How long should I set aside at each attraction, and which ones sit close together?

Most of these venues suit a half-day to a full day on their own. Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Canal and Caverns sit right next to each other, so they pair naturally into one day. Sheldon Country Park and Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park are both shorter, easier visits and work well combined if you're staying in Birmingham. Shakespeare's Birthplace, Trentham Gardens, Wollaton Hall and Calke Abbey are each roughly 30 to 45 minutes from the others. They're best treated as separate day trips rather than combined into one. Bringing your parent's regular carer is the simplest way to make a longer trip work, and if it means that carer misses a break, respite cover can fill the gap. Families using live-in care often find days like this take less planning, since that person is already close at hand.

Do carers get free or reduced entry to these Midlands attractions?

Several venues offer carer discounts. Dudley Canal and Caverns gives essential carers a free ticket on the Underground Experience, or half price on the longer trips. Shakespeare's Birthplace admits one carer free with a Concession Ticket. Policies and proof requirements vary by venue, so it's worth checking before you go.

Do I need to book anything in advance?

It's worth calling ahead for anything involving limited equipment. Dudley Canal and Caverns' accessible boat are best pre-booked on 0121 557 6265, and the Black Country Living Museum's wheelchairs are best pre-booked on 0121 557 9643. Sheldon Country Park and Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park don't require booking.

What are the best attractions for older parents living with dementia?

Sheldon Country Park and Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park both allow a slower pace, with plenty of benches and open space to rest along the way. Trentham Gardens is another good option for this, since it's flat, spacious and never feels crowded even on a busy day. If your loved one is living with dementia, choosing a quieter time of day and keeping the visit relatively short can help make the experience more comfortable. It can also be helpful to bring someone who knows their routine and preferences.

Which of these venues have somewhere to eat or get refreshments?

The Black Country Living Museum has a genuine 1930s pub and fish-and-chip shop, while Sheldon Country Park has a small café at Old Rectory Farm. For a pick-me-up, Dudley Canal and Caverns has a coffee cart by the towpath. Shakespeare's Birthplace has its own café overlooking the garden, and Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park has a café serving light food, snacks and ice cream.

Eight Things to do with Your Elderly Parents in The Midlands

8-minute read | 01/09/2026

Elderly Care

Earl EstologaEditorial Contributor

This central area of the UK, sometimes referred to as the Heart of England, has a rich history and many interesting places to visit. The Midlands is divided into the West and East Midlands and roughly covers the area that was known as the Kingdom of Mercia in Medieval times.

Many of its best-known attractions now provide wheelchair access, mobility equipment or quieter spaces, so it's worth knowing what's on offer before you set off. If your parents are receiving live-in care in the West Midlands or the East Midlands and fancy a change of scene, it's worth having a few options ready.

Here are eight ideas for a day out with your parents in the Midlands, plus practical tips on accessibility and planning ahead.

1. Black Country Living Museum, Dudley

This 26-acre open-air museum is one of the best reminiscence-led days out in the region. Its costumed characters, 1930s high street and working 1912 schoolroom give visitors plenty to talk about.

AccessAble assessed the museum in March 2025. It has step-free access, 15 disabled bays in the main car park, a Changing Places toilet, and wheelchairs to borrow or pre-book. "Doris", the museum's accessibility vehicle, can carry a wheelchair or pushchair between stops. Some historic buildings can't take a lift, so staff bring a portable ramp or show the room on an iPad instead.

See accessibility information for Black Country Living Museum before you go, or call 0121 557 9643.

2. Dudley Canal and Caverns

This canal and cavern attraction is right next door to the museum, reachable by footbridge. It offers a 45-minute, skipper-guided boat trip through limestone caverns formed 428 million years ago. It’s a calmer, seated alternative if a full day on foot is too much.

The accessible boat has a platform lift and takes one electric or two manual wheelchairs. Essential carers travel free on the 45-minute trip, or half price on longer tours. Ear defenders are available for anyone sensitive to noise in the tunnels.

See accessibility information for Dudley Canal and Caverns before you go, or call 0121 557 6265.

3. Sheldon Country Park, Birmingham

Sheldon Country Park is a free, flat, outdoor visit. It covers 300 acres of grassland and woodland, with the Old Rectory Farm home to Jersey cattle, pigs, goats and ponies. It’s open 24 hours, with a small café at the farm.

The car park has 9 Blue Badge bays, the paths are compact earth and tarmac with regular benches, and there's an accessible toilet at the farm.

See accessibility information for Sheldon Country Park before you go.

4. Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park

Set in Cannon Hill Park, this small conservation zoo is home to red pandas, lemurs, meerkats and otters. It’s an easy, unhurried visit rather than a full day out – good for parents who tire more quickly.

There are 6 Blue Badge bays near the main entrance, and motorised scooters are welcome throughout.

See accessibility information for Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park before you go.

5. Shakespeare's Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon

Shakespeare's family home on Henley Street suits parents who enjoy history and literature. It has costumed guides bringing Tudor life to the half-timbered house and a walled herb garden outside.

The ground floor has level access, but doorways are narrow and there are 17 stairs to the first floor (a subtitled video covers the upstairs rooms instead). Powered wheelchairs aren't suitable inside, though you can borrow a manual one at reception. One carer goes free with a Concession Ticket.

See accessibility information for Shakespeare's Birthplace before you go, or call 01789 204016.

6. Trentham Gardens, Staffordshire

Trentham Gardens is a 725-acre estate near Stoke-on-Trent, with Italian Gardens, lakeside walks and woodland. It's one of the UK's most accessible gardens, and a change of pace from the city-centre venues above.

Everything is on one level with wide paths and low ramps throughout. Free wheelchairs and bookable mobility scooters are available from the Visitor Centre. Also, the electric boat Miss Elizabeth is wheelchair accessible. A carer goes in for free alongside a disabled visitor.

See accessibility information for Trentham Gardens before you go.

7. Wollaton Hall and Deer Park, Nottingham

Wollaton Hall is an Elizabethan mansion in 500 acres of parkland, with free-roaming deer and a Natural History Museum inside. Entry to the hall and park is free.

A platform lift and internal lift reach all museum floors, with wheelchairs to borrow from the Potting Shed shop and a Changing Places toilet. Guided tours of the upper rooms involve stairs, but the main museum is step-free.

See accessibility information for Wollaton Hall before you go, or call 0115 876 3100.

8. Calke Abbey, Ticknall, Derbyshire

This "un-stately home" is a National Trust property left deliberately unrestored. It sits in 600 acres with a walled garden and deer park, offering a striking contrast to Wollaton's polish.

A daily buggy service (10am–5pm) links the ticket office, house and gardens. You can borrow a wheelchairs and mobility scooters ("trampers") with advance booking. The gardens, café and ground floor of the house are step-free. Upper floors are stairs-only, with a virtual tour offered instead.

See accessibility information for Calke Abbey before you go, or call 01332 863822.

Did you know?

Dudley Canal and Caverns' tunnels run 428 million years back through limestone laid down long before the Black Country's industrial history began.
The Black Country Living Museum's "Doris" accessibility vehicle is named after the mother of one of the vehicle's original donors.
Shakespeare's Birthplace offers a discounted CV-postcode resident rate for people living locally in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Care after a stroke: Ben and Mary's story

Ben and Mary's story - finding their ideal carer

Ben and his wife Mary, married over 50 years, live near Stockport. When Mary had a stroke last year, Ben found himself struggling to manage on his own and called Elder for help.

Their first carer arrived just in time for Christmas. Ben later said of his current carer: "Janice is an absolute delight, caring for me quite as much as for my wife, Mary. I fear we will be lost without her."

Read Ben and Mary's full story

A few things worth arranging first

Additional needs don't have to rule out a day out. You can work around difficulty walking or memory problems at most of the venues above. It's worth thinking through logistics rather than ruling out a trip altogether.

If your parents have live-in care in the West Midlands or East Midlands, or another home care arrangement, their regular carer is often the easiest person to bring along. This is because they already know the routine and what your parents need on the day. A day trip can also double as a break for that carer, with temporary respite care covering things while they're off.

Dementia care needs a bit more thought. Unfamiliar, busy places can be disorientating, so if your loved one usually needs round-the-clock support, make sure that's covered for the trip too.

Whatever the plan, keep it light. One or two stops is enough. The Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Canal and Caverns work well together since they're next door to each other, but Stratford-upon-Avon is a 40-minute drive from Birmingham (and Wollaton Hall or Calke Abbey a fair drive further still), so it's worth splitting the venues above into two or three separate days rather than trying to fit them all into one.

Exploring beyond the Midlands?

We’ve put together similar guides for other days out with your parents closer to home:

If you have a loved one who needs 24/7 support, get in touch with our care advisors to talk through your situation and arrange a free care appraisal. Elder can help you find live-in care in the West Midlands, East Midlands, and the rest of Great Britain.

0333 920 3648

Frequently Asked Questions

Elder is an introductory agency and therefore does not direct, control, monitor or oversee the ongoing delivery of care. This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional advice, which should be sought when appropriate.