Our hotel teams are experts when it comes to their cities and love to give our guests insider tips on their city’s hidden gems and the best things to see & do. So in response to this research, we asked our Birmingham team to create a short video on how to see the best of their city in just 36 minutes on foot or just a short car ride from the hotel!
With so many things to do and see in Birmingham, learn more about booking a city break.
Birmingham is a vibrant, culturally-rich city that’s full of wonderful ways to fill your time, but don’t miss the surrounding area – there are lots of places to visit outside the city itself, including:
Getting to and from our hotel in Birmingham is easy, thanks to its excellent location. Here’s how to get to Birmingham from some of the UK’s major cities:
Manchester to Birmingham: 2 hours via the M6 or 1 hour 40 minutes by train
Newcastle to Birmingham: 3 hours 40 minutes via the A1(M) or 3 and a half hours by train
Leeds to Birmingham: 2 hours 20 minutes via the M1 or 2 hours by train
London to Birmingham: 3 hours via the M40 or 1 and a half hours by train
The Gift: Visit Harbourne High Street for a selection of vintage and independent boutiques (11min taxi)
The View: For one of the most unique views of the city, go to the top of Birmingham Library (3min taxi, 7min walk)
The Stroll: Take the Old Canal Walk from the Mailbox to Brindley Place and on past the NIA. Follow the canal until you emerge at Snow Hill (4min taxi, 11min walk)
The Food and Drink: Sample some of the best curries in Birmingham at the award winning Pushkar (Less than 1min walk)
Discover our hotels near Birmingham's NEC arena for a stay closer the NEC or discover our hotels near Birmingham airport at your convenience.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Housed in an impressive Grade II listed building and considered a Birmingham landmark, ‘BMAG’ offers over 40 galleries of diverse art displays and exhibitions. The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is home to one of the world's finest collections of pre-Raphaelite paintings, as well as impressive collections of silver, sculpture, ceramics, and archaeology, as well as natural and social history.
The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is a short nine-minute walk from our Birmingham hotel on Broad Street. Admission is free -visitors are welcome to drop in and look around at their leisure between 10am-5pm, Saturday – Thursday, 10.30-5pm on Fridays.
Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
This is an award-winning, working museum based around a 'time capsule' jewellery factory, telling its story from the last 200 years. The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter offers visitors a guided tour of the factory and allows you to meet skilled jewellers at work. There is also a temporary exhibition space hosting a range of workshops and events, as well as a museum shop selling a selection of Birmingham-made contemporary jewellery, books, and gifts.
Entrance costs just £6 for those over 16, with a guided tour it costs £7. The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am-5pm, and is just a leisurely 23- minute walk from Leonardo Hotels, or a five-minute drive.
National Motorcycle Museum
The National Motorcycle Museum is home to a unique collection of beautifully restored British motorcycles dating from 1898 to the 1990s. There are more than 1,000 machines outlining the history of a once world-dominating industry. Entry to the museum is just £8.95 per adult and £6.95 per child (5-16 years).
A little outside Birmingham city centre, The National Motorcycle Museum is a short 20-minute drive to Solihull. Join the M6 Junction 6 heading south, exit Junction 4a onto the M42 South, continue on the M42 until exit 6 signed post NEC/Airport, the entrance to the museum is the second left of the motorway island.
Think Tank
The Think Tank offers an exciting day out for all visitors to explore, learn, and engage. Consisting of ten themed galleries of interactive and informative exhibits, this modern museum allows you to discover everything from locomotives and aircrafts to intestines and taste buds.
Spanning over four floors and housing over 200 ‘hands-on’ displays, you can visit the Spitfire Gallery, Science Garden, Marine Worlds Gallery, and the Planetarium, or head to the Kid’s Park with the children for outdoor play with a scientific twist.
The Think Tank museum is situated in the relatively new complex - Millennium Point, which is a ten-minute drive, or 20 minutes by bus/walking from Leonardo Hotel Birmingham. Standard admission fees are £9.50 for children (3-15 years), and £13 for adults, and the museum is open daily 10am-5pm.
Botanical Gardens
Disappear into a haven of flora and fauna at Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens. Consisting of 15 acres of beautiful gardens, four glasshouses, wildlife trails, seasonal butterfly house and a birdhouse, the Botanical Gardens offers an unforgettable urban oasis.
Opening nearly 200 years ago (1832), the gardens are rich with natural heritage and has one of the finest collection of plants in the Midlands. There is also a varied programme of events from play productions to demonstrations and family events. There is a gift shop and plant centre for those wishing to take away a memento or flora for the home.
