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A week in Manchester: any tips?

B

Blue Velvet

Moderator emeritus
Original poster
Jul 4, 2004
21,929
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Will probably be spending a week in Manchester at the end of July. I've never been there before.

Any hotel recommendations, sites to see, day trips etc. suggestions gratefully received. Will be travelling by train and with pretty light luggage.

Am open to all ideas. :)

Thanks in advance
BV
 
If you were a native southerner, I'd suggest doing exactly what every single Manc does that I come across during my daily existance down south, which is do nothing but wax rhapsodic about your home town, saying how great it is, blah blah blah, whilst dissing the place you're visiting/living/working. heh. ;) :p
 
Walk quickly, look down, and don't make eye-to-eye contact with anyone. If someone starts talking to you, be prepared to listen, because you won't be doing much talking. Oh, and show patience. You'll need it.
 
Hmmm....I'm assuming you refer to Manchester, England as opposed to Manchester, New Hampshire. I wasn't too nuts about the city when I was there. I spent almost a year in Preston, which was a smallish city, and I believe I went to Manchester maybe 3 times. It all depends on what you're looking to get out of your visit. Manchester will have shopping and an active night life.

I was more interested in rural England when I visited. And nice friendly pubs. The Peak District is a beautiful day trip. Lots of walking with some wonderful rock faces. Skipton is a picturesque small town, very friendly and welcoming. Chester and York would also make good day trips.
 
iGav said:
If you were a native southerner, I'd suggest doing exactly what every single Manc does that I come across during my daily existance down south, which is do nothing but wax rhapsodic about your home town, saying how great it is, blah blah blah, whilst dissing the place you're visiting/living/working. heh. ;) :p
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They only do that because it is great!

I recommend the Science and Industry museum, you can get a free bus there from the city center (the number 2 I think it is, you'll have to check though). I went for the first time a few weeks ago (having lived here for 3 years) and I had a really good day out. It was raining very heavily that day though. It was also full of kids on a school trip, so I didn't get to play on any of the toys :D

Theres a big Ferris Wheel in the city center too, the largest movable one in the world or something. It's £6 a go and you don't get to stay on for very long, but it's nice to go on at night if you don't mind the cost too much. Theres some nice pubs near there aswell, I quite like the Oyster Bar (they don't actually serve oysters) so you can get a quick drink there too.

Now that I try to think of other cool places to go my mind is a blank. Maybe someone else can think of something good.
 
You could go out to Ringway and watch the aircraft? Great fun that is. :D

And people say I'm boring ... :eek: :p
 
Take an umbrella.
Maybe a Kevlar vest?
And make sure that you have a return ticket from wherever you're arriving, to get out of Manchester as soon as you can. :)
Er - um - er, I'm sure you'll enjoy it all *hopeful shrug*
I'm from the South and maybe biased, though.
So take my very best wishes for a good trip as well. :D
 
richardjames said:
They only do that because it is great!
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If it's so great... how comes they're living in London??? heheheheh

UKnjb said:
Maybe a Kevlar vest?
And make sure that you have a return ticket from wherever you're arriving, to get out of Manchester as soon as you can.
Click to expand...

:p :p :p :p :p :p
 
I once stayed there for a month while taking some courses at UMIST. It's a fun place with lots of friendly people, even if the locals try to convince you otherwise :) I went there back in 2000 though, so I can't remember the names of any of the places I visited.

If you like shopping you should try the Trafford Center Mall. Also, there are several good clubs and pubs if you're into that sort of thing, but I forgot their names... And yes, it rains a lot, but I'm sure you know that already ;)
 
Ooo-er. Not particularly promising then? :D

No 'I went to Manchester and had the time of my life!' type comments?

