10 Fun Free Date Ideas To Do Around Manchester
As many students know, having money to take someone on a date is a luxury not many can afford. So why not try out some of these free date ideas around Manchester that would be perfect to show your date that you’re fun, cultural and informed.
The Whitworth Gallery
Always with a new exhibition, the Whitworth is a perfect place to wander around if you’re interested in all type of art. This gallery has pieces that span centuries but also exhibit contemporary, cutting-edge pieces and ideas that shouldn’t be missed. Only last year did the gallery have a huge exhibition on Andy Warhol which was incredible and showed a whole range of work.
Manchester Museum
The Manchester Museum is a perfect date destination if you are just coming out of Uni and have a couple of hours to kill. It’s located just off the Oxford Road, opposite University Place and offers a whole load of weird and wonderful artifacts. You can walk through exhibitions on anthropology, archaeology and natural history. They have new exhibitions every few months, and it is always worth popping in to say hello to Stan (the t-rex).
Altrincham Market
The original market building, built in 1879, still stands and still houses the Altrincham covered market. It has been updated over the years and is part of Altrincham’s bigger market area. Altrincham now boasts, both an indoor and outdoor market with over 60 covered stalls from arts and crafts to new foods. This market is perfect to walk around and see the sights and smell the smells. It’s a great day out, and worth visiting at least once.
Go For A Walk
Manchester has some truly amazing parks and areas surrounding it which are perfect for walking. Even surrounding Fallowfield this is Ladybarn Park, Fog Lane, and Birchfields. Similarly, Manchester is only a stone’s throw away from both the Lake District and the Peak District so walking is very easy and will show you some incredible views.
Museum Of Science And Industry
The Science Museum, located in Spinningfields in the heart of Manchester, is a perfect day out if you want something a little bit more exciting. The museum offers interactive exhibitions as well as how Manchester has played its part in the science and technology industries over time. This is definitely one of the best free date ideas around Manchester!
Affleck’s Palace
Affleck’s Palace is the perfect combination of weird and wonderful if you’re looking for something a bit different to do on a date. It is a collection of shops and cafes, but even just wandering around seeing the crystals and vintage clothing is a fantastic way to spend a few money-free hours. This is one of the best free date ideas around Manchester!
Manchester Cathedral
If you’re a student and catching the bus into the city, then the Cathedral is a bit of a walk from Piccadilly Gardens. However, this walk is another wonderful way to see the city. To get to the cathedral you have to walk down market street, passing all of the shops. Then past Selfridges & Co, and the other fancy shops. It’s a great walk through the different retail areas of the city.
The Cathedral itself was a medieval church, restored in the Victorian Era to a fantastic Gothic creation. It had to be restored again, in the 20th century, due to the bombing of Manchester.
John Rylands Library
If you venture down into Deansgate, there isn’t much around for the empty-pocketed. But visiting and snooping around John Rylands Library is a must. The late Gothic building is incredible both inside and out. This library boasts special collections including original prints by William Caxton and claims to house one of the earliest copies of the New Testament. This is one of the best free date ideas around Manchester!
Fletcher Moss Park And Parsonage Gardens
The Old Parsonage is the second oldest building in Didsbury, maintained by the Moss Family from the 1800s and gifted to the City of Manchester in 1915 – with the promise that Fletcher Moss would be allowed to live out the rest of his life in the house. The design of the garden is mostly down to Fletcher Moss and his mother, with Manchester City Council adding more trees and plants after they died. There are some incredible pieces of architecture and art spread throughout the gardens. This is because the City Council used the Gardens as an exhibition area for a few years.
National Football Museum
England’s national football museum is located in city centre Manchester, only a two-minute walk from Victoria Train Station. This museum is especially worth visiting at the moment with England’s amazing attempt to bring football home in the world cup. The museum has both of the footballs used in England’s last world cup victory in 1966 as well as a lot more incredible memorabilia. So if you’re a fan of football, or know someone who has really got into the world cup spirit, then this is the perfect date.
