24 Hours In Birmingham
Discover canalside restaurants, the National Sea Life Centre and The Jam House and on a 24-hour visit to Birmingham.
Published: Tuesday, 6 May 2025
Discover canalside restaurants, the National Sea Life Centre and The Jam House and on a 24-hour visit to Birmingham.
Published: Tuesday, 6 May 2025
Birmingham is a wonderfully diverse city, with activities to suit every taste and budget. By day, there are museums, waterways and shopping arcades to explore. And by night, the city comes alive with a heart-pounding bar and live music scene.
Here’s how to get a flavour of it all, even if you only have 24 hours to spend in Brum.
Start your day with great coffee and a comforting brunch at Ju Ju’s Café, a much‑loved independent spot just a short stroll from the Ikon Gallery and Brindleyplace. Known for its warm atmosphere and hearty, home‑cooked feel, Ju Ju’s is a favourite with locals.
The menu offers everything from classic Full English breakfasts to creative dishes like The Lebanese (toasted bloomer with avocado, poached eggs, sumac and za’atar), indulgent veggie hash, and other flavour‑packed brunch plates. It’s an excellent place to relax and fuel up before exploring Birmingham’s canalside attractions.
Otherwise known as Birmingham’s canal quarter, Brindleyplace is built around the city’s historic waterways. Not only does it offer a lovely al fresco setting, with tree-lined squares and waterfront bars and restaurants to watch the world go by. It’s also home to the Legoland Discovery Centre and National Sea Life Centre, where you can watch sharks and other sea creatures swimming around you from inside the UK’s only 360-degree ocean tunnel.
A great way to explore the area’s hidden gems is by taking a walking or kayaking tour from the Grade II-listed Roundhouse building.
From Brindleyplace, head east into the city centre, stopping off to take a photo of the amazing Library of Birmingham building as you go.
Tiger Bites Pig is a fantastic spot for lunch. This popular Taiwanese eatery on Church Street is known for its flavoursome homemade bao buns. Fillings to tempt you include pork belly, soy-flavoured fried chicken, and sesame and chilli tofu. There’s also rice bowls topped with salt and pepper tofu or white cut chicken.
Birmingham is well known for its Bullring shopping complex, with more than 150 stores including the iconic Selfridges building. But the city is also home to two architecturally stunning arcades that we recommend exploring if you get time. Brimming with Victorian charm, the Great Western Arcade offers high-end fashion boutiques, quality whiskies, retro sweets and more.
Meanwhile, Piccadilly Arcade opposite New Street Station has a small number of independent shops, cafes and bars to its name. It’s worth visiting just for the hand-painted ceiling murals alone.
The Mailbox is another area of shops, cafes and restaurants set around the canal. It can get quite lively at weekends and evenings, but it’s a great spot to grab a drink after all that shopping. Enjoy a refreshing mocktail at Aluna perhaps. Or an iced latte from Elio Cafe.
If you’re handy with a bat (or even if you’re not), Sixes Social Cricket is a fun place to hang out and test your skills against a virtual bowler while enjoying a few drinks.
Tucked away in a traditional Georgian building in the Jewellery Quarter is this brilliant live music bar that once boasted Jools Holland as its musical director. The programme is very eclectic, so you can expect everything from jazz and funk to salsa and soul classics.
The venue holds up to 600 people, but you’ll need to book early if you have your heart set on one of the balcony restaurant tables. Those overlooking the main stage sell out fast. Before the show, take your pick of treats from the three-course seasonal menu, and keep the drinks flowing during the set. All in all, The Jam House offers good-time energy and unplugged music at its finest.
When you’re ready to turn in for the night, head back to your Best Western base in Birmingham for a well-deserved night’s rest. Best Western Plough & Harrow Hotel is nestled in leafy grounds around a mile from the city centre. It’s one of the oldest hotels in Birmingham, and Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien even stayed here in 1916!
Morning meals in the Terrace Restaurant at the Plough & Harrow are very much an as-you-like-it affair, with a menu offering hearty full English or continental breakfast options. Savour the views of the garden as you tuck in.
Sadly, your time in Brum is almost at an end. But before heading off, enjoy a wander around Birmingham Botanical Gardens, less than half a mile from the hotel. With 15 acres of landscaped gardens, four glasshouses, bonsai plants and alpine collections, it’s a beautiful green space to explore.
If you’re planning on extending your visit, discover all Best Western hotels in and around Birmingham to find your perfect stay.
