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Are you looking for some fun and cheap things to do in Manchester? We are here to help!
Manchester is a vibrant city packed with exciting attractions and activities. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or have lived here all your life, there are plenty of ways to explore Manchester on a budget.
From outdoor adventures to museum visits, here are 22 cheap things to do in Manchester that will provide hours of fun!
We made sure to include a mix of activities for adults, families, solo travellers and more.
1. Walking tour of Manchester
- Price: tip-based
- BOOK HERE
There is no better way to learn more about our beautiful city than by taking a walking tour.
The free walking tour in Manchester is the perfect activity for visitors and locals who want to get to know the history of the city.
It runs every day at 11AM and starts at the Alan Turin statue in the Gay Village. The tour lasts between 2 and 3 hours and will take you all around the city centre.
During the tour, you will learn about the roman foundations of Manchester, the music culture (any Oasis fans here?), local food and drinks, famous historical events and will also discover filming locations.
Here are some of the landmarks you will discover: St Peter’s Square, Midland Hotel, Vimto Monument, Canal Street and more.
The guides are extremely knowledgeable and will share loads of local tips with you.
While this is called a ‘free’ tour, it’s important to mention that it is actually a tipped-based activity which means you do not pay anything when you book it and can tip the guide what you thought it was worth.
The tour can be booked here.
2. Museum of Transport
- Price: £6 for adults
- Address: Boyle St, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M8 8UW
If you are looking for a cheap activity in Manchester for families, this one is for you!
The Museum of Transport is hands down one of the best museums in the city (for kids as well as adults).
It’s located on Cheetham Hill which means you might need to drive or take the tram there.
From the outside, it doesn’t look like there is much but you’ll be so pleasantly surprised.
Inside, you will find an incredible collection of old buses and trams from Greater Manchester. Some dates from the war or even more.
It’s so much fun to discover all these vintage buses and some of them are even open to the public.
You can hop on some of the trams and buses and just imagine what life was like back then.
It’s also quite fun to see all the destinations written on the buses since you probably will find the place where you live (or are staying).
There is also a vintage café that looks a bit like an old dinner with very affordable prices.
Finally, if you are visiting with kids, make sure to take the quiz at the entrance so you can play while you learn.
3. Sightseeing Treasure Hunt
- Price: Around £10
- Address: Starts from Piccadilly Station, Manchester, M1 2GH
- BOOK HERE
Looking for cheap activities in Manchester? Look no further than this self-guided sightseeing treasure hunt.
Not only is this a fun activity to try out with friends but it’s super affordable and you get to take a tour of Manchester.
After booking your tickets, you will be given a unique link that takes you to your custom game. You’ll follow this treasure hunt on your phone on a WhatsApp-style website.
Starting at Piccadilly Station, you will be taken from location to location and asked to solve clues along the way.
Don’t worry if you can’t figure out a clue the app’s character Captain Bess will give you some hints to make it easier.
You and your friends will have some real laughs trying to work out the clues and you might find yourself learning something about local history too.
4. Base Bar
- Price: £30 for 30 minutes for a group of 5
Base Bar is a great spot for drinks with friends or for a fun night out. Located in the Green Quarter, near Victoria station, this themed bar offers several baseball batting cages.
You can book a slot of 30 minutes for a group of 5 and play baseball. Each person will get a helmet and can choose their own bat. You then enter the cage and try to hit the balls thrown at you.
The wall in front is split into several sections, all worth a certain number of points. The person who scores the most points wins!
Of course, since it’s a bar, they also offer a wide range of craft beers and drinks.
READ MORE: 15 Best Activity Bars in Manchester
5. Museum of Science and Industry
- Price: free
Manchester is known as the birthplace of the industrial revolution.
Did you know that 80s% of the world’s cotton production was manufactured in Manchester during the industrial revolution?
For this reason, it’s an amazing place to learn more about science and industry.
The Museum of Science and Industry is home to some of the most fascinating exhibitions and is a great place to visit with kids. This museum covers a wide range of topics such as transport, energy, industry and engineering.
You can explore interactive displays, watch 3D movies and learn more about how science has shaped the modern world.
Admission to this museum is free but donations are always welcome.
READ MORE: 24+ Fun Things to do in Manchester (for adults, couples & more!)
6. City Centre Canal Cruise
- Price: Around £10
- Address: Ralli Quay
- BOOK HERE
This city centre canal cruise makes for another excellent day out in Manchester.
This canal cruise will take you along Manchester’s Ship Canal and the River Irwell.
This cruise allows you to see Stephenson’s Railway Bridge, Manchester United stadium as well as Media City.
You will learn about the history of Manchester and the city’s role as a powerhouse in 19th century Europe.
You can sit outside on the top deck if it’s not raining and enjoy the fresh air.
