Everyone knows that Warwick Castle offers a great day out but when was the last time you considered spending some time in historic Warwick itself? With its cobbled streets, market square and Victorian walled gardens, this is an amazing place to visit - and it's only a short train ride from Birmingham . There's an abundance of independent shops , packed full of treasures from books and antiques to gifts and clothes plus some fab indie cafes and restaurants too. Smith Street is the best place to head for indies but they are dotted all around the town where you'll discover buildings from every period of the last 1,100 years.
Go on a Saturday and you can have a mooch around the weekly market. There's also a plethora of parks, an outdoor pool and amusement park at St Nicholas Park and the River Avon to wander down. Climb to the top of St Mary’s Tower, near the War Memorial, to take in spectacular views of Warwick and check out the famous Lord Leycester Hospital which you may recognise from Doctor Who, A Christmas Carol and Pride and Prejudice (pictured above).
Read more: Things to do in Birmingham and the best days out this summer 2024 Competition: Win family tickets to London Zoo with free LNR train travel from Birmingham There's also the Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum of military history, the Court House with its magnificent ballroom, the impressive St Mary's Church and nearby Hatton Country World. And, if you want to get away from it all, step back in time to the Victorian Hill.