33 Things To Do With Teenagers In Birmingham (Fun Ideas for 2026)

Planning a day out in Birmingham with teenagers can be a challenge. Teens want activities that are fun, a little different, and definitely not “boring”.

The good news is that Birmingham is packed with brilliant attractions for teens, from immersive gaming experiences and escape rooms to quirky museums, street art and great shopping.

We live about 10 miles from Birmingham and regularly head into the city centre and surrounding areas for days out with our teenage son.

Here are 33 of the best things to do in Birmingham with teenagers that are guaranteed to keep them entertained.

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The Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum is aimed at all the family and there is plenty to occupy teens.

One part not to miss is the Planetarium. The show lasts 30 minutes and is well worth the extra cost to attend. Book the Planetarium at the ticket desk as soon as you arrive. The tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis and at busy times the shows are booked up quickly. In school holidays, there are often lots of shows and extra events to book onto as well and these are lots of fun. It's worth noting, it can get very busy with younger children during school holidays.

If you have a mixed age family with young teenagers this is an excellent choice. Adults, teens and kids will enjoy the interactive galleries and the exhibits at the science garden.

Located in the Bullring and Grand Central, Taco Social is a fun combination of football and dining.

Reserve your own private box where players aim footballs at digital targets projected onto a screen.

The great thing is you don't have to be a football expert to have a go. Teens, friends and family members can all join in no matter what their skill level.

Enjoy some food and drinks, while you play making it a great group activity for teenagers.

The venue also screens live football matches.

Explore the Library of Birmingham

The library isn't the first place you’d think of when trying to entertain teens. But the Library of Birmingham is well worth a visit. Plus it’s free!

It has a 4.5 rating on TripAdvisor and when you take a visit you will see why. It’s the biggest public library in Europe. The architecture is unique and it’s pretty stunning inside too.

But what teens will really love is the climb to the top where there is a secret outdoor garden and amazing views of the city.

The library is one of the most visited tourist attraction outside of London! So, well worth a visit if you're in Birmingham.

Play Mini Golf at Treetop Adventure Golf

If you're shopping in the Bullring, why not break up your trip with a game of Treetop Adventure Golf?

There are two, 18-hole courses - Tropical Trail and Ancient Explorer - together with themed bars and cafes.

Step Back in Time at the Birmingham Back to Backs

If you want to educate your teenager with some history, Birmingham Back to Backs has 5 star reviews on TripAdvisor and is definitely worth a visit. You’ll still be in the middle of Birmingham but you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time.

The stories of the working classes of the 19th century and much of the 20th century are revealed. They are places of echoes and memories, where ordinary people lived extraordinary lives.

Advance booking is essential. Be aware there are lots of narrow doorways and steep stairways so it’s not accessibility friendly.

Visit The Kitty Cafe

If you have a teen who loves animals, a visit to Birmingham's Kitty Cafe at Grand Central Station is the perfect activity.

Enjoy a hot chocolate and piece of cake while watching and socialising with some cute kitties.

The cats are rescue cat, strays or have medical issues. The cafe takes them in and looks after them until they find their forever home.

Go Shopping in Birmingham

Bull Ring and Grand Central
Like most city centres, Birmingham is great for shopping! If your teen likes shopping, check out the Bull Ring (an iconic building in Birmingham) for over one hundred shops from high end (such as Gucci and Selfridges) to all the High Street names.

The Bull Ring has been the ultimate shopping hub in Birmingham for 800 years. Small market traders used to sell their goods here.  There are indoor markets next door to the Bullring where you can also have a good browse.

Grand Central is above New Street Station. It's full of cafes, restaurants and shops. It's perfect to look round for shopaholics especially if you are waiting for a train.

The High Street
Birmingham is home to the largest Primark in the country which you will find on the High Street.

The Mailbox
Teens will also enjoy a visit to iconic Mailbox for luxury (and a range of exclusive restaurants). Why not break up your shopping trip with an afternoon tea at The Ivy on Temple Row or Malmaison at the Mailbox?

Digbeth
If your teen likes independent shops, visit the independent and vintage shops in Digbeth, the Red Brick Market in Digbeth and the Custard Factory. Digbeth is about a 10 minute walk from the city centre.

Try an Immersive Virtual Reality Experience

There are plenty of VR Experiences to be had in Birmingham:

Sandbox VR is located in Grand Central (near the train station). Enjoy a futuristic VR experience for up to 6 people. Interact with people in your group like you would in the real world!

Meetspace VR in Broad Street, hosts several virtual reality experiences that teenagers are going to love. Battle zombies, killer robots and even each other during brilliant immersive game experiences. Or have a go at the VR Escape room or VR arcade

The Park is located in Brindley Place and offers VR games, exciting explorations and scary escape rooms. Relax in the bar before or after your game.

