Beardsley Green is a primarily residential neighborhood to the East of the city center. Made up of several smaller communities, it is home of City Football Club, Yardley Cricket Ground, several local hospitals, and a score of neighborhood bars and shopping centers. Some nightlife venues are about, as are a number of good restaurants. Don’t expect a buzzing tourist Mecca, but do expect some local flavor and a less busy atmosphere than in some other parts of town.

Like most UK cities, the place to wine, dine, shop, and sightseeing in Birmingham is the sprawling City Center neighborhood. Here visitors will find Chamberlain Square, Victoria Square, the Birmingham Art Gallery the glorious Town Hall and Council House, and many more famous attractions. With more canals than Venice, and upscale fashion shopping to compete with any major city, this Birmingham area is one you simply cannot miss. Be sure and spend a day at the famous Bullring shopping center.

The Edgbaston area of Birmingham is one of the most popular, loaded with fun and interesting things to do and see. Here you’ll find such attractions as Birmingham University, the Barber Institute, Cannon Hill Park, and Edgbaston Cricket Ground, among the many others. There’s also a wealth of green spaces, fine dining spots, as well as some great nightlife venues to explore as well. For the newcomer to town, exploring out from Hagley Road is a great place to start seeing this area.

If you ever wondered about what inspired J R R Tolkien to write Lord of the Rings, look no further than Hall Green, where the author spent his youth. Lush and green as ever, Birmingham comes here to relax and get in touch with nature. Take a load off while you visit the legendary Greyhound Stadium, Sarehole Mill, or any of a number of green spaces and parks. Cricket to bowling, canoeing or just picnicking, there’s a lot of outdoorsy entertainment here, plus some nice pubs too.

One of Birmingham’s favorite residential areas, Harborne is home of the the Blue Coat School, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, great restaurants, and many fine shopping venues. Not as “touristy” as some others of the city’s areas, this part of town does have a lot of activities to offer. Green spaces like Queen’s Park, and others, afford fantastic family outdoor choices, while the Harborne Golf Course affords duffers and pros alike some fine championship golf. Expect a more leisurely pace here too.

Just outside the City Center area, Hockley is home of Birmingham’s famed Jewelry Quarter. For trinkets to suit and taste and budget, this is a place to find deals on those wearable treasures we all love. Visit the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, as well as the flurry of shops and markets set to grab your touristic dollar. There’s also no end to the cafe bars one can hang out at here, as well as some good and inexpensive restaurants. The atmosphere here is casual, so dress for comfort.

Moseley, home of UB40 and none other than the Moseley Bog, is a favorite student hangout. A curious area known for its bars, pubs, and cheap hotels, the neighborhood also sports some of the city’s most unique shopping boutiques and eclectic restaurants mixed in. Visitors these days will also find quite a few well monied residents occupy larger old homes, not to mention Moseley Park and Pool, and the National Exhibition Centre.

For a mix of the best kept gardens imagineable, and out and out wilderness bliss, Sutton Coldfield is the best nature excursion you’ll find in Birmingham. 2500 acres of park stretches across what is otherwise a quaint retirement community. Expect to find peace and quiet, and lots of it here. Class cafes, restaurants, and some shopping are also hands, but the big draw is the great outdoors. Bring the blanket, Frisbee, and picnic basket.