Top things to do in the Midlands

Brewery tours

There are plenty of local breweries to choose from. Learn about the process and try some for yourself – with the freshest ale coming straight from the source. Munch on some malt and sniff some hops trying plenty just to see if the process is the best of course.

Banks's Brewery in Wolverhampton gives you the chance to learn the time-honoured skills of becoming a Master Brewer while tasting the fastest selling cask ale in the Midlands. Find out more at www.bankssbeer.co.uk.

Two Towers Brewery in Birmingham focuses on English cask ales and tops up your glass throughout finishing in the Brown Lion. To take advantage of special food and of course drink deals see twotowersbrewery.co.uk for more information.

Sadlers Brewery in Stourbridge offers a relaxed tour, finishing up with the chance to try their award-winning home-cooked food, including famous beer bread, beer-baked ham, pickles and hop cheese. Visit www.sadlersales.co.uk for details.

Land Rover Experience

Solihull has been the home of Land Rover for over 60 years. The Land Rover Experience centre allows you to have a guided tour at the production facilities, and then explore the 15 acres that make up the ultimate test track. You will visit important stages of the production process and discover how all the technology is assembled and packaged into the vehicles.

You'll have the chance to get behind the wheel or experience an impressive demonstration with one of the expert instructors.

The Solihull demonstration areas have a wide variety of terrains. The Jungle Track is a nature refuge and the Adventure Zone is a collection of obstacles which are specifically designed to showcase the most extreme aspects of Land Rover capability. Experience a 45 degree downhill slope, articulations, side slopes, the Tipping bridge and more.

One definitely for the petrol-heads and thrill-seekers. Book a place at www.landrover.com/gl/en/rr/experience-land-rover/land-rover-experience.

Boat Trips

If you're more into relaxing and floating along the extensive network of canals in the region then a barge or boat is one to go for.

Dudley Canal Trust offers a number of different experiences including ones ranging from 45 minutes to six hours. Discover the impressive limestone caverns carved by man to gain access to the raw materials that changed our world forever and experience the traditional art of legging, where boats were propelled through the tunnels using leg power. They are right near the Black Country Museum, have a look at www.dudleycanaltrust.org.uk for more information.

Stourbridge Trips offer a tour through breathtaking scenery with the peace of the waterways, see www.canalboattripsstourbridge.co.uk for more details.

Another way to take in the relaxing bob of the water is on the Away2dine barge in Birmingham which is modelled on dinner boats in Paris. To book a table go to www.away2dine.co.uk

BBC Tour

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at the BBC but don't want the hassle of trekking all the way down to London. This is the chance to visit the home of BBC Birmingham, which hosts a number of popular shows such as The Archers, Midlands Today, and BBC WM. Find out what it takes to get shows from script to screen. See the 24/7 BBC News online facilities where they deal with up to 300 stories a day.

The tour is at the Public Space based at the Mailbox. For more information visit www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/tours

High Ropes Course/Challenge

Closer to the Edge in Wolverhampton, as well as West Bromwich and Telford, are high ropes courses which are for all ages and abilities. Located in the woodlands of Baggeridge Park, Telford Town Park (opening very soon) and Sandwell Valley they offer you the chance to push your limits within an extremely engaging and safe outdoor environment. Being over 10 metres off the forest floor can be daunting but will be an experience that you'll remember for years to come. Book your space at closertotheedge.co.uk

Aerial Extreme is a similar experience based on the Trentham Estate near Stoke. The tree-top based high ropes adventure course will thrill you whether you're a novice adventurer or a serial adrenalin junkie. The courses vary in height from 3m to 14m above the ground with no experience or skill required. Find out more at www.trentham.co.uk/aerial-extreme

Cookery Classes

Birmingham is the home to the Balti triangle and why not become a dab hand at making a little taste of India yourself.

The Delhi Restaurant in Solihull offers cookery classes to help you get that perfect curry flavour. Self-trained award winning Chef Maz Rahman gives a step-by-step guide and will teach you how to cook in the authentic style, enjoying a fun experience in the Delhi kitchen. It is hands on and will cover a full meal with all ingredients and recipes provided, even getting the opportunity to eat what you cook at end. To book a spot visit www.thedelhi.com/restaurant.html .

For more traditional foods there is always Brompton Cookery School in Shrewsbury. Celebrity chef Marcus Bean creates seasonal set menus, using only the finest local produce using fresh produce from their very own kitchen garden. Understand flavours, textures and techniques so that you can create fabulous food for any occasion in your own home. See the options at www.bromptoncookeryschool.co.uk

Eckington Manor in Worcester also offers you the chance to become a whizz in the kitchen, offering knife skill classes and cuisine in a number of different areas. For more information go to www.eckingtonmanorcookeryschool.co.uk

Flight Simulation

Whether you are an experienced pilot, someone who has always dreamed about becoming an airline pilot or just someone who wants to experience the thrill of a lifetime why not fly a Boeing 737 – the simulator version anyway, at Flight Simulators Midlands. Based at Coventry Airport, you have the chance to sit where pilots from Ryanair, EasyJet and Thomson did and learn how to handle a big jet.

You can take off from a number of different airports, hand fly or use autopilot and watch the view. You will learn how to take off and land from anywhere you want, even experiencing what it's like for real pilot in bad weather conditions. To have a look what's on offer visit www.flyfsm.co.uk for more details.

Cadbury World

Everyone loves chocolate right? Why not uncover a world of chocolate delights at Cadbury World. Experience the magic that goes into the making of the creamy distinctive taste of Cadbury and discover the history beneath it. Treat yourself to the wonderful sights, smells and tastes of the place where chocolate comes to life.

Journey through the Aztec jungle and Europe, discovering the Cocoa bean and watch the story grow from there. Don't miss out on the demonstration area where demonstrators will show you how they 'temper' chocolate and make it easier to work with. Why not try writing your name in chocolate too! For information on tickets and how to find the place visit www.cadburyworld.co.uk

Farms

Local farms are a great way to teach young children where food comes from and the processes behind it. In the Midlands we are quite lucky to have quite a lot of rural land, home to many farms.

Park Hall Farm in Oswestry, Shropshire, is a great countryside experience letting visitors get stuck in with hands-on animal activities such as feeding the lambs or milking the cows. See www.parkhallfarm.co.uk for the entire programme for the summer, including their maize maze.

Broomey Croft Farm in north Warwickshire lets you have a tractor ride around the farm and feed the friendly animals by hand. They also have an undercover picnic area which is great if the British weather doesn't hold up. See www.broomeycroftfarm.co.uk for more details.

In the heart of the countryside, Rays Farm in Bridgnorth lets you pat ponies and donkeys, explore a fairytale forest and lets you get face-to-face with owls and deer. To check out what they've got go to www.raysfarm.com

Ghost Walks

If you like being scared or are interested in the history trapped in the walls of old buildings in the region then why not go on a ghost walk? Even if you're a sceptic and want to be proven right or wrong it's something different to try.

Many buildings in the Midlands including Dudley Castle, Alton Towers, The Feathers Hotel in Ludlow, Shropshire, The Manor House in West Bromwich and the Abyss Drakelow tunnels in Kinver offer a chance to check for paranormal activity with a team of experts. There are loads of chances throughout the year particularly around Halloween to see if there is really life after death.

A few companies offer these experiences, including the original ghost hunting company www.frightnights.co.uk and www.hauntedrooms.co.uk which both offer night walks and overnight vigils with experts on hand to help with anything that's heard or felt.

By Jody Ball