Cadbury World: (approx. 6 miles/12 minutes away) Birmingham is the home of chocolate - why not visit the masters and see how the worlds greatest chocolate is made (you'll even get to taste some!) A fun, educational multimedia attraction dedicated to the story of Cadbury and chocolate. Cadbury World has now launched two fantastic new attractions; Essence and Purple Planet. Linden Road, Bournville, Birmingham B30 2LD Tel: 0121 451 4159 West Midlands Safari Park: (approx. 15 miles/22 mins) The 4 mile drive-through Safari, which covers an area of over 100 acres, is home to a variety of, exotic and unusual animals which roam the reserves. There are Buffalo, Elephants, Rhino, Giraffe, Lion, Wallaby, Tiger, Emu, Camel, Zebra, Gnu, Eland, Ankole Cattle, Yak, Przewalski’s Horse, Asian Buffalo, Wolf, Llama and all kinds of Antelope to name but a few! West Midland Safari Park, Spring Grove, Bewdley, Worcestershire DY12 1LF Tel: 01299 402114 The Bull Ring: The £500m Bullring development has transformed Birmingham into one of Europe’s leading shopping destinations. Fronted by the iconic Selfridges, the Bullring has become not only a shopping centre, but an international city attraction. 26 football pitches worth of shops, boutiques and restaurants lie within it, which makes it not only the largest, but one of the most stylish retail developments in Europe. New Library of Birmingham: This £188m project opened to the public for the first time on September 3rd 2013 and is the biggest public library in the country. Stratford upon Avon: Stratford upon Avon is the birthplace of playwright William Shakespeare and home to the Royal Shakespeare Company. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is the guardian of five houses connected to the playwright’s life and family, including the house where he was born. A guided tour is certainly recommended, but it is equally pleasant to simply walk around and enjoy the town. The town is about an hour away by train or bus. Ironbridge: Awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO for the area's unique contribution to the birth of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, Ironbridge Gorge has a cluster of 10 museums and of course the famous Iron Bridge of 1779, the first bridge made of this material anywhere in the world.300 years ago this was the world's technological hotspot where Abraham Darby first perfected the use of coke to mass-produce iron. Entrepreneurs and Iron masters such as William Reynolds and John Wilkinson made good use of this wonder product. Wilkinson was even buried in an iron coffin!An hour’s journey by road from Birmingham brings you back to the origin of the Industrial Revolution.