With travel abroad still up in the air for the UK, holidays in this country are a good idea for 2021. I love visiting Cornwall and Devon, but with places booked up already and the mounting cost of holidaying in their country, staycations are the way to go. I know there has been some controversy around the term but for me, a staycation is staying home and visiting local attractions. Anything beyond that is a holiday, even in this country. Even with current restrictions, there is so much you can do in Manchester this Spring/Summer. Here are my picks.
I’d highly recommend a wander through Manchester to take in the street art. The Northern Quarter is perfect for this and some pieces change periodically, including this beauty from Akse.
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From 16th April, you can jump on a free tour of the city with Free Manchester Walking Tours. Due to Covid, they have had to halt their tours but with the change in restrictions, they will be back just in time for the weather to pick up. As the name suggests, the tours are free but I’d recommend tipping if you enjoy yourself.
After your walk around our fair city, you’ll need some fuel and you can pop to Nibble in the Northern Quarter who will be open on their terrace from 12th April. They do a banging Full English but I love their mixed salads, as you can see above. You can read my full review here.
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You can spot some filming locations around Northern Quarter too, from Captain America to The Crown, the area has been transformed into New York a few times. I always tell people to look up when they walk around Manchester as the blend of old and new buildings is staggering, especially with the new towers that have been erected at the top of Deansgate.
At this point in the day, drinks will definitely be on the cards and there are some awesome outdoor drinking spots to take advantage of.
Atlas on Deansgate has a pretty terrace facing those new towers so you can have a nosey into the way the city is developing at the moment. They are also not taking bookings so you can just turn up and grab a pew. Their gin selection is a thing of beauty and with over 520 to choose from, I guarantee they have one that you haven’t tried.
Crazy Pedros will be doing their bottomless pizza and booze deal every day and to celebrate the reopening of outdoor hospitality, they will be giving their first 5000 customers a free Hooch! Ironic that I used to drink that on the park in my teens, now (hopefully I’ll make it in the first 5000) I’ll be drinking it outside again.
Banyan on the Corn Exchange has a massive outside area which is perfect enjoy one of their infamous gin trees! Spend a few hours with all the gin and get ready for dinner.
New kids on the block Joe and Daniel Schofield open their new bar Schofields with a terrace to welcome you. I had the pleasure of enjoying their drinks with Belvedere, so I can’t wait to see what they get up to in their own space. If you fancy seeing what they are up to before the 12th April, they are also offering Schofield’s Bar Provisions, with a selection of cocktails and charcuterie boards to take away. The Rose & Lavender Martini has my name on it and I can’t wait to sip one on their terrace when it opens.
For something a bit different, head to Escape to Freight Island. You can enjoy food from local street traders and accompanying drinks. Keep an eye on their events page as they regularly have free entertainment that you can enjoy outdoors.
After all that indulgence, you might choose to stay overnight and there are lots of Manchester hotels waiting to welcome you, within your household/bubble of course.
I have only scratched the surface with exciting things you can do in Manchester during your staycation, what would you add to the list?
In collaboration with Hotels.com, but all views are my own
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