Teenagers

It’s time to go out to play in Birmingham and the region. Are you ready?

No chance of getting bored here

Birmingham is a great city for teenagers whether you want to disappear for a while to enjoy some shopping, dancing, music or 
sport - or you want to stick with the rest of the family but do something that’s just a bit different.

Let’s start with the obvious. Birmingham is A-MAZE-ING for shopping.

There are over 160 of the most imaginative and desirable shops for you to explore in the Bullring alone and New Street, The Mailbox and the Pavillions have hundreds more. And if you visit in early December you could also nip over to The National Exhibition Centre, just ten minutes by train from the city centre, for the celebrity-packed Clothes Show Live, the UK’s largest fashion and beauty event.

If you’d prefer to get your kicks from the thrill of live competition, you’ll find plenty to enjoy here. From international athletics and test cricket to Premiership football, Birmingham is the home of live sport. Check what’s on at the National Indoor Arena or if Aston Villa, Birmingham City or West Bromwich Albion are playing at home when you visit. There might also be a one day test at Edgbaston if cricket’s your thing.

This year we played host to both the US and Jamaican track and field teams, before the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Did you know J.R.R. Tolkien was a Brummie? The Lord of the Rings author grew up in the city during the late 19th and early 20th Century and it inspired his most famous works. Why not take a look at some of the locations that influenced Tolkien by following one of the special Tolkien Trail maps.

If it’s wheels that you’re into then the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull, just a few minutes’ walk from The NEC, is recognised as the finest and largest motorcycle museum in the world. But if you want to see bikes in action, then head over to the Birmingham Brummies Speedway Team who meet regularly in Perry Barr, just north of the city.

Birmingham has a massive live music and clubbing scene. Live music venues in Birmingham and the surrounding area include the O2 Academy, the National Indoor Arena and LG Arena. For older teens there’s also the Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath, a pub renowned for live music.

Check out our EXPLORE Birmingham section for information on bands playing whilst you’re visiting and a complete directory of clubs and nights.