Discover Birmingham

You don’t need to travel into the city centre to make the most of your visit. Just a short walk from the NEC, Resorts World offers restaurants, bars, shopping and entertainment all under one roof. Choose from familiar favourites including Las Iguanas, Zizzi, Nando’s, PizzaExpress and Miller & Carter, catch a film at Cineworld, challenge your colleagues at Hollywood Bowl or test your teamwork in an Escape Hunt room. For a more relaxing end to the day, Santai Spa inside the Genting Hotel offers massages, treatments, a swimming pool and hot-stone loungers.

There is plenty happening in Birmingham around BVA Live. The Olivier Award-winning Back to the Future: The Musical will be at Birmingham Hippodrome, with evening performances on both show days. If you are extending your stay, Aston Villa welcome Hull City to Villa Park on Saturday 13 March, while Mercury Prize and BRIT Award-winning group Ezra Collective perform at O2 Academy Birmingham on Sunday 14 March. Event dates and sporting fixtures may change, so check the latest information before making plans.

Birmingham’s food scene is one of the best reasons to venture into the city. No visit is complete without trying a balti in the city where the dish became famous. Head towards the Balti Triangle for an authentic experience or explore Chinatown for Cantonese dim sum, Korean barbecue, Vietnamese dishes and Japanese treats. Those with a sweet tooth can also visit Cadbury World in Bournville to discover the story behind one of Birmingham’s most famous exports, with plenty of chocolate along the way.

Bringing the family with you? Birmingham has plenty to keep younger visitors entertained. Thinktank Science Museum is filled with interactive exhibits covering everything from transport and engineering to space and the natural world. You can also explore the rides, 4D cinema and building zones at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, meet endangered species at Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park or take on an indoor adventure golf course at Treetop Golf.

Exploring Birmingham does not need to cost a fortune. Visit Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, discover dinosaur skeletons, fossils and minerals at the Lapworth Museum of Geology, or escape the city centre with a walk through Cannon Hill Park. Martineau Gardens offers a peaceful community garden and nature trail, while Birmingham’s canals provide an easy way to explore Brindleyplace, Gas Street Basin and the city’s historic waterways on foot.

Once at the heart of the Industrial Revolution, Birmingham is full of places where its history remains visible today. Wander through the Jewellery Quarter, which is still home to hundreds of working jewellers, independent businesses and historic buildings. Nearby, The Coffin Works offers a fascinating look inside a preserved Victorian factory. You can also visit Birmingham Cathedral to see its Burne-Jones stained-glass windows or travel to Aston Hall, a beautifully preserved Jacobean house dating back to the 17th century.

With BVA Live taking place on Thursday and Friday, why not stay for the weekend? Spend Saturday exploring the Jewellery Quarter, shopping at the Bullring or walking along the canals before enjoying dinner in Chinatown or the Balti Triangle. If you are travelling with family, combine Thinktank or LEGOLAND Discovery Centre with Cadbury World. For a slower weekend, book a spa treatment, enjoy brunch at Resorts World and make the most of having everything close to the NEC.

Birmingham International Station is approximately a five-minute walk from the NEC, with regular direct trains into Birmingham New Street. The journey usually takes around 10 - 15 minutes, making it easy to visit the city after the show. Find some useful tips here.