Manchester has a good selection of fun activities and things to see for young kids as well as for those who really enjoy the adrenaline rush. The Sale Water Park is good for the latter, with its jet-skis and other water sports, while the Jodrell Bank Science Centre and Planetarium has some fascinating hands on space-type exhibits.
Head over Heels indoor play centre
Head Over Heels is an indoor play centre with a family restaurant that is ideal for those with young kids on rainy days. Although there are loads of these types of set ups in Manchester, Head over Heels is one of the best with its high quality kid’s toys and games and good quality food. Head over Heels is located on the Albany Trading Estate next to Morrison's Supermarket and play sessions last a minimum of 90 minutes. Phone: +44 161 973 9323; website: www.headoverheelsplay.co.uk.
Jodrell Bank Science Centre and Planetarium
Jodrell Bank is well known in astronomy circles in the UK and is a high quality centre of learning for children. It can be found on the outskirts of Manchester in nearby Macclesfield and features fun interactive space exhibits, an impressive 3D theatre and planetarium with shows throughout the day, and good eating options. Phone: +44 1477 571 339; website: www.jb.man.ac.uk/viscen.
Manchester Aquatics Centre
Another popular kiddie attraction for a rainy day, the Manchester Aquatics Centre, in the All Saints district of the city, has many large swimming pools, water slides, fountains and diving boards. Kids of all ages will really enjoy this place while parents can enjoy the fitness centre. There is also a crèche area on site as well as a café and regular swimming events. Phone: +44 161 275 9450; website: www.manchester.gov.uk
Museum of Science and Industry
Another attraction for kids on the theme of science in Manchester is the Museum of Science and Industry. Lying in the heart of the city the museum entertains children of all ages with its numerous fun hands on exhibits from all areas of science as well as its unique ability to educate. Phone: +44 161 832 2244; www.msim.org.uk.
Sale Water Park in the Trafford Water Sports Centre on Rifle Road appeals to those with a sense of adventure, with its many types of water sports such as jet-skiing, windsurfing, canoeing, and sailing. Visitors can also hire motorboats here and take them out for a spin while a café area and a playground are also onsite. Phone: +44 161 912 3410.
Most people think of football whenever Manchester is mentioned but although it hosts popular football teams, it also has a hefty historic and cultural wealth. There are several world class museums and galleries here as well as numerous theatres and live music venues, while iconic landmarks such as the impressive town hall add further dimension.
G-Mex Centre
Located on Windmill street, Manchester’s G-Mex (Manchester Central) is a quality venue for everything cultural, hosting as it does substantial exhibitions, concerts, performing arts functions, trade shows, and the like, with a regular line-up of events happening throughout the year. The Victorian building is Manchester's former main railway station and has some striking architectural features. Phone: +44 161 834 2700; www.manchestercentral.co.uk.
Manchester Art Gallery
Situated in a grand and imposing building that wouldn’t be out of place in Athens, the Manchester Art Gallery is a big attraction in the city featuring more than 25,000 objects from the 15th century to the present. Most people come for the paintings and there are some quality items on display by the likes of the British master, Turner. There is also a good quality café and restaurants on site as well as a useful visitors' centre and a gift shop. Manchester Art Gallery can be found on Mosley Street. Phone: +44 161 235 8888; website: www.manchestergalleries.org.
Manchester Town Hall is situated right in the centre of Manchester in Albert Square and is a stunning landmark. The town hall was built in the 19th century and looks like Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in Westminster on first glance, owing to its striking Gothic-style architecture. The main features of the structure are its huge clock tower, its gorgeous vaulted ceilings, a massive staircase, and the courtyard. The town hall also has a large collection of paintings which can be seen on a guided tour. Phone: +44 161 234 5000
Theatre and music
Manchester does really well in its offerings of performing arts and music venues, so much so that it beats Birmingham as ‘second city’ in this respect. Many people come to Manchester to catch a quality ballet as well as classical and orchestral music. The top theatre in town is Bridgewater Hall while the MEN Arena plays host to big name bands and the G-MEX amalgamates the two.
