Manchester with 6 and 11 year old.

[Starabella]

Hi, can anyone recommend me somewhere nice to stay in a good location and things to do in Manchester please. Travelling alone with my kids for 3 nights so will have 2 full days. Planning on visiting the lego centre and perhaps the aquarium that comes in the package deal? Was looking also at the observatory/space museum. Kids love a good museum, any recommendations?, things to avoid?

Thanks!

Hi Manchester is a brilliant city and I'm sure you will have a great time. Bits of town to avoid are Piccadilly gardens and Shude hill area. Other than that it's pretty much fine (to be fair probably nothing terrible would happen those two areas just a lot of addicts and homeless people)

My kids love the football museum, Manchester Museum, science and industry museum probably in that order.
If you hop on a tram to the imperial
War museum (about 15 mins) that's a really good museum and you could combine it with a trip to Kargo market which my kids love lots of independent food places in a big hall it also has a terrace over looking the quays.

Manchester United tour was a brilliant (bit pricey) if they are that way inclined.

lego and the aquarium are at the Trafford Centre which is not in Manchester city centre - so you could stay near there - there is a Premier Inn and there are lots of places to eat near by as well as an indoor ski place and other attractions - go ape, one of those sky dive wind tunnels etc.
I'd stay in the City centre thou and do the TC as a tram day trip. There is the Manc museum and the Science and Industry museum and loads to do.

The John Ryland Library is a good place to visit with younger kids - it looks just like Hogwarts and has a lovely kids' paper trail to follow.

Definitely consider the Manchester Museum, the Science and Industry Museum, the Imperial War Museum and also the People's History Museum - all are excellent.

Food-wise, my kids love pizza at Rudys, dim sum in Chinatown or else for something a bit different then Waku Waku does Japanese fusion food in a really cool setting - the owner has hand-decorated the entire restaurant in marker pen!