Re: Clubs. Would have loved to have gone to the Hacienda in 1989 when I first arrived in the UK. :)
 
Hello!
Sorry if you're feeling a bit disheartened by the responses (including mine) that you got. Me, i was taking an in-house swipe at the North, but in what I hope was a light-hearted way, as a Southerner. You will have a fabulous time in Manchester and especially its surroundings, if you get a chance. You are within spitting distance (if you can spit well?) of some of the most stunning countryside of the UK. Mancunians are famous (within the UK) for their friendliness. :)

The wet weather may or may not be an unwarranted sterotype. :confused:

Have a brilliant time and I regret if I brought you down in any way. :)
 
UKnjb said:
Take an umbrella.
Maybe a Kevlar vest?
And make sure that you have a return ticket from wherever you're arriving, to get out of Manchester as soon as you can. :)
Er - um - er, I'm sure you'll enjoy it all *hopeful shrug*
I'm from the South and maybe biased, though.
So take my very best wishes for a good trip as well. :D
Click to expand...

The Kevlar vest is a definate must. Seriously, keep out of the slums becauseit is incredibly rough.
Isn't the London Eye the biggest ferris wheel in the world???
 
®îçhå®? said:
Isn't the London Eye the biggest ferris wheel in the world???
Click to expand...

Yep. But it's not movable. ;)

Birmingham has a movable one too. ;)

I think they spin a bit faster though north of Watford, faster targets being more difficult to shoot at by the gun totting locals and all. heh.
 
There is a lot to do and see in Manchester. If you name some of your interests, I could rattle off some suggestions for you.
 
Blue Velvet said:
Why? Tell me...
Click to expand...

The people, mainly...

There's everything you could ever want from a city here, but without the cost and general nastiness of London for example...

Great places to drink, eat. Loads of culture and history. An amazing music scene. Some of the greatest bands of all time are from Manchester (The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Oasis...).

I like it anyway! :)
 
The main thing Manchester has going for it is it's nightlife. The entire centre of the city buzzes, even in the rain. Deansgate, Oxford St, & the Gay village (which is more like the Gay-ish village these days) are places to start, then just ask the people you meet. They're generally much nicer than people in London.

During the day, use the excellent public transport and get out to the surrounding area. Personally I love Cheshire, but then being from Stockport I'm a bit biased.
 
Blue Velvet said:
Re: Clubs. Would have loved to have gone to the Hacienda in 1989 when I first arrived in the UK. :)
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Ah, t'was awesome... life was simpler then :D. Then they opened Cream@Nation, and my only reason for heading to Mancsville was removed.

My advice? Drive to Liverpool. 'nuff said. :p :D

In all seriousness I've had plenty of good nights out in Manchester. Its been a leader for bar culture in the north, and still has more than a fair share of good bars. Canal Street is always good for a laugh (ended up there more than a bit as my best mate who went to Manchester Uni is gay) with plenty of good bars, and sights you just don't get anywhere else - god know's I haven't seen any 6ft plus transvestites on stilts anywhere else recently!

I do remember (dully) going to a club called Berlins with my girlfriend, but I was very, very drunk at the time. Hell, it could have been a club in Berlin for what I can remember.....
 
Blue Velvet said:
Ooo-er. Not particularly promising then? :D

No 'I went to Manchester and had the time of my life!' type comments?

Re: Clubs. Would have loved to have gone to the Hacienda in 1989 when I first arrived in the UK. :)
Click to expand...

Ohhh I wish I could help you but sadly it's been too long since I was at university there and it's changed so much. The Haçienda was great though :cool:
 
iGav said:
Do you not think it was just a teeny bit overrated though?
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Oh totally! But I had a few good nights there :)

(and then one not so good night when I was so drunk I wasn't allowed in :eek: :eek: ooooops)
 
iGav said:
Do you not think it was just a teeny bit overrated though?
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If it was anything like Ministry of Sound in London, it was totally amazing for a while, then gradually became a tourist attraction.
 
dietcokevanilla said:
Oh totally! But I had a few good nights there :)

(and then one not so good night when I was so drunk I wasn't allowed in :eek: :eek: ooooops)
Click to expand...

Best club night/s I've ever been to was Atomic Jam and Spacehopper at Birminghams Que Club, 10-6 of pure techno, trance and D&B goodness. :D

You must have been REALLY pissed then, I didn't think they could afford to turn punters away. heh.
 
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