Birmingham Airport car hire

Unless you really need a car in the city, you're probably considering Birmingham car hire to help you get out and about in the West Midlands. And why not? Birmingham is central and well connected, with some big attractions close to the city (Cadbury World, anyone?) and some lovely countryside within an hour's drive.

As you'd expect, there is a cluster of car hire services around Birmingham New Street railway station, including Easirent, Enterprise, Alamo, Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Greenmotion. If you're in town for an event, you'll also find a few hire locations in Westside, which is home to the International Convention Centre and Birmingham Arena. Finally, there are some outlying pick-up points near the A4540 ring road. They're a little harder to reach but can be convenient if you're heading out of town.

If you do have to drive in central Birmingham, come prepared. While the streets are generally wide and of good quality, navigating the city's web of trunk roads and backstreets can be difficult, and traffic can really build up during the day. Plan your route in advance, and keep a satnav or GPS-enabled smartphone to hand.

You'll find several pay-and-display car parks in the heart of the city, and they're a better bet than on-street parking, which is expensive and limited to two hours. Prices and restrictions are more relaxed in slightly less central zones such as the Jewellery Quarter.

If you're coming in from outside the city, Birmingham's Park and Ride provision is good, and uses the rail network instead of bus transport. You can park for free at many outlying stations and hop on the Metro into the city.

Black Country Living Museum

Driving time: 40 minutes

A local history attraction? Trust us: a day out at this open-air living museum, which looks back at the Midlands' industrial heritage, is a blast. The 26-acre site is like a real town, complete with high street shops, a school, a pub, vintage buses, canal docks and a working fairground. The museum has even been used as a set for hit TV show 'Peaky Blinders'. Choose the chippy for lunch, but get there early – it does real old-fashioned fish and chips, and the queues run down the street.

Stratford-upon-Avon

Driving time: One hour

This is one of the quintessential Birmingham day trips. Stratford-upon-Avon is best known as Shakespeare's birthplace, and there are several Bard sights to tick off. It isn't all fusty historical stuff either – there is plenty for kids to enjoy, with interactive exhibitions and sensory gardens at New Place, and animals to feed at Mary Arden's Farm. Had enough Shakespeare? Just take a stroll through the quaint town centre or along the River Avon.

Alton Towers

Driving time: 90 minutes

If family-friendly Shakespeare isn't quite family-friendly enough, head to one of the West Midlands' major theme parks. Drayton Manor, which includes a Thomas the Tank Engine zone for little ones, is just 30 minutes away. However, it's worth going a little further for the mighty Alton Towers. It has been around for decades, and offers both white-knuckle coasters for grown-ups and CBeebies-themed rides and experiences for small kids.

Fair fuel policy

A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.

No hidden fees

All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.