Things to do with Teenagers in Coventry

Coventry is an interesting, historic, fun and exciting city with a multitude of attractions and numerous things to do that will appeal to teens.

Famous for its history as a car manufacturing hub and for its suffering during the Blitz, Coventry has numerous fascinating attractions so teens can discover the city’s past. In addition, Coventry is jam packed with countless fun things to do.

Climb the old cathedral tower and explore it’s ruins, ride a high speed slide at The Wave, Go Ape at Coombe Abbey or shop til you drop in the city centre – whatever your teen wants to do, they’ll have an unforgettable time.

Read on for amazing places to visit and things to do with your teenager in Coventry

Ride The Torrent at the Wave

The Wave is an indoor water park with high speed slides, relaxed slides, a wave pool, kids splash area and lazy river.

Teenage thrill seekers will love riding The Torrent. Stand in the capsule and have the floor disappear beneath your feet, then  plunge to ground level in a flume. As well as The Torrent there are several other high adrenaline slides to try out including the Cyclone which has you whirling around an open bowl.  Plus, there’s plenty of slower slides for a more relaxing experience.

Read our review of The Wave Waterpark, Coventry

Climb The Cathedral Tower

Coventry Cathedral was heavily bombed during World War 2. Today, it’s free to wander around the ruins. The old cathedral has lost it’s roof but most of the walls are intact.

The original cathedral tower is also still in tact. Teens can climb the 180 steps to the top where they will be rewarded with magnificent views of the city. You can only climb the tower on certain days, so check the website in advance before you go.

There is also a small, free museum about the Blitz which is located in the corner of the cathedral and well worth a visit.

Fun Fact: The nativity at the end of the film Nativity was filmed in Coventry Cathedral.

A new Cathedral was built next to the old Cathedral and completed in 1962. If you can persuade your teenager, it’s well worth a quick trip to see inside the new Cathedral as well.

Get into Gear at the Coventry Transport Museum

Photo of Thrust 2 by Tristan Surtel / Wikimedia

Coventry Transport Museum is the number 1 tourist attraction in the city. It has the world’s largest collection of transport in public ownership in the UK as well as more than one million artefacts including books, and photos.

It’s a great place to visit for teen car enthusiasts and also teens who like history.

The museum is laid out as a journey through time. Wander the 19th century streets and discover bicycles, carriages and cars. See the first ever car factory and watch it’s’ destruction during the Blitz. Teens will also love the numerous interactive exhibits and the 4D simulator (check the website before you go as the simulator was undergoing maintenance at the time of writing)

The museum also houses two of the fastest cars in the world (Thrust SSC and Thrust 2). Other notable exhibits include the Austin Metro owned by Lady Diana, a Humber Staff Car that General Montgomery rode in during the Second World War and the bus that carried Coventry City football team on their parade after they won the FA Cup in 1987.

Find out more at Coventry Transport Museum. 

Ice Skate at Planet Ice

Get your skates on! Teens can enjoy ice skating fun all year round at Planet Ice, Coventry. The indoor skating rink is available for general skating and lessons. Book online at the website before you go.

Boulder at the Ballroom Climbing Wall

Ballroom Climbing Wall is a bouldering gym. Bouldering is rope-free, low to the ground climbing. Don’t let the lack of ropes put you off, high quality mats help reduce impacts from any falls.

Bouldering is super fun and an exciting workout. You can just turn up – no booking required. After the safety induction, you can just have a go. Under 18s must be supervised by an adult. There’s also a group which runs every Sunday for 14 to 17 year olds.

Find out more at Ballroom Climbing Wall

Be Entertained at The Belgrade Theatre

Watch a show with your teen at The Belgrade Theatre. From music to pantomime, singalongs and comedy – there are shows to suit everyone at the Belgrade.

Try An Out of This World Golfing Experience

Put your teen’s mini golf skills to the test at Galaxy Quest Mini Golf. Teen will love the 9 holes of glow in the dark galactic golf located in the city centre.

Play Laser Quest

Laser Quest is located at the same city centre venue as Galaxy golf. Play your game in the Laser Quest labyrinth with catwalks, mazes, swirling fog, music and lights. Find out more about Lazer Quest. 

Experience the VR Sphere Simulator

Also at the same location is the VR Sphere Simulator. The sphere combines motion, VR and wind for a fully immersive experience. Soar the sky or explore the depth of the ocean. There are 15 thrilling movie experiences to choose from.

Solve An Escape Room

Escape rooms involve solving clues, puzzles and challenges to break out of a room. Escape rooms are normally played by a group of people at one time. If it sounds like fun for your teen, grab their friends or take the family to one of Coventry’s escape room experiences.

Choose from:

Escape Live – this has been rated number 1 activity in Coventry by TripAdvisor. Choose between games which include Prison break, Casino heist and Armageddon.

Escape Reality – is another TripAdvisor winner (for most thrilling escape room experience 2022). There are plenty of games to choose from including Alcatraz, Down the Rabbit Hole and Tortuga Pirates.

Clue HQ – Again a top rated escape room on TripAdvisor. The games include Dungeon Room, Sacrifice and Detonation.

Play Footgolf (or enjoy a waffle) at the War Memorial Park

Photo by Mike Faherty / Wikimedia

Coventry’s largest park was created in 1921 in remembrance of Coventry’s fallen soldiers who lost their lives in World War 1. The park features a 90 foot war memorial and 800 magnificent trees built in memory of those who died.

