Student Daniel shares his recommendations for attractions, parks, sports venues and other places to visit while studying in Birmingham.
Studying may be the priority as a student at university, but you will always have some time to explore the city. Birmingham has so much culture and attractions to offer, and I wanted to share some recommendations of what you can see across the city.
The first time I visited the Utilita Arena, I was surprised how close it was to the city centre. Additionally, it holds a lot of facilities – restaurants, the Lego Discovery centre and an arena for concerts. Many music artists perform over at the arena, so if you have some money to spare, why not head along to a concert there.
Residents of Calthorpe Court would be familiar with this, as Cannon Hill Park is a nice place to go for a walk, observe nature and in summer, have a picnic. Located nearby Edgbaston Stadium, it is a relatively large park, with a lake residing in the middle. Cannon Hill offers the opportunity for canoeing, outdoor exhibitions and holds a tennis court within it. I recommend spending time with friends, exploring the outdoors here someday.
Closer to Selly Oak, there is Selly Park and Selly Oak Park, which are good places to spend time over summer.
Cannon Hill Park.
For the football enjoyers, TOCA Social is a good place to test our skills and enjoy a good day out with friends. The location has live football, whilst you play different football challenges, trying to get a high score. The place also offers regular deals for students, and is held within the city centre, so it is easy to get to.
Additionally, you may want to visit the various stadiums within the city. Birmingham City FC, Edgbaston Cricket Ground and Villa Park are all in a relatively close area and you could try to visit all of them during your time in Birmingham.
Star City is somewhere which I haven’t yet been to but have heard it as an essential place to visit. A leisure park within the northeast of the city, it has many restaurants, cinemas and bowling to enjoy.
A much more familiar name, the Bullring is one of the largest shopping centres in the country. Composed of three floors, split in a ring shape, it is perfect for checking out. Just make sure you don’t go on the weekend – it gets busy!
These are places I recommend visiting, but there are much more to see. For example, the Balti Triangle is a well-known hotspot for delicious cuisine, and you may want to visit some of Birmingham’s neighbouring cities such as Coventry, Wolverhampton and Leicester, all easily accessible by West Midlands transport.
There is so much to do in Birmingham, so make a list and get exploring!
Bullring shopping centre.
Birmingham City Football Club.
Aerospace Engineering BEng
Daniel is studying BEng Aerospace Engineering at Birmingham.
