Manchester city break?

[Rosewinesummer]

Planning to take eldest DC to Man City stadium tour during Easter holidays. We live SE about 3-4 hours away from Manchester so would probably stay a couple of nights and explore the city and/or surrounding area. We've never been to Manchester or anywhere northwest so would welcome suggestions of what else there is to do, where to stay etc. Have 3 DC age 9, 11 and 13 - only eldest and DH will do stadium tour so the youngest and I will have to entertain ourselves elsewhere for a couple of hours.
Any ideas much appreciated.

The Manchester museum is nice for a couple of hours. Or the museum of science and industry? There's also the football museum in the centre (although might be best done as a whole family if the eldest is into football).

The museums are good as PP mentioned.

You could also visit the Trafford Centre- there's a massive soft play, indoor ski place, sea life aquarium there, plus shops and restaurants. You can stay near Trafford centre and get public transport in to the city centre, or vice versa.

If you wanted a few days in the NW Liverpool and Chester are worth a visit (and tbh I've never warmed to Manchester much, Liverpool is a much nicer city to visit)

@user2848502016 I agree- love Liverpool -

The National Football museum is also based in Manchester for DH & eldest
Home | National Football Museum

What sort of budget are you looking at for accomodation ? Three kids rules out places like Premier Inn unless you get two rooms...

You don't mention how you are planning to get there or exactly where in the SE you are, but there is a fast frequent train service from Euston to Manchester (and I think a slower cross country one that goes through Reading and Oxford ?) which might be worth considering - Piccadilly Station is central and there is a good tram service to get you round the city.

IF you are into art, Manchester Art Gallery is good. There is also the Lowry and Imperial War Museum in Salford.

It's been too long since I lived in the area to comment on shops or places to eat, although Chinatown is sure to still be good value if you like oriental food (and IMO worth going to see the arch)
Chinatown, Manchester - Wikipedia

What do you like doing?

I like art so would go to a gallery, eg Lowry or the smaller Whitworth, theatre or a trendy type cinema.

Probably an urban walk in an interesting area, spot of shopping in the city centre.

Just out of town are some options some DC might enjoy, eg Ninja Warrior.

Food and bar options are excellent so depending on where you’re staying and can easily travel to would choose some good places in advance,

What else to do?

Liverpool, stay in Liverpool and travel into Manchester to do the Football stuff and then leave to go back to Liverpool.

Velodrome which has standard velodrome all bike hire tuition and everything or indoor bmx track is amazing you have to book

indoor climbing centre near strange ways
indoor go carting near Victoria train station
science and industry museum is good

Are any of the kids (or you) into vintage/quirky shopping, jewellery, beads etc? If so you should go to Afflecks Palace - I spent my youth hanging round there buying incense sticks and getting things pierced, and it’s still great! A much more sanitised version of what it used to be, I really want to take my DDs there. https://afflecks.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=LPM_Afflecks_Manchester

Hahah yes this is what I'd do too

Take wellies and a brolly

I like Liverpool very much too, but IMO the things to see and do there are similar to Manchester (apart from beaches!) so on a short trip wouldn’t do extra travel to visit Liverpool.

If younger DC are into Harry Potter, the John Rylands Library is worth a visit, a walk around takes about an hour and is so beautiful.
Science museum is fun and has a new Operation Ouch exhibition on.

I live 5 miles away from the centre of Manchester and it sounds like a good idea to me.

It is an hour between them on the motorway though.
There's an excellent bee exhibit on in Liverpool at the moment
https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/world-museum/exhibition/bees-story-of-survival

manchester is a great city to visit - love it over there. No need to stay in Liverpool although that’s a lovely city break too.

in Manchester have a look at visiting the BBC studios- it’s been a few years since I’ve done it but I think you need to book in advance. Really enjoyed it!

Manchester museum, football museum, MOSI.
Mayfield park is a short walk from picadilly and is a fab park. Massive slides over the river. My kids are 8 and 11 and love it.
Trafford centre, walk round northern quarter and afflecks. Junkyard golf or somewhere like Roxy ballroom or a similar place for shuffleboard, pool, bowling, games etc

Thanks everyone. I had also thought about seeing Liverpool too but only have a couple of days so may not have enough time to do both.
Will probably stay city centre but had also read that Didsbury is a good place to stay...?

This place looks great - something my younger two would love!

@Smashingwatermelons I'm not sure these started again after Covid but I could be wrong. I agree that they were fantastic.

Stay in city centre, Didsbury is a nice suburb but won’t have anything for children.
If you go to the Trafford Centre, you can take the younger child to Sea Life or Legoland while the others go round the shops.
You could stay at Salford Quays and visit the Imperial War museum and do a tour at the BBC.

We're going to Manchester for a hen do later this year and are booking to do the crystal maze! You can also do the cube.

Manchester is a fabulous city. No disrespect to Liverpool but you have no need to go there. So much to see & do in Manchester.

Stay city centre rather than suburbs. The centre is actually quite compact and easy to explore. Trams will whizz you to Trafford. The younger kids might enjoy the dinosaur crazy golf, ski slope, Lego land and sea life at the Trafford centre and there's loads of eating options

If they like mummies of the ancient Egypt kind then Manchester Museum a short bus ride is free and fun, there's also various walking apps too. There's some world buffet option which for some reason kids seem to love or the usual pizza pasta burger places. Rudys is a popular chain that makes great pizza.

Ignore the scousers 😏. Manchester is so much more than Liverpool.

Whatever you do, make sure you go to Pollen Bakery - there's no better bread and pastries in the North!

Northern quarter street art tours are lively and would be interesting for the kids too.

I loved this place as a teen!

Give it a miss and go to Liverpool.
(Londoner here.)