building with domed Round Room showing Pre-Raphaelites, Staffordshire hoard and artefacts. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens (21 min) 16-acre site with exotic flora in elegant Victorian glasshouses, Bonsai garden and bird collection. |