As well as strolling through the park with your teen, there are plenty of sports facilities which include tennis courts, football pitches and an 18 hole foot golf course. Footgolf combines golf and football with bigger holes.

The park also has plenty of café facilities. Teens will love the Sundae Club which offers warm crepes, fresh waffles and ice cream.

Events take place here throughout the year. They include the Godiva Festival (more on that later), the Legends Festival and the War Memorial Food Festival.

Indulge in Afternoon Tea at Coombe Abbey

Photo by Tim / Wikimedia

For a more relaxing experience why not treat your teen to afternoon tea at Coombe Abbey Hotel? Coombe Abbey Hotel has a rich history. It was originally a 12th century Abbey. Queen Elizabeth 1 lived here for some time as a child and it was also part of the Gunpower Plot. If afternoon tea isn’t your thing, you can also dine at the restaurant and book a room to stay overnight.

After tea, discover the beauty of walking in Coombe Abbey Park. There’s 500 acres of grounds to explore including woodland, gardens and trails. It’s free to enter (you do need to pay for parking though).

Swing Through the Trees at Go Ape Coventry

Go Ape, Coventry is located at Coombe Abbey Park.  The treetop adventure features a Tarzan Swing and 200 metre dual zip wire. Teens can race their mates to see who’s quickest.

Feel the Speed at Go Karting

Experience the thrill of go karting with an awesome 500 metre circuit featuring multiple levels.

Find out more at Go Karting in Coventry

Go Shopping

Although Coventry isn’t the prettiest shopping destination, it more than makes up for this with a good range of high street brands for your teenager in the city centre.

West Orchards mall has over 40 stores including Primark and JD Sports. Find even more high street stores at The Lower Precinct which include H&M, Game, Lush, New Look, River Island and Superdrug.

Enter The Battleground

Boom Battle bar features all kinds of activities including axe throwing, shuffleboard, American pool, augmented reality darts and crazier golf. Go before 7pm as it’s an over 18 venue in the evening.

Visit Herbert Art Gallery and Museum

The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum is free and a stone’s throw from the cathedral. Maybe not for every teen, but some will enjoy a visit. The museum features lots of exhibitions and exhibits covering natural history, archaeology, social and industrial history and visual arts. It’s worth checking out the website before you go as there are often very interesting temporary exhibitions and events.

Have Fun Bowling at Ten Pin

Most teens enjoy a game of bowling and it’s ideal to keep them happy. At Ten Pin, Coventry teens can also play lazer tag, try an escape room and sing their hearts out at Karoke.

Get Cosy and Watch a Classic Film

The Cosy Cinema Club has luxurious velvet chairs and shows classic films as well as some of the latest releases. You can pick traditional sweets, fresh popcorn or street food to eat and best of all somebody will bring it to your seat.

Tour The Vulcan Bomber at Midland Air Museum

Next to Coventry Airport, the Midland Air museum is home to over 45 aircraft.

It’s not for every teen but if they are interested in aviation they can tour the Vulcan bomber, sit in the Meteor cockpit and see other jet engines too.

Discover the history of aviation in the Midlands and learn about Coventry-born engineer, Sir Frank Whittle, the man responsible for the first British jet-powered plane.

The Argosy Tea Room is lovely for refreshments during your visit.

Attend the Lady Godiva Festival

The Lady Godiva Statue in Coventry

The War Memorial Park hosts UK’s largest free family festival over three days in the summer months.

If your teen is interested in music, this could be worth attending.

Starting in 1997, the festival has hosts alternative rock bands as well as more mainstream artists.

In 2022, The Libertines played the Friday slot, Tom Grennan played on Saturday and Bananarama headlined on Sunday.

The festival also has numerous food stalls, an acoustic stage and craft and vintage market.

Where To Eat With Teens in Coventry

Wagamama – Japanese food chain restaurant which is a general favourite with teenagers
Haute Dolci – a dessert shop. Great for waffles and ice cream.
7Bone Burger Co – for amazing burgers. It’s 2 minutes walk from the cathedral
O’Toole’s Cafe – great for breakfast

Days out Near to Coventry For Teens

There are lots of great attractions in the surrounding area to Coventry that teens will love. Check out some ideas below.

A trip to Birmingham – Birmingham is a 30 minute train journey away and there’s plenty for teenagers to do in the UK’s second biggest city. Find out more about things to do with teenagers in Birmingham.

Drayton Manor Theme Park – Show me a teenager that doesn’t like a theme park. Drayton Manor is a 35 minute drive away from the centre of Coventry and has lots of high adrenaline rides for teenage thrill seekers.

The Snow Dome – Try indoor skiing at Tamworth snowdome (approximately 35 minutes drive)

Go Kayaking in Leamington Spa – Visit Leam Boat Centre and hire a kayak. Kayak down the River Leam. You can also try rowing boats or why not attempt paddle boarding? Afterwards stroll around the picturesque park in Leamington Spa. Only 20 minutes in the car from Coventry

Kenilworth Castle – the castle ruins are a fascinating day out for teenagers who have an interest in history. A great time to visit this English Heritage property is when they put on battle re-enactments which are exciting to watch. Find out more at Kenilworth Castle.

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