Are you looking to come to Manchester but don’t want to spend too much money? We’ve got you covered. With 11 fun and entertaining cheap things to do in Manchester, you won’t run out of ideas on what to do or where to go.
Castlefield Self-guided Tours Manchester
First up is Castlefeild, home to what used to be the historic Roman fort of Mamucium. This is interestingly enough where the name Manchester originated from. Interesting right? Here at Castlefield you can take a fascinating free self-guided tour, exploring the Roman ruins. You can take a stroll around the Roman Gardens, where you will find plants grown during the Roman times.
Stop off and grab a bite to eat at the bars, restaurants and trendy apartments repurposed from old warehouses, canal systems and railway viaducts. Take a walk on the site of the world’s oldest surviving passenger railway station and discover some historic gems.
The National Football Museum
If you or your family are football supporters, take a visit to the world’s biggest football museum. With a collection of over 140,000 boots, balls, programmes, paintings, postcards and ceramics (including the prestigious FIFA collection). Infact, the National Football Museum can attract a diverse audience linking to topics such as fashion, history, art and the First World War. The Museum is extremely popular with 500,000 visitors from the UK and overseas every year. An attraction everyone is bound to love, making a great experience and a cheap day out for everyone.
The Free Walking Tour Of Manchester
We love hearing the word free, which is why the free walking tour of Manchester is great for those who want to explore the city. You can spend this amazing experience meeting new people and exploring new places. The tour takes place at 11pm everyday at the Alan Turing Memorial (Sackville Gardens). Convenient right? The tour tells the story of Manchester, exploring the top attractions and hidden diamonds that you may not discover yourself. This is for all ages and is extremely informative and entertaining so you won’t get bored. You can pull out at any time along the tour so if you find an attraction or location you want to explore in more depth, feel free.
Manchester Art Gallery
Manchester Art Gallery offers a creative and fun but chilled day out, whether you’re coming with family or friends, this art museum has something for everyone. Explore the wonderful stories this gallery has to offer, the different values of art, the status of art and meanings of art over time. You can even attend an event where you can share your opinions and ideas on bits of artwork shown, which is fantastic for those eager to get deep into the stories of art. Did I mention it’s free?
The Donkey Sanctuary
If you’re an animal lover, why not visit the Manchester Donkey Sanctuary. This sanctuary is free to visit although you can adopt a donkey whilst you’re there for only £3 a month, amazing right?. The donkey sanctuary has been transforming the lives of donkeys going back for almost 50 years to the 1960’s where the donkey sanctuary began so not only is this a fun day out, it is historic too. You will be able to see how the donkeys are living a fulfilled and healthy life, brilliant for family days out and entertaining for the kids, connecting in a way that is priceless.
Manchester Police Museum
Located on Newton Street, the Manchester Police Museum is a great day out for those interested in investigations and crime and even for those who aren’t. No matter your interest, the Manchester Police Museum is an amazing day out.
Get your magnifying glass out and discover archive material and objects relating to the history of policing in Greater Manchester such as manuals and handbooks relating to police work and administrative records. You also get the chance to talk to staff and volunteers about policing, discovering the history and development of the building. Again this museum is free of charge so there’s no excuse to not get yourself down and take a look.
Manchester Science and Industry Museum
One of Manchester’s top free things to do is visit the Manchester Science and Industry Museum, where you can explore the ideas that changed the world. The museum is inspiring and powerful and will change the way you see the world and the ideas we consume. It’s extremely engaging and you will likely be drawn into the dynamic work displayed. This museum has interesting and exciting activities for everyone such as discovering science in our world and seeing how scientists have shaped our lives. Sounds mind blowing and too good to miss.
Manchester Airport Runway Visitors Park
Whilst in Manchester you can Indulge in a thrilling experience at Manchester Airport Runway Park, experiencing a unique viewing of planes taking off and landing from an unparalleled view. The runway park offers a chance to explore historic aircrafts including the famous Concorde. If you don’t know what the famous Concorde is, that’s fine! You can take a tour and see it for yourself. To keep the young ones entertained they offer events that are known to be popular, which explore the historic aircrafts as well as the junior flying academy. The Runaway Park is an enjoyable and educational experience that caters for a diverse audience.
Street Art Tour of the Northern Quarter
There’s something quite intriguing about street art and the stories they tell. At the Northern Quarter, take a self-guided stroll around the magnificent streets where you will find some incredible street art. Turn this into a fun filled day out, grabbing a coffee and a bite to eat in the local coffee shops whilst snapping some amazing photos to share with your family and friends. What’s interesting about the Northern Quarter Street art is that world-class artists use the walls of NQ to express and show off their artwork for you all to see. Who knows you might see someone famous along the way.
Free Live Music & Pool at Bunny Jacksons
To throw in a different vibe to the mix for those music lovers, Bunny Jacksons is a great place to enjoy cheap live music. You can enjoy live music with cheap drinks and 20p chicken wigs. Who doesn’t want 20p chicken wigs? Bunny Jacksons is an American themed bar which adds a thrilling twist on the night. They offer darts and pool for free which helps keep you entertained in-between the music breaks! The atmosphere is not one to miss.
Frog and Bucket
Another great one if you’re looking for an entertaining cheap night out, Frog and Bucket offer a £6 night of hilarious comedy and cheap food and drinks. (If you’re a student free). This club is just at the edge of the Northern Quarter in Manchester city centre, being one of the first venues to open their doors to the creative district. As an award winning comedy club, the entertainment is unlikely to disappoint and with the club being open at least four days every week, you have a good chance to explore it one night.
A fun fact is that back in the nineties when Oasis were hanging out in Dry Bar around the corner, comedians who are now household names were honing their art at the only dedicated comedy club in the city at the time. Interesting right?
Other cheap things to do in Manchester
Manchester offers a wide range of entertaining and fun filled days out that are at affordable prices. Whether you’re taking your loved one out for the day or having quality days out with the family, there is something for everyone and always something to do. The city offers many ventures and events that you can enjoy without the worry of getting too deep into your pockets such as Comedy cubs and enjoying cheap cocktails!
If you end up visiting one of the above attractions be sure to tag us in any amazing photos you capture so we can enjoy the experience along with you!