The Lowry Centre
So named for the artist whose work is primarily displayed here, the Lowry Centre, located in the attractive Salford Quays area of Manchester, is an arts entertainments venue with a difference. There are galleries and performing arts venues all under one roof while the building is a piece of modern art in itself, with its stark lines and wavy forms. Musicals and comedies go off at the centre regularly while three large gallery spaces features Lowry’s pieces as well as works by many other contemporary artists. Phone: +44 870 787 5780; website: www.thelowry.com
Manchester has had an explosion in eateries of late, in part owing to the redevelopment of much of the city centre after the IRA bombing, but also due to its multicultural make up. Everything is available, from good English food and fast-food burger and chicken chains to excellent Chinese, Indian and French fare.
If you want to have a traditional taste of Manchester then head for Harry Ramsden's fish and chip shop near the city centre. Harry’s is well known throughout the UK for excellent fish and chips, while a slew of independent places serving fish ‘n chips in fake newspaper can be seen all over the city.
Apart from the fish and chips, most pubs in Manchester do very good ‘pub grub’, from shepherds pie and salads to roast dinners and al fresco dining. Manchester is particularly well known for its Indian food and the aptly named Curry Mile has more than its fair share of baltis, vindaloos and kormas. Chinatown is naturally the place to head for Chinese and Asian food.
Eateries can be found all over the city centre and especially in George street, Queen street and St Anne street. Specific places to head for some food are the Printworks Leisure Complex, with its many trendy cafés and smart restaurants, the Village’s Canal street, and the Piccadilly area.
Manchester’s collection of shopping malls are also a place to look for some cheaper eats and feature many favourites, like Pizza Hut, McDonalds, KFC, and so on. It’s not all chain food in these places though as many now feature quality establishments serving nouvelle cuisine and other artsy type foods.
One area that has really benefited from the Manchester bombing is shopping. There is now such a huge variety of places to shop that Manchester competes very well with London and other major European centres. The other plus is that Manchester is more compact than the capital and moving around tends to be a little easier on the pocket to boot.
All typical UK high streets shops can be found on Manchester’s main streets and in its many glitzy malls and department stores, as well as upmarket places like Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. In addition, Manchester has an outstanding range of independently owned stores and many unique boutiques featuring every type of fashion.
The best places to go shopping in Manchester are Castlefield, Deansgate, and the Northern Quarter for arts and music. There are more than just the usual high street brands in these places, with many specialist shops selling some weird and wonderful items for that personal touch. In addition, simply wandering around the city centre without too much effort will bring you to some excellent shopping, while for all-encompassing venues, the Trafford Centre, just outside the city centre, has some fantastic shopping and entertainment for everyone.
Those who fancy getting active while in Manchester have a great choice of outdoor activities, with some fine walking, cycling and nearby hiking, several good golf courses, and many beautiful well-equipped parks. In addition, Manchester has Manchester United Football Club, the world’s richest and most famous side.
Manchester has a network of canals left over from the days of the Industrial Revolution and today they offer some of the best walking and cycling in the city – the Bridgewater and Rochdale canals being particularly scenic. In addition the River Irwell runs right through Manchester and also offers good walking while the profusion of city parks adds further strolling appeal. For some heavier cycling, the nearby Peak District National Park offers great scope for mountain biking. You can rent bicycles by the day from outlets in town.
Golf
You don’t have to venture too far from the confines of Manchester to have a round of golf as there are several popular courses that visitors might like to try out. Harborne Golf Course is one such course, having nine good holes and inexpensive club hire and green fees. Harborne is just out of town near the Botanical Gardens. Phone: +44 121 427 1204.
Once they have checked out the canals in town, serious hikers would be better off heading for the Peak District National Park just to the east/southeast of Manchester. There are some really good hikes here, with both short and long distance jaunts available. Of these, the Pennine Way is the most revered while High Peak Trail and Limestone Way are also very good. Castleton and Bakewell are better suited for those looking for a shorter walk. Farther afield are the Yorkshire Dales to the north of Manchester and North Wales to the southwest.
Spectator sports
Manchester United Football Club is the world’s most famous football club and matches are played at their ground, Old Trafford, regularly between August and May. Tickets are really tough to get hold of, however, so you may have to stick with doing a guided tour of the stadium and associated museum. Manchester’s other big claim to fame on the sporting front is the Edgbaston cricket ground, one of the best in the country and host to international test matches.
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