Let it glow: 10 Christmas days out in or near Manchester

Food hall meets music festival is how we’d describe Freight Island to anyone confused about what they’ll find at this regenerated rail depot beyond Piccadilly Station. 

Blakemere Village is the Cheshire one-stop for shopping, outdoor activities and family-friendly events.

The classic vista of the grand 17th century house overlooking the River Derwent is the most famous image of Chatsworth, but this Peak District visitor attraction offers much more than a stately home tour.

Its parkland, gardens, farm, adventure playground, shops, restaurants and places to stay bring more than 600,000 visitors a year to this beautiful corner of Derbyshire. It’s a testament to the size of the estate (35,000 acres) – and its careful management – that you can enjoy a day out at Chatsworth without feeling overwhelmed by crowds.

Cockfields Farm Park, in the countryside between Oldham and Ashton-under-Lyne, is a young child’s idea of the perfect day out.

Dunham Massey is one of the National Trust’s most visited properties, bringing in over half a million people in 2023. We reckon at least 80% of them were Mancunians escaping the city for their nearest bucolic country park.

Gulliver’s World is a theme park that’s perfect for smallsters. It has rollercoasters and upside-downy things for tweens but these stomach-churners are vastly outnumbered by gentle planes, water rides, teacups and rollercoasters of the introductory variety.

Knowsley Safari is an exciting day out for all animal-lovers – not just for kids. Who wouldn’t want to watch their car’s windscreen wipers being expertly deconstructed by some cheeky little baboons?

You don’t have to walk far in Manchester city centre to find one of the many Christmas markets that pop-up in November and December.

The 2021 opening of this new 154-acre garden was greeted with much excitement and long queues, and rightly so. Once a derelict and overgrown site, it’s now a major visitor attraction with plenty to offer all year round. 

Tatton Park is a historic estate on the edge of Knutsford, home to an opulent neo-classical mansion, landscaped gardens, woodland, a farm, a huge deer park and a medieval Old Hall.