5 Things to Do in Manchester at Easter

The Easter bank holiday weekend is always a springtime treat – who doesn’t love a long weekend? But it can also come with the added pressure of thinking of how to spend it. Yeah you could Spring Clean, or visit your family, or both, but what can you do as well as that? Here are my top 5 things to do in Manchester at Easter – activities I personally love taking the chance to do during the bank holiday weekend

1. Discover something new

I love using long weekends to do something a little different. Yeah, bowling and the cinema are fun, but there’s so many new things to try in Manchester now. How about Junk Yard Gold? (Yes that’s a real thing). Or a twist on traditional bowling at Black Dog Ballroom, where you can get a retro vibe, drink cocktails and eat your fav American junk food whilst you throw balls (pictured above). Or try to escape from Breakout Manchester in a live group puzzle game. Over Easter weekend there’s even a Chinese Lantern Festival on at the Trafford Centre that I might pop along to.

2. Go for a picnic

As soon as it starts to get a little warmer outside, I start to plan my next best picnic stop – it’s more affordable than a meal out, still feels like a treat and gives you an excuse to get out and about. Where you go is up to you! For local readers, my favourite Manchester picnic destinations are Lyme Park and Reddish Vale Country Park (pictured above), both of which are lovely countryside locations not too far to travel. If you fancy making a proper day of it, consider visiting the beach at Fornby or Llandudno for a little holiday-in-a-day vibe.

3. Visit Manchester’s free museums

Pretty much all of Manchester’s museums and art galleries are free, which makes for a plethora of cultural days out! I’ve visited most of them several times over the years and as exhibits change every six months or so, there’s always plenty to see. My favourites at the moment are the Whitworth Art Gallery and the Museum of Science and Industry (pictured above), both of which you could spend a whole day at (and more)!

4. Take a scenic walk

 Since having Sonny I have rediscovered my love of wondering around new places (although not too sure his lazy bum loves it that much)! Scenic walks around the countryside are always a nice long weekend activity, but I particularly love visiting new towns and villages to walk around there. I mean, there’s no harm if there’s a little window shopping involved! Some places around Manchester’s suburbs which make for a mix between countryside and villages are Glossop, Leith and Ramsbottom.

5. Bank holiday pamper session

Make the most of the long weekend by giving yourself a right good pampering! Sometimes it’s hard to make time for yourself, the bank holiday is the perfect excuse to indulge a little. If you fancy splashing the cash, spa breaks are always a lovely treat and although there’s plenty of spas in Manchester that I love, it’s always a fun excuse to take a break from home for a while. One that I have my eye on for this bank holiday is the Rosewood Hotel in London; not only is it a stunning spa, it’s in central London so the perfect retreat for seeing the sights of the capital in the day, and relaxing at night. The best part is you can come back to Manchester feeling all refreshed!

Hopefully my top 5 things to do in Manchester at Easter has given you a little inspiration of what to get up to this bank holiday weekend, and if you can’t get round to it all, save some ideas for April Bank Holiday. For me, I’ll be packing my picnic bag and getting ready to walk around a museum with my favourite skincare products on as soon as Good Friday begins!