What to do in the Midlands now summer has landed

Busy doing nothing this summer? Well don't be as reporter

has sought out plenty of ways for you to spend your time in the Midlands.

So. You have some much-needed time off over the summer months, and are desperate for something challenging. Or relaxing. Or just anything that doesn't seem like work.

But then you realise that everything seems to be geared towards keeping bored schoolchildren out of trouble – disaster!

Never fear – The Ticket has trawled the Midlands for some of the best, most interesting and unusual activties available for almost-grown-ups.

Glamorous camping – or glamping – is the latest staycation craze sweeping the country. Instead of huddling in undersized canvas, people can now stretch out in spacious bedrooms with proper beds – including real pillows, sheets and even an electricity supply.

High Class Camping, run by Chris and Kathy Jones, has a site at Haye Farm, near Bewdley, and recently opened a second at Arley. Visit www.highclasscamping.co.uk for more details.

If you fancy something a bit different, why not try a canal boat trip? The Midlands is riddled with these historic waterways and you can spend as much or as little time afloat as you like. If you fancy a quick tour, try the Dudley Canal Trust off Birmingham New Road – or if you would prefer a few days away, try Viking Afloat holidays in Gailey Wharf, Gailey, Stafford. See www.dudleycanaltrust.org.uk and www.viking-afloat.com

A lot of you won't quite have managed to scrape together the cash to go to Ibiza this summer – but why bother when the next best thing comes to Wolverhampton's Oceana nightclub for the August Bank Holiday Sunday?

Electro, house, disco and party tunes will all be blasting out the speakers at the Ibiza Sessions on August 28.

Then, rounding the summer off, chart-topping star Example heads to the city venue for the End of Ibiza tour on September 20. Tickets are £10 a head, see www.oceanaclubs.com/wolverhampton

Heavy metal is the Midlands' one real musical birthright, having spawned the likes of Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. And as such, it should be celebrated.

The Home of Metal exhibition, set up to celebrate the region's musical heritage, is running across Birmingham and the Black Country at venues including Walsall Leather Museum, The Public in West Bromwich and Bantock House Museum in Wolverhampton.

For a full list of shows, visit www.homeofmetal.com

For a fun, different way of getting that bikini bod, try one of the many pole-dancing classes and parties around the region.

Two of the cheaper options – offering more of a fitness routine than professional training – are Flaunt Dance, based at Birmingham's Custard Factory, offering one-on-one and group classes starting at £10 a time, while Pole Angels works across Worcestershire for £12 a lesson. See www.flauntdance.co.uk and www.poleangels.co.uk

Summer just isn't summer without regular intake of cake – and The Blue Door Bakery in Hagley, near Stourbridge, is offering people the chance to learn cupcake-making and decorating skills at a series of workshops over the next few weeks. For more information, visit www.bluedoorbakery.co.uk

If you've visited Birmingham City Centre lately, you may have noticed random ping pong tables popping up all over the place. Don't worry, you're not going mad – it's an official event, all part of the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics.

Ping Brum runs until August 8 and is completely free – bats and balls are all provided, and tables can be found from the Arcadian to Aston Villa, and Victoria Square to Cadbury World.

You can even take part in a city-wide tournament by visiting www.birmingham.gov.uk/sportsevents

Budding film-makers, entrepreneurs and radio stars can show off their skills with a range of workshops, free shows and exhibitions at Kidderminster Arts Festival next month.

The festival, in the town centre between August 13 and 27, offers visitors the chance to explore their creative side and activties range from Bollywood and Bhangra workshops to a radio production workshop.

Any girl- or guy-about-town knows that the best place to get a rock n roll cocktail in the Midlands is at Island Bar in Suffolk Street, Birmingham.

And now you can seize the opportunity to try out some flaring skills for yourself with one of their cocktail masterclasses, from £20 to £25 a head, including tastes of your own concoctions and nibbles. See www.bar-island.co.uk

And if all that doesn't grab you, there are a whole host of bargainous days out to be found on the various 'cheap deals' websites. From helicopter tours and supercar driver sessions to discount massages, there's bound to be something you can do to while away the summer days. Try www.travelzoo.co.uk, www.groupon.co.uk and www.wowcher.co.uk

And remember, it's your summer – make the most of it!