Top Manchester Activities: October 2018
Marvellous Manchester, a UK city which offers visitors, so much to see and do, but here are my top options, in no particular order, for those who want to have fun while in the city.
Located slap bang in Manchester City Centre, Grab the Girl & Guy squad and head down to TeamSport Go Karting Manchester for the race of a lifetime.
Hit the track, feel the speed, use your skill and aim for the chequered flag and prepare to clinch victory from your opponent by driving smart. Let Meg, Clo, Hillary and the rest of the team look after your safety while providing a fun on track experience. What will your best lap time be?
2. Lucardo University of Magic: The Entrance Exam
Fancy your hand at being a witch or wizard, well first you must graduate from the University of Magic. Get your wand at the ready and prepare to cast your way to success.
Lucardo offer a truly unique, immersive and exciting spellbinding experience in Manchester City Centre. Find your way into a secret room, cast a spell and make a potion. With Professor Emma’s help we graduated, the question is – can you?
Prepare to Paint Popup style, with Popup Painting, originally a London launch with the aim of promoting creativity out of the classroom. Now held at venues throughout the UK, Manchester being one of them, try your hand at paint brushing your way to creating your very own marvellous masterpiece. Our afternoon was based on the interpretation of Hokusai’s Great Wave Painting.
We sploshed and splashed our way around the easel like seasoned pros with our friendly skilled artist’s step by step guide. Fancy going off-piste, not a problem, as your artist promotes and supports your inner creative desires.
The event offered a relaxed atmosphere, with laughs and giggles galore and thanks to his lovely assistant paint was in plentiful supply along with all art supplies such as brushes and apron too – all included within the price. Why not dip into the pot and get your spills…thrills with Popup Painting, you never know you may be the next artistic genius #popuppainting
4.Vertical Chill Indoor Ice Climbing
Location Deansgate, is the place to be, for the ultimate unique activity. Feel the freeze and get into the cold zone. Challenge yourself to climb new heights and hear the crunch of the ice, as you battle your way to the top of this vast glacial thrill.
Our expert guide Matt was informative, knowledgeable and gave us the confidence to reach the top. With quality kit and a top motivational mentor can you also reach the top?
5.Escape Reality Manchester: Bank Job
Grab your elite squad of highly skilled bank robbers, as you are amongst the chosen few who have been challenged to infiltrate the security systems at the world’s most protected bank vaults.
Part of our team attempted the skilled system override on the previous night but failed. They did manage to disable the security cameras and took the opportunity to leave us clues, so our team were now fully prepped to break into the vault and steal that dazzling diamond.
Escape with the diamond within 60 minutes or face life in prison! An exhilarating, exciting and entertaining experience, will your teams diamond bank balance go boom or bust!
6.East Lancashire Railway Dining with Distinction Lancastrian Lunch
At the East Lancashire Railway, in Bury greater Manchester, you can Dine with Distinction and sophistication, by opting for one of their on-board dining services such as the Red Rose Dinner or as we did the lovely Lancastrian Lunch.
Roll out the red carpet, step on board their traditional Orient Express Pullman style carriages, enjoy delicious dining, picturesque and lovely Lancashire countryside, the beautiful Irwell Valley, providing you with the ultimate first-class elegant experience and an exquisite journey back to the Golden Age of Steam.
Rock up to Roxy Ball Room Manchester, located on Deansgate, and prepare for a fab fun filled game playing experience. Check in with the team, Molly, Ashley and Laura, a bunch of laid back friendly guys and gals, who will make sure you have a shed load of fun.
Make sure your ball control is on top form, don’t balls things up and pot, ping pong and putt your way to victory during games of pool, ping pong and crazy golf.
8.Breakout Manchester: Enchanted
Whirling and whizzing through the library Wizarding section, a mesmerising dusty book caught our eye, as we began to turn the pages, large yawns followed, and we found ourselves deep asleep and waking up in an enchanted forest. Wandering and walking, throughout deep forest for hours, encountering creepy creatures, scary shadows, we spotted an exciting entrance to a delightful dazzling house made of gingerbread and sweets.
What we were yet to realise is, that the witch had put us under a spell, a terrifying trap awaited and if we didn’t escape the witch would be returning to eat us. Have your wits about you and keep chanting “run, run as fast as you can you can’t catch us we have a Gingerbread Breakout Plan!”
A spellbinding fascinating fairy tale, a charming and captivating game with a little bit of spookiness sprinkled in for good measure. We escaped Enchanted, Breakout Manchester’s Magical escape room experience, question is can you?
Bring on your A game and prepare to bat the ball out the park, in the brilliant Base Bar Batting Cages. Get kitted up and then the team will prep you for a super awesome session. A plus is the balls are non-stinger, so in the unlikely event you get hit, it will be a soft blow.
So don’t be cagey, be full of confidence and you will be batting like a pro in no time. Along with their range of amazing American snacks and drinks and some seriously awesome music beats, this is a super fun activity and well worth a whirl.
10.City Cruises Manchester Afternoon Tea
For over 30 years, Manchester City Centre Cruises, have been operating passenger boat cruises in their two luxury barge boats. The Castlefield cruise location, was ready and waiting, for our turn to set sail with Captain Alan and his loyal sea skippers.
Enjoy the amazing Afternoon Tea on board, as you sail through the Bridgewater canal system, on to Manchester’s marvellous Media city. A yummy activity for family, friends and loved ones to enjoy.
11.Crystal Maze Live Experience Manchester
Whether you go in solo or already have your squad worked out, The Crystal Maze Live Experience Manchester city centre, based on the 90s Iconic series, with the original legendary Maze Master Richard O’Brien and his ever loving marvellous mumsie, is where eight individuals become one team to conquer the crystal dome.