You get to see a surprising amount from the boat and the commentary will allow you to recognise your surroundings.
If you get a little nippy on board, order a hot chocolate to keep you warm.
READ MORE: 6+ Best Manchester Boat Trips to Book in 2023
7. Cinema
- Price: from £4.99
For a classic night out, why not head to the cinema?
Manchester is home to amazing cinemas and some of them offers very good deal. Vue Cinema at the Printworks for example only costs £4.99 which makes a very affordable activity in the city centre.
They also offer VIP tickets with extra leg room for only £7.99 (if you book online) making it a great option for cheap entertainment in Manchester.
Odeon in Deansgate is a bit more expensive since the tickets are £8.49 for an adult.
If you want something a bit more unique though, don’t hesitate to check out Everyman Cinema.
Tickets cost £12.50 however the experience you get is absolutely fantastic since you don’t get normal cinema seats but full on sofas for yourself!
8. Tatton Park
- Price: £8 per car + National Trust entry fee for the mansion and gardens
If you’re looking to explore the countryside of Manchester, Tatton Park is a great option. This stunning park covers over 1000 acres and houses some of the most beautiful gardens in the country.
This National Trust property is perfect for people looking for a cheap day out. You can easily get there by car and explore it for the entire day.
The estate is massive, making it a great spot for walkers (and dogs!).
You will also find the mansion and stunning gardens.
Finally, if you are visiting with kids, you can head to the farm where you can learn more about the animals and visit the mill.
9. Going to see a musical
- Price: from £13
This may surprise you but going to the theatre in Manchester can be surprisingly cheap! ATG, the group that owns the Palace Theatre and the Opera House in Manchester city centre offer tickets at a promised price of £13!
Of course, you will be seated at the back of the room but you still get to enjoy a very nice evening watching a musical for a bargain price.
You can get this price by booking online but we recommend you going to the box office because they will be able to give you discounts on some of the seats, especially if you go just before the show.
10. Canal Walk
- Price: Free
If you are looking for cheap things to do in Manchester, why not explore the canalways? What is more, exploring Manchester’s canals is absolutely free.
Whether you are looking for a short walk or a more rigorous walk, Manchester has you covered.
You can head to the Manchester Ship Canal which is an iconic city landmark.
The entire ship canal is 36 miles long, so you probably only want to explore a section of it.
There’s a great walk that starts in Warburton heading along the Bollin Valley Way.
Along the way, you can discover a 19th century viaduct before looping back to Warburton.
The Bridgewater Canal is another popular walking spot. Starting at the United Trinity Statue next to Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium, this walk allows you to explore the unique history of the Bridgewater Canal which first opened in 1761.
11. Paddle Boat in Heaton Park
- Price: Starting at £12 for 4 people
- Address: Heaton Park, Manchester M25 0DL
If it’s sunny outside and you want to do something fun, head to Heaton Park. You can easily get there by car or with the tram.
Once you’re at the park, start by taking a walk around. It’s absolutely gorgeous and you could easily spend the entire day there.
You can then go to the lake where you will find the paddle boat hire place. You can book online or directly there.
They have several type of boats including classic pedal boats, swan boats and rowing boats. They all fit up to 4 people and you can hire them for 30 minutes or 1 hour.
Once the cost split in 4, it will work out less than £5 per person which is very cheap.
This is a lot of fun because you’ll have to pedal and direct the boat (don’t worry it’s not difficult). You can go around the islands, watch the ducks swim and just relax.
Please note that this activity is also dog-friendly so you can take your furry friend with you if you want to.
12. Laser Quest
- Price: Games start at under £10
- Address: 203, The Dome, The Trafford Centre, Manchester, M17 8DF
Laser Quest is a really fun thing to do and it’s surprisingly one of the cheap activities in Manchester.
This Laser Quest is at the Trafford Centre and is one of the best laser games around.
There’s an incredible Matrix tunnel that’s filled with a ton of zigzagging laser beams. It’s the ultimate sci-fi action adventure.
Your adrenaline will be pumping and with up to 32 players per game you’ll be getting competitive to beat those around you.
There is also Valo Climb, an interactive climbing wall that is an enthralling mixture of gaming and bouldering.
Whether you visit with friends or for a birthday celebration, there are lots of deals and packages to choose from. It’s best to book online beforehand to reserve your game time.
13. Salford Quays Guided Walking Tour
- Price: Under £10
- Address: Meet under the big digital screen in the Media City Piazza
- BOOK HERE
Salford Quays is a really interesting area of Manchester and is well worth exploring.
If you are not so sure where to start, however, you can take this Salford Quays Guided Walking Tour.
The tour lasts two hours with a focus on the historical and cultural significance of Salford Quays.
You will start at the Media City Piazza visiting key sites like the Lowry Art Centre along the way.
