Spring has sprung, and with it the days get longer and Manchester basks in warm, mild sunshine. (Yes, believe it or not, it doesn’t always rain here!) It’s the ideal time of year to start getting out and about, and making the most of all this fantastic city has to offer!
Here are some of our favourite Manchester spring plans – get them in your diary!
1. Have a picnic in the park
There are some great green spaces in Manchester, and spring is the perfect time of year to get together with friends and have a picnic.
It’s a particularly refreshing plan if you work from home or sit behind a desk all day. Getting out in nature works wonders for your overall health and well-being.
There are several free parks close to central Manchester, including Whitworth Park (with its art gallery), Alexandra Park, and, one of the biggest, Platt Fields Park.
Open 24/7, Platt Fields is located in Fallowfield, just 20 minutes away from Piccadilly Gardens by bus. It has lots of grassy and comfy areas to lie or sit down while tucking into your picnic.
After lunch, you can go to the boating lake, where there are paddle boats for hire, and you’ll also see people fishing in this area.
If you’re feeling active, you can take a stroll around the park’s recreational areas, including a labyrinth – don’t get lost!
And, of course, right on the doorstep of Victoria Riverside is the historic Angel Meadow. This place has a rather intriguing history, which thankfully bears no resemblance to the delightful, quaint gardens we see today. Now it’s a great place to retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life, with a mix of wildlife areas, walking paths, and a Chelsea Flower show flower garden.
2. A canalside drink
Another fun activity to make the most of the Manchester spring sunshine is to head over to a waterside bar for a drink.
Lock 91, located on Deansgate Locks, is the ideal lounge bar for hanging out with friends and unwinding with a cocktail on their waterside terrace. There are also indoor areas and private rooms should the weather turn.
Barca Bar is another cute canalside nook, perfect for chatting over a relaxing glass of wine, and dancing along to the frequently-performing live bands and DJs.
Rain Bar, once an umbrella factory, is now the place to go when the brollies are set aside. Set alongside Rochdale canal, it serves up real cask ales and classic pub grub, and by night it attracts lots of young people seeking the best of Manchester’s nightlife.
Dukes 92, set in the historic Castlefield area alongside the iconic canal, is one of the most popular bars in Manchester. If the weather takes a turn for the worse, head inside to continue relaxing in Dukes’ stunning interior.
The Wharf, another gorgeous canalside pub, has a huge terrace which offers lovely views out over the canal basin. That makes it a perfectly Instagrammable location for a gin tonic on a balmy spring afternoon. The interior is full of cosy nooks and crannies to hide away in should April showers appear!
3. Soak up the sun in beer gardens
Having a relaxing drink in one of Manchester’s various beer gardens is the perfect Manchester spring plan.
One of our favourites, Sinclair’s Oyster Bar, is located close to Victoria Riverside apartments and set right in the heart of central Manchester. Close to Manchester Cathedral and one of the oldest pubs in Manchester, its outdoor terrace is always packed with punters, particularly on sunny days, so there’s a really buzzy feel to the place.
The place is iconic, as this medieval pub survived the 1996 bombing and was moved brick by brick to its current location. Take in its impressive architecture and history with friends as you sample some of its wide range of beers. Ah, and they only accept cash!
If you’re feeling swish, head to Spinningfields to The Lawn Club, where you’ll find chilled vibes in an outside cafe-bar with wicker chairs and an impressive cocktail menu. By day, it’s perfect for lunchtime meetings and Sunday brunches, while its fairy lights, pergola and private pods give it a super-relaxing ambience.
Close by, also in Spinningfields, seek out The Oast House for a cosy, welcoming pub style. Wooden interiors and brickwork facades give a rustic feel to the interior of this venue, but in spring it’s the outside tables, wide range of food and drinks, live music and buzzy atmosphere that make for a fun evening.
4. Check out some rooftop terraces
If you want all the benefits of a beer garden but want to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, another excellent activity for a Manchester spring day is to head to one of the city’s rooftop terraces.
One place worth checking out is 20 Stories, where you can get some great views over the city of Manchester while getting away from it all.
Perched atop No 1 Spinningfields Tower, it has an extensive rooftop garden and a lounge area – absolutely perfect for sipping cocktails in chic surroundings. Also, a great place to get some snaps for your Insta account!
5. Go hiking
Speaking of getting away from it all, Manchester may be an industrial city but it’s right on the doorstep of some of the UK’s most glorious mountainous landscapes and country walking trails.
The beautiful Peak District is just a short train or car journey away. Within an hour of leaving your Victoria Riverside apartment, you could be taking in jaw-dropping natural landscapes and getting those all-important steps in.
There are some fantastic walking routes to be explored in Greater Manchester areas such as Worsley Village, Saddleworth Circuit, and the Pennine Bridleway, and there’s no better time than on a sunny Manchester spring day!
6. Take a day trip
If you want to make a great escape from the city but don’t fancy hiking, then why not take a day trip to some of the iconic cities close by in the north of England?
Thanks to great train and bus connections, you can easily get around the UK for excursions to places like Liverpool, York, and Chester, and even to seaside towns like Blackpool and Formby. Other major cities further afield are also easy to reach, so even if you are keen to explore Birmingham or Edinburgh, there’s no problem!.
National Trust sites like the ancient deer park Dunham Massey are close by too, and help you to get in touch with nature after a busy week behind the desk or working from home.
7. Let your hair down at a festival
Perhaps one of the most fun activities to get stuck into during those longer Manchester spring evenings is to attend a fun festival.
One event in particular on our horizon is the Flashback Festival. It’s an outdoor music event which celebrates all your favourite dance classics from the 90s and noughties!
So dig out your low-rise jeans and crop tops and head to Platt Fields Park on 20th May to see nostalgic names like Katy B, Alice Deejay and Fatman Scoop.
Manchester is packed with fun events in the spring – these 7 ideas are just the tip of the iceberg! However you decide to spend your spring, you’re in a prime location, front row at Victoria Riverside!
Interested in buying a new home at Victoria Riverside, get in touch today.