Bomber jackets, booth team time, then prepare for a journey through four zones, Medieval, Industrial, Aztec and Futuristic. The four game types include Mental, Mystery, physical and Skill, so play to your team strengths, so you can scoop as many crystals as you can to exchange for time in the Crystal Dome. And yes for the mega fans, you do get a go on the amazing Aztec super slide!
12. Junk Yard Golf
Rumours are flying around, that Crazy golf just got epic, and I can confirm it’s all true! Get your game face ready, as things are in full swing down at the super cool Junk Yard Golf site slap bang on first street Manchester.
Welcomed on course Gary, golf club in hand ready to swing into action and get on it like a car bonnet. Yes, there is a slide, and yes you can actually slide down it too! Party people, this is the place to be with UV Lights, loud music and flashing lights, while you get funky on the golf course and strut your stuff.
13.The Range Golf Simulator at the Range
Roll up to the Range for a High-quality Golf Simulator experience. The lovely Charli looked after us, settled us down in our own private curtained booth, as she briefly explained the high spec Gc2s Launched monitor technology.
Try your hand at virtual play on golf courses throughout the world including Pebbles beech. Along with the tech, added features include music, salt smells, blowing winds to give you an all-round realistic immersive simulator experience. Hit the ball essentially against the visual facing “bed sheet” to bag yourself a hole in one.
Clue HQ, the live escape game, located under Manchester Piccadilly Train Station was where criminal Danny Badd framed myself and friends for a crime we did not commit, locked up in game Cell Block C crying out “We are innocent” but no one was listening!
With no chance of an acquittal and our appearance in court was just over 1 hour away, we were left with no option, but to try and break free before the cuffs are placed and that prison door slams for life. We just missed out, the jury found us guilty, so we donned the orange jump suits and prepared to do the time.
Rock over Climbing Manchester, a brilliant bouldering centre, prepares you to soar new heights and prepares you to climb your way to the top.
Our lovely lady instructor, a real diamond, was fab and just what you want when you are a complete novice; practical, patient, friendly and gave you the confidence to tackle the climb. Want to get to the next grade, well I’m sure Rock over Climbing, will get you on peak form.
Now, the only challenge left is, that you just need to work your way through the full list, have fun!
Thank you for reading 😊
Melanie xx
Ooh I want to try the university of magic! We love East Lancashire railway. You should try axe throwing too at Whistle Punks
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The University of Magic was fab and so was the East Lancs railway. thanks for the heads up, but axe throwing is double deffo not one for us x
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I studied in Manchester a long time ago and it sounds like it has changed so much with so much to do…I would love to try the Ice climbing that sounds awesome!
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Yes Manchester has really come into its own over the last few years. The ice climbing was amazing x
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Wow what a great list of really different, unique things to do in Manchester. I love the look of the University of Magic, that looks brilliant fun.
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Thank you so much hun and yes that was so much fun x
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There’s a magic university in Manchester? How did I not know this! Sign me up!
C x
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Haha…I know!! You must indeed Charli, give it a whirl x
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Popup painting, Crystal Maze, Afternoon Tea, Baseball and Escape Rooms- yes to all lol xx
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All fab choices and well worth doing – have fun Lydia x
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Melanie, thank you so much for this list. I moved about 15 miles away from Manchester a couple of years ago but have never really explored the city outside of Afflecks and Travelling Man. Now have more than a few ideas for days out for me and the SO x
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Aw my pleasure Laura. Aw that is fab to hear, well this list will keep you busy for sure. Have fun exploring Manchester and if you need any other tips just drop me an email hun 🙂 x
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Oh I love Manchester! We used to live just down the road and it’s where my husband’s family all live. Such a fab city and so much to do, as your article proves! I really want to try Escape Manchester after reading this.
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Me too Emma! You should deffo give it a whirl – super fun experience 🙂 x
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I’ve been to Manchester a couple of times, but hadn’t heard of any of these. I especially love the sound of the University of Magic.
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Well next time you are in town, you know what to do, work your way through the list haha. Yeah that was fab x
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I love Manchester, it’s one of my favourite cities to visit! I’ll be sure to tick a few of these activities!
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I can see why! Good on you, have fun while you do hun x
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I’ve never been to Manchester before, however you’ve made me want to have a week away there just to do the activities you’ve mentioned .. it sounds great.
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Aw thank you lovely, super glad my post has inspired you to want to visit Manchester – great place with a lot to see and do x
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We’ve never been to Manchester as a family, and now I have no idea why as there seems to be so much to do there. The crystal maze sounds awesome… did you watch it?
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Again, great that the article has inspired you and deffo so much for family’s to do here. Yeah, crystal maze was fab and yes a massive fan of the show – a classic x
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Wow Manchester looks so much fun! I’ve never been before but there’s so many fun things to do
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Sounds like you have been missing out Steph, no more…you know where to book your next UK City break lol x
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What an amazing collection of fun activities to do in Manchester! I had no idea that an ice wall to climb was even a thing – especially not for indoors! But that is seriously cool {no pun intended!}
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Haha love the pun and yes so much to see and do here xx
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Some great activities here – I have always wanted to go into the Vertical Chill place. Kaz
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Ooo you should deffo give it a go Kaz xx
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Oh I love the idea of pop up painting and the enchanted break out!!
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Both the pop up painting and breakout were brilliant activities, so much fun xx
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I have only ever been to Manchester once. It looks like there is so much fun stuff to do. I will certainly keep note if I ever go back there in the near future!
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Haha the Lucardo University of Magic Entrance Exam just sounds like so much fun!
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It was so much fun, we had a great time. Quality experience xx
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