Car Rental Midlands

Connected to the rest of England by a series of motorways and major highways, the Midlands is easy to navigate in your hire car. To the west, the main routes are the M40 and the M6, while the East Midlands is served by the M1 and A1.

If you’re arriving in the West Midlands by air, you might start your journey at Birmingham Airport. Located on the outskirts of the UK’s second most populated city, it’s connected to the surrounding area by the M42 motorway, which runs around the eastern side of Birmingham, as well as the M6.

The latter of these two motorways is a major route running from Rugby, a Warwickshire market town on the River Avon, all the way north to Birmingham. After that, it heads to the north west of England before continuing north to Gretna Green on the Scottish border.

The M6 is notable for having one of the UK’s only toll sections of motorway. Widely known as the M6 Toll - or officially the Birmingham North Relief Road - this 27-mile section of motorway provides a quieter route than the main M6 if you are traveling around Birmingham during your stay.

From Birmingham, you can also use the M6 to join the M1, a busy motorway running from north to south through the center of England. It begins just outside London and continues all the way to Leeds in West Yorkshire. This route provides access to major destinations in the Midlands such as Leicester and Nottingham, as well as East Midlands Airport. Further north is the Peak District in Derbyshire.

The historic cathedral city of Lincoln, close to the North Sea coast of eastern England, is not directly connected by motorway but can be accessed from the M1 by joining the A46 north of Leicester.

Covering a large part of central England, the Midlands is a diverse region packed with lively cities, peaceful countryside and plenty of attractions in between. With a rental car, you’ll be able to make the most of your time here hitting all these standout attractions.

City highlights

One of the largest cities in the UK, Birmingham should be high on your list of Midlands destinations. This industrial city has in reinvented itself as a major cultural hub, with events taking place all year round at its theaters, galleries and museums.

Highlights include the Barber Institute of Fine Arts on the University of Birmingham campus, where you can see works from Renaissance masters as well as famous UK pieces by the landscape painters JMW Turner, Thomas Gainsborough and more.

If you’re traveling as a family, don’t miss Cadbury World, one of the biggest chocolate factories in the world. Learn all about how the famous British confectionery is made. Finish the day by taking in a show at the magnificent Symphony Hall, which hosts classical and contemporary performers from around the world.

Historic treasures

Head north-east of Birmingham in your rental car and you will reach Nottingham, famous as the home of Robin Hood. A statue dedicated to the nation’s favorite outlaw stands outside Nottingham Castle, a historic fortress high on a hill that dates all the way back to the Middle Ages.

Nottingham is also home to one of the largest market squares in the UK, which you can see transformed into an urban beach in the summer, or a German Christmas market if you’re visiting the city between November and December.

Continue north east along the A46 for another historic highlight - Lincoln. This ancient city, situated at the heart of the rural county of Lincolnshire, is home to one of the most spectacular cathedrals in the UK.

With its origins in 1072, this Gothic masterpiece is open to the public all year round, with guided tours offering you the chance to explore the roof and Central Tower, which soars above the city at a height of 271 feet.

Picturesque Peak District

The Midlands is home a number of natural wonders. Nestled to the north, in the county of Derbyshire, lies the Peak District National Park. This is a spectacular driving destination where you can take in some of the UK’s most stunning scenery.

The area is too vast to fully explore in a single day. If you’re short on time, visit the Heights of Abraham, a country park filled with caverns. Take a cable car journey with views across the Derwent Valley and beyond.

Just a short drive away are the picturesque towns of Buxton and Bakewell – famous for its Bakewell tart. With a rental car, you can set your own itinerary and explore the whole region at your leisure.