Guru/Manchester/Sunny day
Things to do in Manchester when the sun is out
A dry day in Manchester means the canal basins at Castlefield, a picnic in Heaton Park or a train to Edale for the hills.
10 picks that fit, best first. The order assumes the conditions in the title; the live forecast only nudges it.
Castlefield and the canals
Castlefield
Roman fort, Victorian viaducts and canal basins with bars along the water.
Clear skies, and this is best outdoors. Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
Heaton Park
Prestwich
Six hundred acres of parkland with a hall, a boating lake, a farm and a tram stop at the gate.
Clear skies, and this is best outdoors. Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
Northern Quarter
Northern Quarter
Record shops, street art, coffee and the bars that define a Manchester night out.
Free.
- Free
- In and out
- Half a day
- Fine in rain
Peak District from Edale
Day trip
An hour by train to the start of the Pennine Way and the climb up Kinder Scout.
Clear skies for the view.
- Under £10
- Outdoors
- A full day
Free; train fare
Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden
Didsbury
Rock gardens and a riverside walk in Didsbury, the south side’s favourite Sunday.
Clear skies, and this is best outdoors. Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
The Whitworth
Whitworth Park
A glass-walled gallery that opens onto its own park, with a strong textile collection.
Free.
- Free
- In and out
- Under 2 hours
- Fine in rain
- Good with kids
Old Trafford stadium tour
Trafford
Behind the scenes at Manchester United’s ground, from the dressing room to the dugout.
- Over £25
- In and out
- Under 2 hours
- Fine in rain
- Good with kids
Ancoats
Ancoats
Old mills turned into the city’s best neighbourhood for dinner and brunch.
- £10 to £25
- In and out
- Under 2 hours
Chinatown
City centre
The second-biggest Chinatown in the UK, for dim sum, hotpot and late suppers.
- Under £10
- In and out
- Under 2 hours
- Fine in rain
Etihad Stadium tour
Eastlands
Manchester City’s stadium tour, with the tunnel walk and the trophy room.
- Over £25
- In and out
- Under 2 hours
- Fine in rain
- Good with kids
Good to know
Where should I go in Manchester when it is sunny?
A dry day in Manchester means the canal basins at Castlefield, a picnic in Heaton Park or a train to Edale for the hills. This page keeps 10 outdoor and open-air picks, with viewpoints and parks pushed up the list when the forecast is clear.
What if the weather turns?
The list is re-ranked with the live forecast. If rain is on the way, mixed indoor-outdoor places move up and the fully outdoor ones move down, so you can still pick something that works.