Birmingham canals / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Bob Hall

With more than one million people, Birmingham is the most populous city in the UK outside London.

More than 20% of the city’s population are below the age of 16, which is a lot of young ones to keep entertained so Birmingham has become an expert town a catering to the young.

It’s also a pretty central city within around an hour’s travelling distance from places such as Northampton to the south-east, Nottingham and Derby to the north-east. It’s not difficult to get here from these towns either by car or by train, and it’s even worth making a memorable weekend of it and staying for a couple of nights.

Here is a list of some of the exciting attractions in Birmingham that will keep the kids busy.

Cadbury World

Around half a million people visit here every year, and it’s probably fair to say that more than a few of them are chocolate lovers.

You can stroll through the Aztec Jungle in search of the cocoa beans and find out how they came back to Europe; find out the history of the company in the auditorium, and possibly more importantly, find out how it’s made.

The state-of-the-art Purple Planet interactive experience will show chocolate as you have never seen it before – imagine yourself moulded in chocolate!

Sheldon Country Park

It’s more than 200 acres of grasslands, wetlands and woodland, and is perfect for a sunny afternoon.

Just at the entrance to the park is Old Rectory Farm. This 17th century dairy farm has been restored to its former glory into full working order to demonstrate to all of the city folk just what it’s like running a farm.

There are loads of animals including cattle, pigs, goats, ponies, ducks and geese.

BBC Birmingham Public Space

Learning about broadcasting has never been more fun. At the BBC Birmingham Public Space you can have a go at presenting everybody’s favourite children’s news programme, have your picture taken with Dr Who’s magnificent TARDIS and a terrifying Dalek.

You can also get a sneaky peek at the Asian Network studios and a tour of the television studio. You never know, could this be the start of a glittering on-screen career?

Birmingham Museum and Gallery

The Birmingham Museum and Gallery is a fantastic place to find out about the creative arts including bronze-casting, etching, pottery, jewellery-making and how to make stained glass.

Watch artists while they work and there’s even a whole load of fun for the kids to get a bit of hands-on experience and play around in costumes and hunt for special treasures.

These are just some of the fantastic family fun attractions and there are plenty of hotels in Birmingham which will also cater to family guests making it a weekend break to remember.

Catherine Halsey writes for a digital marketing agency on a range of subjects. This article links back to http://www.radissonblu.co.uk/hotels/united-kingdom/birmingham

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St. Michael’s Mount, Cornwall

Sitting atop a tidal island of the same name, St. Michael’s Mount is a great place to visit for anyone staying at campsites in Cornwall. As you can see from the pictures, it bears more than a slight resemblance to Mont St. Michel in Normandy, France because of its remote location. However, it is linked with the coastal village of Marazion by a narrow causeway composed of granite, much like the island itself. The castle is where Lord St Levan currently resides.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Gilles Messian

Stokesay Castle, Shropshire

For anyone wanting to go camping in the uninterrupted beauty of rural Shropshire, a visit to Stokesay Castle is well worth doing. Its origins as a dairy farm go back all the way to the 12th century, and it’s has the honour of being the oldest manor house in the whole of England. If you thought that there was very little to do in Shropshire, this castle will prove you wrong.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Chris Walsh

Skipton Castle, Skipton, North Yorkshire

Within a short distance of many top campsites in the nearby Yorkshire Dales, this castle lies within the popular market town of Skipton. Built in 1090 by Norman baron Robert de Romille, it has stood for over 900 years and remains in great condition. Having been under the ownership of the Clifford family from the 14th century all the way until 1676, today it’s a popular tourist destination as well as a private residence, which can be put down to the immaculate way in which it has been maintained.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Afshin Darian

Leeds Castle, Kent

Although you’d think it was in the large Yorkshire city, Leeds Castle actually lies just to the east of the small village of Leeds in Kent. It dates back to 1119, having previously been the site of a manor house as early as the 9th century. Leeds Castle enjoys a good reputation as a local tourist attraction, which is largely down to its striking looks.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Marc Evans

This article was brought to you by UK camping experts Pitchup

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