Desperately need inspiration for a long weekend with teens

[SobranieCocktail]

We're wanting to go for a long weekend (Thur to sun) at the beginning of June to celebrate the end of exams.

As a family we've tended to go for countryside/walking holidays, but I really want to do something more oriented around the kids ( ages 12-17). We had a great break in/near Manchester last year which was split between a cottage and a city hotel. We did some sightseeing, went to a musical, and had a countryside walk. I'd like to do something similar, but not exactly the same. So maybe visit Liverpool, Leeds or Sheffield?

We live in Scotland do don't want to spend too much time travelling (eg probably not going down to London, Devon etc).

I just had a weekend in Liverpool that was a joy so I'd say there. I wasn't with teens though. We stayed at the Premier Inn at Albert Dock which is a complete winner, gets very booked up though. We like art and museums but also walked along the waterfront, drank in the Beatles linked pubs, went to a theatre, ate out (again you need to book early especially for Saturday night, it's a city that knows how to have a good time). There's lots of good country within reach too. We hoped to go to Formby and on the Dazzle Ferry but ran out of time, plus the weather was awful.

Can you make it as far as Birmingham? That would be my number one choice with teens. If not, I’d suggest York. My dc loved climbing the Minster, the Chocolate Story, ghost tour, Jorvik and the dungeons. There are also a fair few Harry Potter things to do, such as themed shops, a wizard escape room and Hole in Wand crazy golf.

Liverpool Street is great for teens. There's some really useful ideas for places to visit and importantly where to eat on this thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/uk/4479660-things-to-do-in-liverpool

*not sure why street appeared in there but I just meant Liverpool

Liverpool! Previous posters have made great suggestions, there are so many free museums, the waterfront is stunning, you could go to Formby, tour of Anfield if that's your thing, there's some great food, lots of fantastic accommodation too.

Not Birmingham. It's a bit of a dump again at the moment.

Liverpool is great - fabulous, free, museums / trip to Crosby to see the Gormley statues

Leeds and York - stay in one and visit the other

Glasgow or Edinburgh? You might have done them a lot though.

My teen loves a visit to York. I would also suggest Newcastle Upon Tyne good selection of museums some are free could get the metro out to the coast Tynemouth or Sandhaven are great beaches or Whitley Bay.

Whitley bay is a good shout - metro into Newcastle, beach on the doorstep, good cycle path along the coast, half an hour drive into Northumberland national park.

Liverpool is a fantastic compact city, 20 mins drive and you can be on a beach or in country side.
North Wales is about an hours drive with loads to see and do.
Some ideas here
www.donthibernate.co.uk/liverpool/
The Speed boat ride around the docks is fantastic and if you are up for it certain docks have no speed limit.
Now for something different look at these all withe in Liverpool of drivable
Williamson Tunnels
New Brighton
Knowsley Safari park
Delamere Forest
Crocky Trail
Could of good climbing places too.

Harrogate area with trip to Leeds for the city fix?

Newcastle or York?
Whitby if you've a car?

Thank you for all these suggestions! They're great! However I've been talking it through with the DC and an meeting some resistance... It sounds like they want to hang out with their friends more than us ... Not sure whether to push it more, it just accept that they're getting older and a weekend away with parents isn't top of the fun list 🤣

Find something they want to do and them make a weekend around this

Newcastle!
Fantastic art, great theatre and music scene.
Lovely shopping.
Loads of restaurants.
Go out for a day to the coast on the Metro, walk along the sands, have lunch in one of the gorgeous beachside cafes around Whitley Bay. Have a day hiking in Northumberland or visiting one of the many castles or Stately homes e.g. Alnwick Castle(poison garden and treetop walk/cafe are both great or take a boat out to see the seals.

A weekend in the peaks?
We recently stayed near Leek and had a fab day out on electric bikes with a proper mountain bike guide and saw some lovely scenery and kids had great fun. Tittesworth reservoir looked fab for water sports and we spent a day at Alton Towers. You can also visit Bakewell, Castleton, loads of stuff to do and see in the Peaks.

We are going to Stratford upon Avon in a couple weeks for a couple nights, it was recommended in another thread. Dd is doing A level English lit so it seemed like a place that might interest her. I am thinking of booking to go to York too.

My ideal break is Cornwall or Devon, I like walking and beaches but the dc get bored so prefer a city break. I often compromise with going to Exeter, city but close to Dartmoor so we all get what we want.

Last year we had a week in North Wales which we all enjoyed, I did a lot of driving around to please everyone though but dd1 got to go to Chester Zoo so she was happy.