Your entertaining and informative guide will tell you about the Manchester Docks and how it has been transformed into one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK.
You will also be treated to some of the top hidden gems in the Salford Quays area.
14. Salford Quays River Cruise
- Price: Around £10
- Address: Lift bridge outside the Lowry Theatre
If you are searching for things to do in Manchester on a budget, then set out on this Salford Quays River Cruise.
This 60-minute cruise departs Salford Quays and takes in the sites of Media City, Old Trafford, and the Imperial War Museum.
Cruising along the city’s historic waterways, not only will you have the pleasure of being on the water, but you will see all of Manchester’s best architectural sites.
The boat’s skipper will provide some lively commentary whilst you are on the water detailing the city’s history as an industrial powerhouse.
You just can’t go wrong with this river cruise. It makes for a fantastic cheap family day out in Manchester.
15. Northern Quarter Street Art Walking Tour
- Price: Around £10
- Address: 29 Shudehill, Manchester, M4 2AF
Manchester is a hip and vibrant city, and its art scene is no different. It’s also particularly famous for its street art, especially in the Northern Quarter.
Some murals went viral and became extremely famous which is why a lot of people come to Manchester for the street art scene.
This Northern Quarter Street Art Walking Tour is an ideal way to explore a popular area of Manchester whilst discovering some incredible murals, the best graffiti and hidden back alley paintings.
If you are looking for cheap things to do in Manchester, this is definitely one of them. At around £10 you can enjoy two hours of incredible art whilst learning about the city’s culture.
This Manchester art trail was first established in the 1990s. The Northern Quarter is a bit of an arty area in itself.
Victorian markets have been repurposed into food halls and art studios and there are a litany of cool bars and cafés. This walking tour will allow you to get to know the city whilst also discovering some cool art.
READ MORE: Street Art in Manchester: Where to find the best murals & famous Manchester Street Artists
16. National Football Museum
- Price: Under £15, free to essential careers and Manchester residents
- Address: Urbis Building Cathedral Gardens, Todd St, Manchester M4 3BG
- BOOK HERE
There’s no doubt that the UK is the home of modern football.
Believed to have originated in the 19th century but with folk football having been placed since medieval times for many England is synonymous with football.
No matter which team you support, a trip to the National Football Museum should be on the cards for any football fan visiting Manchester.
The home of two successful Premier League sides, there’s no better city (well maybe London) to have the National Football Museum.
It should be noted that this museum is free to Manchester residents and essential careers for everyone else tickets can be booked here.
Based in the iconic glass Urbis building, this is the largest football museum in the world.
Spread across four floors you can discover a ton of memorabilia, learn more about the world’s favourite game and take photos with the FA Cup and Premier League trophies.
17. RHS Garden Bridgewater
- Price: Between £5 and £20
- Address: Occupation Rd, Worsley, Manchester M28 2LJ
- BOOK HERE
RHS Garden Bridgewater is one of the largest gardens in Europe. This 154 acre garden provides visitors with an abundance of green space.
The garden is about an hour’s drive outside of Manchester’s city centre in Worsley. Entry to the garden can easily be booked here.
At RHS Garden Bridgewater they have built ‘gardens within a garden’. You can explore more than five different garden spaces including the Kitchen Garden, the Worsley Welcome Garden and the Weston Walled Garden.
If you are visiting with kids, be sure to let them explore the woodland play area and the Peel Learning Garden where they can discover the idea of plants as machines.
This is a beautiful day out for gardening enthusiasts, kids and those looking for some time in nature.
18. Bus tour of Manchester
- Price: Under £15
- Address: Princess Street Bus Stop SE
- BOOK HERE
Stay in Manchester long enough and you may notice a lime green double-decker bus. This is one of the cheap activities in Manchester that will let you get to grips with the city.
This hop-on hop-off bus will take in 15 stops, including key attractions like Manchester Town Hall, the National Football Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry and Manchester United’s Old Trafford.
The bus also travels to Salford Quays, where you can hop off and see the famous Lowry art gallery as well as the Imperial War Museum North.
You’ll also be able to explore the BBC and ITV television studios.
Sit on the top deck which is half open air for even better views of the city. As you travel from location to location, you can listen to pre-recorded audio that tells you about the city’s industrial history.
Click here to see the latest prices
19. Lyme Park
- Price: £6 per adult, £3 per child, free for National Trust members
If you’re looking for a picture-perfect setting to explore and cheap days out near Manchester, why not take a stroll around Lyme Park?
This stunning National Trust property is located just outside of Manchester, in Stockport, and is home to some of the most beautiful gardens in the area.
You can easily get there by car, there is a large carpark where you can leave your vehicle.
Once there, you have two options. You can either visit the mansion and the gardens (there is an entrance fee but it’s free for National Trust members) or explore the estate.