Race at Teamworks Karting

Teamworks Karting in Birmingham City Centre has a few different activities to keep teenagers happy. Obviously there's the karting but why not have a game of laser tag or a simulator experience as well? When you need to relax grab some refreshments from the cafe and bar.

Take a Canal Boat Trip

Many proud Brummies will tell you that Birmingham has more miles of canals than Venice. It seems that a visit to Birmingham isn't complete without at least one walk along the canal.

If a walk sounds boring to your teen, why not try a relaxing canal boat trip instead?

Brindley Cruises depart from the water's edge, Brindley Place. They offer a 60 minutes canal boat tour with live commentary.

Take a Guided Football Stadium Tour

If you have a teenage mad football fan, a tour of one of Birmingham football stadiums is a must.

We took a guided Aston Villa stadium tour with our 11 year old son (Our teenage son isn't a football fan so happily skipped this one). The tour was brilliant for football fans (adults, teens and kids!). Diane was our guide and a passionate Aston Villa fan. She shared lots on stories about the history of the club and football.  We saw inside the away and home changing rooms, walked down the tunnel, went pitchside and sat in the dugouts. We even sat on the manager's seat. There was plenty of opportunity to take photos too!

With 5 star reviews on TripAdvisor (in fact at the time of writing, it's the number 1 thing to do in Birmingham), it's a great tour for teenage football fans.

Birmingham is also home to Birmingham City and Blues fans can partake in a tour of St. Andrew's Stadium too.

Discover what life was like in a Victorian lock up as both a criminal and a police officer at the West Midlands Police Museum. Teens will love finding out about some of Birmingham’s notorious criminals who were held in the lock up including the real Peaky Blinders. There are many interactive activities. Investigate and solve crimes in the forensics lab and get your mug shot taken. See the real police box, motorcycles, pictures and memorabilia.

It’s a great day out. Find the museum in the heart of Birmingham, only a short walk from Snow Hill station and just 10 minutes walk from New Street Station.

Visit the National Sea LIFE Centre

The Sea LIFE Centre, Birmingham is a good option if you have other children that need to be entertained as well as young teenagers. You can walk in the UK’s only 360 Ocean Tunnel where sharks, rays and a giant green she turtle are swimming. There’s 60 displays of freshwater and marine life, featuring over 2000 creatures. Don't miss the chance to stroke a star fish, see an octopus and visit the playful Gentoo penguins.

The only downside is it is on the the pricey side as it's quite small.

If your teen likes quirky museums, Birmingham has a few! One of them is the Coffin Works, where coffin furniture was previously manufactured. Coffin furniture is all the metal decorations added to coffins, including handles, breastplates (where name and dates are shown) and any other elements such as lid motifs, corner clips, nails and screws. The factory made fittings for the funerals of Joseph Chamberlain, Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother.

It's a fascinating museum to learn about the social history of the area. If you visit I'd highly recommend a guided tour where an expert brings the fascinating history to life.

See the working machinery and learn about how the factory operated on a day to day basis.

Another small quirky museum to check out in the same area is the pen museum. The museum has a range of interactive activities where you can discover the history of the pen trade in Birmingham and learn about the 8000 workers (mainly women) who worked there.

If your teen enjoys learning about the darker side of history, why not try Birmingham's Dark Side Tour?

Described as an atmospheric evening tour not for the faint-hearted, you'll explore graveyards, hear stories of murders, a hanging, body snatching, a curse, a restless corpse, the mystery of Birmingham's 'sublime vampire' and a few local ghosts.

The dark tour explores the ghoulish, grimier elements of the 19th century city.

It's not suitable for children under 12 or for those of a sensitive disposition. However, teenagers can attend at their parents/guardian's discretion.

The tours start at the Jewellry Quarter and end at Victoria Square and take places on selected dates over the month.

Find out more at Explore Birmingham. 

See a Show at Birmingham's Theatres

If your teen loves the theatre, why not watch a show at the Birmingham Hippodrome or the the Rep Theatre? With a varied calendar of shows throughout the year there's something for everybody. Performances include comedy, drama, panto, ballet and lots more!

If you're heading to Birmingham at Christmas time, it's a fantastic time to visit.

The largest authentic German Christmas market outside Germany takes place in Birmingham (normally between 1st November and 24th December). There's lots of lovely food and drink for hungry teens plus some beautiful stalls to browse too. Beware though it is pricey! If you want to avoid the crowds, it's best to go in the morning!

As part of the celebrations, teens will love the big wheel (no booking required) and a festive ice rink (book online before you go!). We tried the festive ice skating last December and really enjoyed it. The ice rink is fairly large compared to other ones we've tried in the area. It's also undercover so you don't have to worry about the weather and it's open until the first week of January.

If you have a teen gamer, the F1 arcade will be right up their street!

Enjoy a Formula 1® simulator racing experience like no other. There are racing levels from beginner through to advanced. Race against friends individually or enjoy as a team based group.