The Botanical Gardens are situated in Edgbaston, just a twelve-minute bus journey from our Birmingham hotel. Buses are available from the Broad Street stop. Admission costs £7 per adult and just £4.75 for children, OAPs, students, and disabled guests.
Cadbury World
Cadbury World is an exciting day out for chocolate lovers and families alike! Explore the unique history of Cadburys chocolate, learn about and witness chocolate making, embark on a’ 4D Chocolate Adventure’, and ride the Cadabra through the amazing Chocolate Wonderland. You can also ‘Journey to Europe’, head through the ‘Aztec Jungle’, or shop in the world’s biggest Cadbury shop.
Cadbury's World is situated in Bournville, which is a 30- minute bus journey from the stop adjacent to Leonardo Hotel Birmingham. Admission to Cadbury's World costs £12.30 for children (4-15), £16.75 per adult. It is advised to book tickets before your visit to guarantee entry.
Drayton Manor Park and Zoo
Drayton Manor Park is a family theme park with more than 200 great rides and attractions for all ages, including the world's first ever stand-up tower drop. There is also a zoo, farm, museums, nature trail, shops and garden centre. Whether you enjoy a ride on the carousel, brave the Buffalo Coaster, or immerse in the 4D Cinema experience - a day at Drayton Manor Park offers fun for all!
Admission to the park varies depending on booking date and age, but starts from £6 to £29 for children (ages 2-11) and £23-£39 for adults (ages 12-59). A little outside Birmingham city centre, Drayton Manor Park is a 25-minute drive from Leonardo Hotels.
Dudley Zoological Gardens
Bursting with animals, adventures, and experiences, Dudley Zoologial Gardens is the perfect place for kids to learn, engage, and discover! Dudley Zoo is home to a range of species, including the best chimp enclosure in Europe, sea lions, and penguins, as well as lions and tigers.
In addition to its impressive collection of animals, Dudley Zoo is on the site of the Dudley Castle ruins, offering a truly unique and fun day out. Admission to the attraction is just £14.05 per adult, £9 per child (3-15 years) and £12 for concessions. The Gardens are a short 22-minute drive from Leonardo Hotel Birmingham.
Blakesley Hall
Built in 1590, Blakesley Hall oozes charm and heritage just outside Birmingham’s city centre. The interior reflects a late Tudor/ Stuart lifestyle of a wealthy family, allowing visitors to learn about and immerse in the period’s history. There is also a traditional herb garden and orchard that is home to beautiful butterflies and other fauna.
Blakesley Hall is a short 20-minute drive from our Birmingham hotel, admission prices and tour times vary depending on holidays and weekends.
National SEA LIFE Centre
The SEA LIFE Centre gives you the opportunity to come face to face with the marine world's amazing inhabitants, ranging from humble shrimps to sharks and stingrays. The National SEA LIFE Centre overlooks the city's famous canal network and has more than 60 displays of different sea and freshwater creatures. This fantastic underwater journey also offers an incredible 360? ocean tunnel and an interactive rockpool experience – view opening and feeding times to plan your trip.
The SEA LIFE Centre is situated on the Water's Edge, Brindleyplace, which is just a four-minute walk away from Leonardo Hotel Birmingham. Admission into the SEA LIFE Centre costs from £12.50pp for a basic saver ticket (children under 3 go free).
Aston Hall
A grand 17th Century mansion, Aston Hall offers a fantastic day out for all ages. Situated in a public park, this Grade I listed Jacobean building hosts a range of events, activities, and trails. Explore the display rooms to learn the rich history of Aston Hall, focused around the turbulent English civil war, or wander through Lady Holte’s Garden, beautifully designed with an impressive and unique water feature.
Admission prices and tour times vary between weekdays and weekends. Aston Hall is a 30-minute bus journey from Leonardo Hotels.
Bullring Birmingham
Birmingham's newest shopping destination offers the most ‘exhilarating’ city retail experience you'll find anywhere in Europe. The Bullring Birmingham reintroduces some of Birmingham's traditional streets, situated in an area steeped in history. The building’s modern design creates a stimulating, glass-covered environment where you can shop in over 160 stores, eat in mouth-watering restaurants, or simply wander the unique building.
The centre is open 10am-8pm, Monday – Friday, opening an hour earlier on Saturdays, and opening 11am-5pm on Sundays. The shopping centre is a short 17-minute walk from our Birmingham hotel.
Jewellery Quarter
The Jewellery Quarter is a truly vibrant part of Birmingham’s past and present. The Quarter is a shopping ‘must’ with over 100 specialist designers, craftspeople, and jewellery retailers. You can also browse galleries, gift shops, fashion specialists, and even wedding shops – the area is constantly expanding, making no two visits the same!
The Jewellery Quarter is a short 23-minute walk from Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham.