It is that time of year where either a) family ask what you would like for Christmas or b) you’re trying hard to think of what to get people.
As time goes by, more and more people realise how important experiences and memories of days out are, so we at Small House Big Trips thought we would compile a list of the best Midlands based annual memberships that you could purchase this Christmas for loved ones.
- National Trust: A firm favourite with so many families and couples. With access to over 500 beautiful gardens, houses and parks in the UK, and many other places looked after by National Trust in 14 other countries.
With National Trust membership you can enjoy:
- Free entry to over 500 places in our care
- Free parking at most National Trust car parks
- National Trust Handbook, full of information about our places
- National Trust Magazine three times a year, packed with inspiration, interviews and news
- Access to our online Members’ Area, full of first look previews and behind-the-scenes features
Prices: £84 for one adult and their children or £146.40 for 2 adults and their children.
More details here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/membership
2. English Heritage: Historic places galore. Full of ruins, castles and historic houses, you can find over 400 places to visit around the UK. The perfect membership for those who like to travel and explore. Some of our personal local favourites have been Witley Court (Read our review here: https://smallhousebigtrips.co.uk/witleycourt/ ) and Kenilworth Castle (Review here: https://www.facebook.com/smallhousebigtrips1/posts/1557840307940913 ) .
With English Heritage membership you can enjoy;
- Free entry to over 400 places
- Free parking at most English Heritage car parks
- Free members handbook
- English Heritage magazines
- Each membership entitles 6 children to attend for free with each membership holder
- Special discounts at lots of other places including 50% off tickets to Warwick Castle
Prices: £69 for one adult and up to 6 children or £120 for 2 adults and up to 12 children.
More details here: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/
3. Birmingham Museums: With 8 fantastic venues to visit around Birmingham (seasonal opening times for some museums), a 12 month membership to Birmingham Museums will have you all exploring and finding a wealth of new and exciting information about the City and local areas.
With Birmingham Museum membership you can enjoy entry to;
- Sarehole Mill
- Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (currently closed until 2024)
- Thinktank Science Museum
- Aston Hall
- Blakesley Hall
- Museum of the Jewellery Quarter (opens for special workshops at various times through the year)
- Soho House
- Weoley Castle
Along with unlimited visits to these fabulous museums, membership also entitles you to;
- 10% off in all cafe’s and shops
- Invitations to exclusive member events and previews
- 10% off birthday parties at selected venues
- Regular e-news
Prices: Family membership (2 adults and 3 children) £95, Adult membership £35, Concession membership £30
More details here: https://join.birminghammuseums.org.uk/
4. Merlin: With a Merlin pass you can be sure to have a wealth of exciting days out with theme parks, castles, river boats, museums and Sea Life Centres, there is plenty to see and do.
With a Merlin Membership you can enjoy entry to;
- Warwick Castle
- Alton Towers
- Chessington World of Adventures
- LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort
- The London Eye
- THORPE PARK Resort
- SEA LIFE
- Shrek’s Adventure! London
- Madame Tussauds
- LEGOLAND® Discovery Centres
- The Dungeons
- Blackpool Tower
- The London Eye River Cruise
- The Bear Grylls Adventure
- Cadbury World
You can choose from a variety of memberships which all offer different things, so do pop online to see which is the best option for you and the various prices.
More details here: https://www.merlinannualpass.co.uk/buy-passes/membership/
5. Drayton Manor Theme Park and Zoo: Nestled in Tamworth, Drayton Manor is easy to get to and full of over 100 rides and attractions and exciting events, as well as fascinating animals in their 15-acre zoo as often as you like.
Drayton Manor Annual Passes have changed and you can now choose from 3 different annual passes; Platinum (£175pp), Gold (£115pp) or Silver (£99pp).
A Platinum pass entitles you to unlimited access to Drayton Manor AND West Midlands Safari Park
A Gold pass gives you unlimited access to Drayton Manor.
A Silver pass is for off-peak and some peak dates.
More details here: https://www.draytonmanor.co.uk/tickets/annual-pass/purchase-a-pass
6. West Midlands Safari Park: Home to some of the world’s most beautiful & endangered animal species. Safari Drive-through, Theme Park & lots more. You will want to go back again and again.
Like Drayton Manor, WMSP have updated their annual pass offerings. You now have the choice of 4 different annual pass types.
Bronze (£59pp) available to use from 1st Oct to 31st March.
Silver (£99pp) entry and car parking at any time. 20% off ride wrist bands, shops, cafés and experiences.
Gold (£115pp) unlimited entry, car parking and ride pass and all the deals that silver give you too.
Platinum (£175pp) and includes all of what the Gold pass gives you and also unlimited entry to Drayton Manor and 20% off Drayton Manor animal experiences and retail/cafés.
More details here: https://www.wmsp.co.uk/
7. Dudley Zoo and Castle: Home to more than 1300 animals, with nigh on 200 species, including some of the rarest creatures on Planet Earth. Exotic and endangered animals inhabit an ancient wooded hillside spanning 40 acres, with a rich geological history, around the ruins of the 11th century Dudley Castle and share a site with the world’s largest single collection of Modernist Tecton structures – and the country’s only vintage chairlift! Dudley Zoo’s aim is to provide visitors, via their education and conservation activities, an understanding and awareness of all elements of the unique site, the history of the castle and the geology, the importance of the architectural design of the Tectons, and the opportunity to get closer to the world’s rarest animals.
With a Dudley Zoo Annual Pass you can expect;
- Unlimited entry to both the Zoo and Castle for one year
- Quarterly E-newsletter
- When you join, you can also purchase an annual parking pass for £15.00
Prices: Adult £56, Child £37
More details here: https://www.dudleyzoo.org.uk/product-category/membership/
8. National Space Centre: Six interactive galleries, the UK’s largest planetarium, and the iconic 42m high Rocket Tower, the award-winning National Space Centre is an out of this world experience. If you have a space fan, then this is the annual membership for you.
The National Space Centre is keen to help families with the current cost of living crisis, so a day visit can be converted into an annual pass free of charge.
Prices: You can upgrade to an annual pass when you purchase your tickets online, all for the cost of just your initial visit to the museum. Adults £18.95, Child (5-16) £16.95, Under 5’s FREE.
More details here: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk/plan-your-visit/free-annual-pass-upgrade/
9. Silverstone Interactive Racing Museum: Perfect present for motorsport fans of all ages. Explore the museum, housed in a huge, 4000m2 hangar. Find out the history, get ready to earn your airman’s stripes and discover Silverstone’s past as a Bomber Command Training base during the Second World War. Have a go on the Link Trainer – a replica of the machine the RAF used to train pilots and so much more.
Prices: Turn your day ticket into an annual pass and enjoy 12 MONTHS of motor racing stars, stories, and science by claiming Gift Aid. Adult £22.50, Child £13.50.
More details here: https://www.silverstonemuseum.co.uk/tickets/
10. Stratford Upon Avon Butterfly Farm: The UK’s largest tropical butterfly paradise offers an annual pass, perfect for those who love butterflies and would like somewhere to visit, come rain or shine. You can enjoy the unique pleasure of discovering hundreds of the world’s most beautiful butterflies flying in an exotic environment of tropical blossom with splashing waterfalls and fish filled pools. Situated in the historic market town of Stratford-upon-Avon.
With a Stratford Butterfly Farm Annual Pass, you can expect;
- Unlimited entry
- Explore the Rainforest Flight area with a lush landscape of tropical blossom, splashing waterfalls and fish filled pools
- Check out the Discovery Zone where you can observe the life cycle of a butterfly
- See the mini beast section
- And discover the Maya
- Natured inspired shop
Prices: Family Ticket £65 (2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children. Additional children £14.50 each)
More details here: https://www.butterflyfarm.co.uk/attraction/plan-your-visit/admission
11. Middleton Hall and Gardens
As a Season Pass Holder at Middleton Hall & Gardens, you will receive free access to the historic Hall, tranquil grounds, and exciting events on all public open days throughout the year.
The events programme is enriched with a variety of cultural and specialist events, including the popular Plant Hunters’ Fairs and monthly car shows. They host seasonal markets, re-enactment weekends, and activity days for families during the school holidays. As a Season Pass Holder, you receive free entry to all of these events.
Why become a Season Pass Holder?
- Free unlimited access to our open days and events
- Earn back the value of your season pass in 5 visits
- Free entry for your children and grandchildren aged under 16 when they visit with you
- Exclusive access to pass-holder only open days and evenings
- Exclusive discounts on workshops, classes and concerts
- Free access to the online portal
- 10% off in Middleton Hall’s gift shop
Prices: Family membership £60, Single membership £35.
More details here: https://www.middleton-hall.co.uk/product-page/annual-pass
12. Trentham Gardens: Whether for a stroll around the gardens at a leisurely pace to discover the wonders of the wildlife inhabiting the Estate, or exploring the flowers in bloom and in season, Trentham membership is a chance to play your part in supporting the conservation work in the flora and fauna across the Estate whilst enjoying the beautiful surroundings.
Members can enjoy;
- Year-round entrance to Trentham Gardens
- Discount on day tickets for friends and family you bring with you
- Privileged access via main entrance, one hour before usual opening times
- Priority event booking
- Discounts in participating shops, cafes, and restaurants at Trentham Shopping Village
- Bespoke newsletters with latest member offers
Price: Family £134.30 (if a direct debit is set up)
More details here: https://trentham.co.uk/trentham-membership/
Other fabulous places to explore the annual membership options for are;
13. Hatton World: More details here – https://adventure.hattonworld.com/membership-pricing/
14. British Motor Museum: More details here –https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/about-us/membership
15. Twycross Zoo: More details here – https://twycrosszoo.org
16. Weston Park: More details here – https://weston-park.com/bookings/annual-memberships/
17. Birmingham Wildlife and Conservation Centre: More details here – https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/50042/birmingham_wildlife_conservation_park/869/visiting_the_birmingham_wildlife_conservation_park/2
18. Ironbridge Museums: More details here – https://www.ironbridge.org.uk/plan/ticket-prices/
19. Black Country Living Museum: More details here – https://bclm.com/unchained-annual-pass/
20. Birmingham Botanical Gardens: More details here – https://www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk/become-a-member-today/
21. Conkers: More details here – https://www.visitconkers.com/visiting/members/
22. Wild Zoo: More details here – https://www.wildzoo.co.uk/opening-times-admissions
23. Attwell Farm Park: More details here – https://attwellfarmpark.co.uk/book-online/memberships/
24. Hawkstone Park Follies: More details here – https://www.hawkstoneparkfollies.co.uk/Vouchers/follies-annual-pass
Are you a business that is offering annual passes, that I have missed off? If so, please do get in touch, so we can add you to our list.
Looking for ideas of what to do for Christmas? Check out one of our favourite websites and pages, https://www.midsmas.com/