Book your session online

In need of an idea for a rainy day? Share the adventure of an escape room with your teenagers at Escape Hunt Birmingham Central! There are 4 thrilling experiences are designed to be fun for the whole family.

Choose between themed adventures including Doctor Who, The 4th Samurai, Our Finest Hour and Blackbear’s treasure.

On arrival you’ll be met by your Games Master in character who’ll brief you on what you need to do.

This escape room has 5 star reviews on TripAdvisor so it’s well worth a family visit. They also do outdoor games.

Alternatively, older teens (aged 16 and above) can try a Peaky Blinders themed escape room at Escape Live.

Explore Digbeth

Digbeth is a very up and coming area of Birmingham. It's less than 10 minutes walk from the Bull Ring and Grand Central. There are some fun attractions for teenagers to explore and try at Digbeth. Here are some ideas:

Visit Matrix Virtual Reality

Matrix Virtual Reality is a VR gaming arcade with sit down racing games, shooting zombie games, archery games, skyscraper vertigo and lots more.

Play Board Games at Chance & Counters

Chance and Counters, the board game cafe is based in Birmingham's iconic Custard Factory and a brilliant venue for a rainy day. Try out one of the 500 plus board games and enjoy some lunch or tea and cake. They're pretty busy on evenings and weekends so book in advance if you can.

Visit the Independent Shops

If your teen enjoys shopping, this is an ideal activity at the Custard Factory. There are more than 30 unique shops to visit and explore. There are also restaurants and cafes.

See Digbeth's Street Art

Teenage art enthusiasts will love to explore Digbeth on a free self guided tour to see some amazing graffiti art. The 4K walk starts and ends at Moor Street Train Station and there are plenty of bars and cafes for a pit stop along the way.

Alternatively, join the Digbeth, public art and peaky film guided walking tour.  On this tour, a knowledgeable guide traces Birmingham's roots through its bohemian style and public art. Plus visit the Peaky Blinders film studios.

Once you've finished your tour, why not chill out and watch a movie at Digbeth's independent Mockingbird cinema.

Spend an Evening at StarCity

If you want bowling, ice skating indoor crazy golf, restaurants and the cinema - head for Star City. It's only a 10 minute drive from Birmingham City Centre.  This unique family entertainment destination is home to one of Europe’s largest cinemas, the largest indoor adventure golf complex, a 22 lane ten pin bowling alley and a purpose built all-weather 5 a side football centre. It's also the location of Gravity Active - a trampoline park.

There really is something for everybody. You can spend all day here or treat the teenagers to an evening out.

Try Axe Throwing

Axe throwing involves throwing axes at a target in a controlled and safe environment. There are venues popping up all over the country as it has become a popular activity over the last couple of years. It's great for adults and families with teenagers or older kids.

In most venues, trained coaches show you how to safely throw an axe at the beginning of your session. Teens will then love having a go!

Axe throwing is a great activity for a rainy day!

There are a few axe throwing venues that have popped up in and around Birmingham. Here are a few to check out.

NFP Bassett's Pole is 20 minutes from the Centre of Birmingham and provide axe throwing as well as a variety of other activities that will appeal to teens including quad trekking and outdoor laser tag.

Boom Battle Bar is located in Five Ways, this Boom Battle Bar provides augmented reality axe throwing. There are lots of other fun activities at the Boom Battle Bar which include electric darts, shuffleboard and crazy golf. However, please note that after 7pm it's a strictly over 18s venue.

More Fun Things To Do...

Here is a round up of more exciting activities to do with teens in Birmingham:

Cadbury World - located in Bournville, the chocolate factory is a 10 minute train ride from the city centre. There's a lot going on for families with kids. It's worth a visit although some teenagers may find it a bit young.

Climbing and Vertical Challenges at Rock Up - with 26 climbing walls this makes a good choice for families with tweens and young teenage kids.

Climbing at Redpoint Climbing Centre - if your teen is more serious about climbing head to Redpoint Climbing Centre.

Bowling at Lane7 - located in The Bullring, it's a great place to take teens bowling.

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery - is free museum and gives a fasinating insight into the history of the area. The Ozzy Osbourne exhibition is ongoing until 27th September 2026.

Canon Hill Park - nice for a walk around and has mini golf and tennis. It's also home to the wildlife conservation park where you can see red pandas and other small animals like monkeys and lemurs. It's also worth checking out what's on at the MAC (Midlands Arts Centre) Birmingham which is also located in the park.

Rush Trampoline Park - jump on the trampolines, try the Rush Wipeout and play dodgeball. Rush is located in Stirchley, and is easily accesible by bus or from the city centre.  The nearest train station is Bournville.

Try an Outdoor Activity at Ackers Adventure - Ackers Adventure is about a 20 minute drive from Birmingham City Centre. There are tons of outdoor activities that teens will love to try here including disc golf, snowsports, kayaking and canoeing.

If you're looking for some cool places to eat, check out our list of fun restaurants and dining experiences for teens in Birmingham.

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