Regarded as the heart of the Pottery Region of England, Stoke-on-Trent has always enjoyed popularity amongst tourists who appreciate its beautiful gardens (Trentham Gardens in particular), its world class Pottery Museum (Gladstone), and its ceramic-heavy City Museum and Art Gallery. Alton Towers, one of the United Kingdoms most popular fun parks, is nearby. Situated half-way between Birmingham and Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent is located just east of the M6. The Stoke-on-Trent train station is visited by services to and from Manchester, Birmingham and London. Due to the citys location on both the Trent and Mersey and Caldon Canals, many visitors often choose to journey to Stoke via canal boat or long boat. Stoke-on-Trent has a number of hotels within its precinct that cater to most budgets. The proximity of Keele and Staffordshire Universities to the city can mean that it is busy during term time, but does ensure that there are budget and student lodgings present in the area as well.