Last summer, it was Norwich. This time, we packed up some snacks, charged the devices, and headed north for a two-day, family city break in Manchester. Equal parts science, street food, and people watching.
Date Visited: 14th – 16th August 2025.
Location: Manchester, city centre.
Getting There: We travelled by train from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly.
Cost: As we all know, train ticket prices are extraordinary in the UK, and not in a good way. Even with a Railcard, split tickets and family off-peak discount, it averaged about £47 per person return. We stayed at the Holiday Inn as it was affordable and within a 10-20 minute walk to majority of places. Booked via Expedia using Quidco, it worked out to be £80 per night for a standard room.
Day One: Shops and Sweets
After arriving a Manchester Piccadilly shortly after lunch, we checked-in to our room. Surprisingly, it was very spacious, clean and quite modern compared to some other Holiday Inns we had stayed in. After a quick refresh, we headed back out stroll through the Northern Quarter. It reminded me of London’s Shoreditch but with more murals and fewer influencers. We popped into the famous Afflecks for a nosey, but unfortunately it was a warm day and with all the shop LEDs and only fans blowing around hot air, it was too stuffy for us and we called it quits after two floors.
As we had time to burn, we walked a bit further down to Arndale Shopping Centre. It’s busy, even on a Thursday afternoon, but efficient. Cara was able to browse Kenji, one of her favourite stores. For afternoon tea, we paused at Costa and Cara enjoyed some very fresh churro bites from Churros Locos. Very tasty and worryingly, we almost finished the entire plate!
Another reason for visiting Manchester was to catch up with Cara’s Auntie Jess and Uncle Ian (my sister and brother-in-law), who were visiting from Hong Kong after popping up to Edinburgh for the Oasis concert. We met up at Freight Island for dinner, a converted industrial space that’s now a buzzing food hall and entertainment zone. Think street food meets urban chic. We devoured burgers and bao buns. Kids are allowed to stay up until 9pm like most licensed venues, so once that time hit, we slowly headed back up and spent some time along the canal in Gay Village to have some final drinks for the night. With Pride week already started, it was bubbly and great place to unwind after a long day.
Day Two: Science and Screens
Second day, first stop: Science and Industry Museum. If you’ve got kids who love buttons, levers, and things that go “whirr,” this place is a dream. It was slightly smaller than I expected, especially comparing it to the London Science Museum. However, the second floor provided a lot of interaction, seemingly more than the London version. T
he main purpose of the visit was for me, I mean Cara, the check out the Power Up exhibit. This was a nostalgic rabbit hole for me with retro consoles from the ’80s to today, all playable. Lots of memories playing the SNES at my cousin’s house. Educational? Debatable. Fun? Absolutely. Cara enjoyed some of the older games, but took a shining to the taiko drum game on the Switch. She even beat me on Street Fighter, although my excuse was one of the buttons on the joypad wasn’t working!
For lunch, we met up again with Auntie Jess and Uncle Ian at Capri’s Cucina Italian. The food was tasty and fresh, although the service was a little slow mainly due to it being relatively busy and them being short-staffed, there was only the owner and a chef. It happens, and luckily we weren’t in any rush. Because after that, we lazed around the neighbourhood, stopping by Factory Coffee and the Lawn Club before heading back to the hotel to chill before dinner.
Our final meal together was in Chinatown. Even though Auntie Jess and Uncle Ian were heading back to Hong Kong the next morning, Cara led the way with her craving for salt and pepper ribs. The meal was delicious as you would expect, and by the time we finished eating, it was time to say farewell.
Final Thoughts
Manchester’s got grit and charm in equal measure. It’s walkable, welcoming, and packed with enough variety to keep both kids and grown-ups entertained. If you’re after a city break that blends culture, carbs, and console nostalgia, Manchester delivers.
Top Tips
- If you’re tired from walking, there are two free buses that will take you around – Free buses 1 and 2. It helped us get to the Science Museum with a stop outside the entrance. I wish London had these!
- There are plenty of food options available, catering to all appetites and allergies. Be sure to book ahead if you want to visit a particular restaurant as they do get busy, especially if they’re on the small side.