There are many walking path in the park and it’s a great place to see deer. You will also find loads of picnic spots, making it a great activity for a sunny day in Manchester.
20. Pub Quiz
- Price: £1 to £3
Do you love quizzes and trivia games? Then you will be in for a treat in Manchester since a lot of places organise pub quizzes.
This is quite a cool and cheap thing to do at night with friends.
There are many quizzes around the city centre and if you have a favourite bar, you should check out their website as chances are that they have something on.
But we will still recommend some places we particularly like. The first one is the Pen and Pencil in the Northern Quarter. They have their pub quiz on Tuesdays and it costs £3 per person.
The other one is Radcliffe market. Their pub quiz is on Thursdays. It costs £2. The great thing about this one is that you also get to try some food from the market.
21. The Whitworth Art Gallery
- Price: Free
- Address: Oxford Rd, Manchester M15 6ER
If you love art and want to discover more of a hidden gem, head to the Whitworth on Oxford Road.
This art gallery set in one of the building of the University of Manchester is often overlooked by locals and visitors but has a lot to offer!
Here you will find a beautiful art collection of 55,000 items. They also have exhibitions on (make sure to check what’s on on their website) as well as a cute café and garden.
It’s a very peaceful place, perfect to relax a bit while discovering beautiful art pieces.
22. Fly360 Flight Simulator
Located at the Runway Visitor Park in Manchester Airport, the Fly360 Flight Simulator is the ultimate experience for airplane lovers.
And, best of all, prices start at only £6 per person, making it a fun cheap activity in Manchester.
Fly360 Flight Simulator is a fully interactive simulator offering an immersive flying experience.
The simulator can fit 2 people and you will have complete control of the joystick which means you really get to do what you want with ‘your’ airplane which happens to be a P-38 lightning fighter aircraft.
You can even fly inverted if you want to!
It’s a lot of fun and there are only 3 of these machines available in the UK!
23. Bury Transport Museum
Looking for a cheap day out in Greater Manchester for families? Why not head to the Bury Transport Museum.
It’s located in the former Castlecroft Goods Warehouse which is a stunning Grade II listed building from 1846.
It’s very similar to Manchester Transport Museum except that this one is free while the one on Cheetham Hill charges a £6 entrance fee whereas this one is £5 for an adult.
Here you will find vehicles that used to be part of the public transport network around Bury.
It’s a bit of a journey through the 20th century!
From the horse drawn trams to vintage buses, there is a bit of everything here.
It’s a cool place to visit with kids but also as adults. It’s very interesting and you can take loads of nice photos.
PRO TIP: Entry is free for visitors with an East Lancashire Railway Day Rover ticket
24. Manchester Jewish Museum
- Price: £6 for adults
- Address: 190 Cheetham Hill Rd, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M8 8LW
Manchester Jewish Museum is located on Cheetham Hill and is the perfect place to visit if you’d like to learn more about the Jewish culture in Manchester.
First opened in 1984, it is set in a Grade II building that used to be the Spanish and Portuguese synagogue in Cheetham Hill.
The museum was fully renovated and reopen to the public in 2021. It is is home to a collection of over 31,000 items, all about the Jewish migration and settlement in Manchester.
It’s a very interesting museum with Jewish stories from Manchester but also all over the world.
25. The Fusilier Museum
Located in Bury, the Fusilier Museum celebrates the history of Lancashire’s Fusilier Regiment.
The museum costs under £5 to enter and offers amazing insights into Manchester’s military history.
It includes exhibitions, interactive displays, uniforms and medals from three centuries of action.
It will also tell you the stories of many heroes – from 1688 to 1968.
The museum is open Monday to Saturday. It’s very easy to get to, especially since it’s only 2 minutes walk from the MetroLink.
26. Chetham’s Library
- Address: Long Millgate, Manchester M3 1SB
If you love books and history, then Chetham’s Library should be right up your street.
Set within Long Millgate, smack in the middle of the city’s Medieval Quarter, it is the oldest reference library in the English-speaking parts of the world.
Found in 1653 under the wish of a successful local businessman called Humphrey Chetham, the library is housed within a stunning sandstone building that dates back to 1421.
The building is Grade I Listed and contains a breathtaking interior that features rows of walnut bookcases.
One of its main highlights is the fantastic Reading Room, which was used by an eminent list of scholars throughout the years including Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx.
Overall the presents more than 100,000 volumes of printed books. more than half of which pre-date 1851.
If that’s something you’d like to see, you can do so by booking one of their official walking tours. They cost £12 and run 3 times a day.
They are all run by a team of volunteers and they are so passionate about the library. It’s a great experience.
Although visitors won’t be able to handle these historic books, it does provide them with the opportunity to immerse themselves in their history while exploring this magnificent museum.
Now that you know everything about all the fun cheap things to do in Manchester, it’s time to go out and have fun.
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