Fun Activities in Birmingham for Students
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Birmingham is the second biggest city in the UK and is a vibrant, fun, and active city to attend university.
You’ll find a multicultural melting pot in Birmingham, with plenty of delicious cuisines from all over the world, great nights out, things to see and do. Students come from all over the UK and the world to study in Birmingham, and it’s up there as one of the best places to go.
We’ve helped you out in the past with some of the best places to eat in Birmingham as a student, and here we’ve put together a list of some fun activities in Birmingham for you to try out.
What is Birmingham like for students?
Birmingham is culturally diverse and a big city, so if you are looking for plenty of fun things to do, there is always something happening in Birmingham, with 2.6 million people living in the Birmingham area.
It’s the next biggest city down from London, but as much as it is large, it is nowhere near as big as London. There are five universities in Birmingham, and a big student population of over 80,000, so is a good city for students who want to live in a big city, with great transport links, but don’t want to live in a world city as large as London.
Things to do in Birmingham
Here is a list of fun activities and things that you can do in Birmingham as a student.
Great retail therapy
There’s nothing quite like retail therapy to help ease your mind after a busy study session or as an incentive at the end of exam season. Birmingham is widely regarded as one of the best shopping cities in the country, with the Bullring Shopping Centre world famous, with over 160 high street and big brand stores providing you with everything that you need and want. There are also plenty of boutique and independent stores throughout the city to explore.
Go to Cadbury World for a day of chocolate
Do you love chocolate? Birmingham might just be the home of chocolate as we know it, where Cadbury’s was founded and where the Bourneville factory offers you a chance to visit and see how chocolate is made and the history of chocolate at the tasty Cadbury World.
Bourneville is just outside the city centre, and the village is where the original Cadbury factory workers used to live. It is still operational but also a museum, and one where you get to sample plenty of chocolate on your way around, the perfect fun activity in Birmingham! Student tickets start from a low price of £12.
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Pretend you are in Venice
This might sound absurd, but Birmingham actually has more canals than Venice, making it a really attractive city to walk around when you have a day off and want to get out in the fresh air. There are over 100 miles worth of canal along the entire Birmingham Canal Navigations network, with pretty sights and plenty of places to stop off along the way for a drink and a bite to eat.
It really takes you out of the hustle and bustle of the city to casually stroll along the water, and there’s nowhere as good as Birmingham for this in the UK.
Go to a street food market
Birmingham has a plethora of street food options, the most famous of which is Digbeth Dining Club, or DDC as it is called by many Brummies (what the locals are called!). It started with pop-up markets around the city in back in 2012 and has gone from strength to strength, and now has four permanent venues, including the Hockley Social Club in the bustling jewellery quarter. Going to DDC gives you the best chance to sample the greatest of street food from all corners of the city, such as Beef on the Block, Urban Cheesecake, and South Birmingham Curry Club. It’s the world in one city as far as cuisine goes, so make the most of it with the fantastic street food options!
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A night of arcade games
Arcade games are big business again, bringing back the classic arcade games from the 80s and 90s to a brand-new audience. NQ64 started life in the Northern Quarter in Manchester and has since grown to multiple locations across the country, including NQ64 Digbeth, set in the Custard Factory. Play on retro arcade games and classic consoles whilst sipping on computer game themed cocktails, all at a decent price. Gaming is a big night out and lots of fun!
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Go to a board game café
Do you love board games? Down in the Custard Factory, Chance and Counters is a great, fun activity venue in Birmingham for you to attend and make your favourite local. It’s a lot of fun and there’s a great community of people who come together to get serious about games, but also to make friends and have a lot of laughs along the way. There are over 500 games to choose from, big, bright rooms to play with big groups or secluded booths, as well as the best are the tables overlooking the river.
Get out of the city
Although you can see there is loads to do in Birmingham itself, one of the best things about living in Birmingham is that it is right in the centre of the country and has fantastic transport links. On the road by car or bus you have quick motorway access to the Southwest of England, Wales, down to London and to the East and up to the North of England and into Scotland. Via train it is only about an hour to get into central London. You have also got multiple airports within easy reach. So, if you fancy a day trip to London or Manchester, a weekend away in Edinburgh or Cardiff, or you want to hop on a flight to Amsterdam or Paris, it’s all easy from Birmingham.
Are you a student living in Birmingham already? What do you think of the fun activities we’ve listed here? If there is anything that you like that we’ve missed, we’re always happy to hear from you and update the best things to do in Birmingham as a student. There are always loads to see and do in Birmingham from student nights out, places to eat, and things to do.
