If you’re itching to inject a little adventure into your life, we’ve got plenty of opportunity for you to do exactly that. Covering everything from city visits, to countryside escapes, read on to discover just how easy it is to take advantage of Manchester’s location as the gateway to the north, with a collection of day trips and excursions to take your pick from.

On your doorstep

A short hop, skip and a coach trip from your door, a visit to the historic city of Liverpool wouldn’t be complete without a stroll along the stunning UNESCO World Heritage site, The Albert Dock, nor a stop by the world-famous ‘The Beatles Story’ exhibition devoted to telling the lives of the Fab Four. Or, if you’re more of a fan of being beside the seaside, get on your dancing shoes and head to Blackpool for a stick of rock, a spin of the ballroom, and a climb to the top of the tower.

Image credit: Manchester Sightseeing Tours

Cheshire and Wales

Travel south of the city and you’ll find a concoction of trips suited to all tastes, from those for the sweet-toothed, to those with a penchant for thrill-seeking.

An hour outside Manchester takes you to the historic city of Chester, and several opportunities to explore its cobbled streets. Opt for a day trip and a visit to Chester Cathedral, plus lunch in its Refectory Café, or if you’re looking for something more jam-packed, hop on a bus, board a boat, and get your steps in on a packed-with-highlights tour. Make the most of a break away with a combined trip to Chester and the beautiful Port Sunlight. After a day in the city, and a night spent in a 4* hotel, take a short train journey to Port Sunlight and spend the day exploring the village founded by ‘Soap King’ William Hesketh Lever, with a pitstop in the quaint tearooms.

If getting up close and personal with creatures of the furry kind sounds more your cup of tea, then a coach trip to Chester Zoo will tick that box. One of the UK’s leading zoos with 20,000 wild and wonderful animals housed on its 125 hectares of grounds and gardens, kids and adults alike are sure to be delighted by all that’s to see and do, including opportunity to learn more about the zoo’s conservation work.

Wouldn’t mind shopping ‘til your heart’s content? Then Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet is the perfect place to head to fill (or buy!) your boots. With over 130 stores to browse, book your coach trip from Manchester and you could save an extra 10% from selected stores, standing you in good stead for a sample of the outlet’s restaurants and cafes!

Dig into the history of the region and find the unexpected in Cheshire’s Salt Story, before taking to the water with a visit to Anderton Boat Lift - one of only two working boat lifts in the UK.

Find out more about trips to Cheshire

Neighbouring Wales beckons, with an award-winning tour that takes in the coastal towns of Llandudno and Conwy, before an off-the-beaten-track adventure awaits you in Snowdonia National Park. On your way back to the big city, you’ll stop in the fairytale-town capital, Betws-Y-Coed, and have a fantastically-unique opportunity to see the 18th century, Grade I listed Pontcysyllte Canal Aqueduct.

Image credit: Visit Britain

Staffordshire, West Midlands, and the Peak District

A trip to the World of Wedgewood gives visitors a hands-on chance to ‘throw’ or design a piece of pottery, and take afternoon tea in sumptuous surroundings. While we’re on that topic, Chatsworth House and its luxurious grounds beckon, with a day trip made for meandering (plus a Bakewell tart or two!).

For something the kids will enjoy, discover the Cadbury World ‘Chocolate Delights’ day trip. See the chocolatiers work their magic, board the magical Cadabra ride, and adventure through the 4D Chocolate Adventure cinema experience. Or, take on the rollercoasters at Alton Towers, for a hair-raising, spine-tingling, and (literally!) breath-taking day to remember!

Lancashire and the Lake District

If you’re a film buff looking for a slice of the silver screen, visit the setting of one of the greatest British films of all time, Brief Encounter, at Carnforth Station Heritage Centre, before a tour of the magnificent Leighton Hall - historic seat of the Gillow family.

Rather spend time outdoors? A true gem of the north, the Lake District boasts spectacular scenery, charming villages, and unique attractions aplenty, offering visitors everything from steam train travels, to mountain views.

Join a day trip that brings the world of Peter Rabbit and his Beatrix-Potter-created friends to life. Or follow in the footsteps of famous poet William Wordsworth, and visit his former home, and resting place, with a stop at the birthplace of famed Grasmere gingerbread. Work up an appetite taking in some of the region’s best views, and satiate your hunger with a stop-off for a pub lunch, or dedicate the day to appreciating the charming medieval village of Hawksmoor, with its half-timbered houses and cobbled alleyways.

Find out more about trips to the Lake District

Image credit: Manchester Sightseeing Tours

Yorkshire

A beautiful city, with an historic Minster, York is a medieval marvel with plenty to be explored, from ancient walls, to its famous cobbled Shambles. Visit for a day, and take a walking tour covering York’s tourist hotspots, or trace the footsteps of Vikings, with a trip to the Jorvik Viking Centre and the site of one of the most astonishing modern archaeological discoveries.

Stick with the city for a 2 night break and take a highlights tour of York, plus one of Britain’s finest stately homes, Castle Howard, alongside the dramatic landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors. Sweep through Bronte country, its gothic ruins, and stunning vistas, or experience the region as a tv and film set, and classics settings such as Goathland railway station, used as Hogsmeade in Harry Potter.

Head for the hills with a Yorkshire Dales highlights tour, where you’ll sample cheese in Wensleydale, pub lunch in a picture-postcard village, and coffee at Town End Farm Shop, featured in Top of the Shops with Tom Kerridge. Chow down on a 2 night foodie tour, where you’ll sample some of the finest Yorkshire produce, see how local goods including cider and cheese are made, and dine at the Michelin starred Pipe & Glass.

Rounding out the region’s gems, for appreciators of art the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and The Hepworth Museum day trip is a must do, in honour of the contemporary and modern, with a spotlight shone upon the modernist work of Barbara Hepworth.

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For more information, check out our day trips and excursions page.