You may be just starting out in the early days of your relationship or further along, even married with kids. Either way finding fun things to do for dates can be hard no matter what stage your relationship is in. STYLE etc is here to help with a list of date day and night ideas to try in Manchester. Single? These activities make for great mates dates too.
Junkyard Golf
Mini Golf gone crazy, Junkyard Golf has ambitious courses full of twists and turns to keep you entertained. From getting through a course via slide to shooting your ball through a canon to reach the hole, you’ll have loads of fun with your other half. There are 3 courses to complete and the venue has currently moved to First Street to offer bigger and better courses than before.
Tickets are around £8.00 and bookings can be made in advance (worth doing as slots sell out fairly quick). Walk-ins are allowed on the day but dependent on availability.
Heaton Park
If the weather is right then Heaton Park makes the ideal location for a stroll. Keep an eye on events online as activities are always in the works, from seasonal fairs to pop up stalls and events. All year round a farm is present with petting zoo filled with goats, pigs, mountain sheep and alpacas, all of which is free. Boats can be hired for a few pounds and you can take a row around the lake as a fun daytime activity. There is also a golf course, play area and lots of local wildlife milling around to find as you explore Europe’s largest municipal park.
For more information visit Heaton Park online.
KickAir
A new addition to the city centre, Kickair brings high energy fun for all ages. A Freestyle Park filled with trampolines, air bags, obstacle courses, play areas and a penalty shootout area, this venue is ideal for couples who like to keep active and have fun together. You can get 1 hour for £10.00 or 2 for £17.00, depending on how long you’ll last before burning out. The venue takes space of an old clothing warehouse on the corner opposite the Manchester Arena so parking won’t be a problem either.
For more information visit Kickair.
Total Ninja
Another one for adrenaline junkies, Total Ninja provides an assault course similar to the Ninja Warrior TV program. Featuring strength testing obstacles, including three giant vertical walls to beat, you’ll be hard pressed to complete the full course without some practise and training. A smaller section is available for less serious endurance, where you can fall into foam pits and swing from railings with less pressure.
Prices start from £10.00 when booked online at Total Ninja.
Village Hotel Spas
There are a few Village Hotels placed across Manchester, including venues in Cheadle, Ashton and Bury. The Espa attached brand offer fabulous deals which includes a Thursday special with a room for 1 night, 1 spa treatments, glass of fizz and a 2 course dinner each starting at £89.00 per couple.
More one for couples more comfortable around each other, but nonetheless a perfect excuse to have a mini staycation and escape life troubles for a night.
This deal can be found online at Village Hotels website.
Museum of Science and Industry
An integral part of Manchester’s cultural scene, MOSI offers education and history into our city’s past, as well as interesting exhibits from around the world.
Manchester Science Festival is the next big event happening, so if you have an inner geek waiting to be shown impress your date with something a little different than a standard dinner. With so many interesting things to see you won’t be lost for conversation points.
To find out what’s on visit MOSI’s listings.
Whitworth Art Gallery
The Whitworth has some of the best exhibitions in the north west, again offering a more cultured date day out for you and your partner.
Expect a mix of art, culture and clever displays which will have you thinking and chatting about inspirations behind the works. The gallery is free so great if you want a day out and are strapped for cash, but can take donations if you wish to help out.
Exhibitions and events are always happening so keep an eye on the Whitworth Gallery website for updates.
Dinosaur Adventure Golf
This activity is due to open any day now so keep your eyes peeled for more news.
Dubbed to be one of the biggest Dinosaur Mini Golf courses, Dinofalls brings impressive displays and relaxed fun to its Trafford Park location.
A series of fossil paths will link each hole, winding through caves, around boulders and past a dramatic 3m-high waterfall leading into a river and lake.
Perfect for either showing you competitive side or being graceful and letting your other half win, the course is big enough to keep you busy as a day out.
More information TBC this Autumn 2017.
Chill Factor-e
Just behind the aforementioned Dinofalls, Chill Factore offers winter themed fun all year round with it’s artificial snow slopes.
Built for skiing, snowboarding or just sliding about on a rubber ring, the slopes are set to suit all ages and groups.
Snow fun starts at £5.00 and main slope from £15.00, but it does get a little pricier for the more professional activities, depending on what you want.
Date-wise this makes a full day activity you can enjoy together and get to know each other as you slide about. There are event food places and an ice cream shop to hit up afterwards to continue your date.
Find out more at Chill Factore.
The Crystal Maze
Take part in the closest thing you’ll find to the TV show in real life right here in Manchester. Your teambuilding, skills and knowledge will all be put to the test in this brilliantly set up live action maze in the city centre.
This is certainly something different and lasts up to 1 hour 45 minutes per session. You may be put in a bigger group but can stick together on a team to complete your challenges.
A maze master will keep you entertained and guide you round throughout, tackling the famous Aztec, Industrial, Medieval and Future zones.
For more information visit The Crystal Maze.
Breakout
Breakout is the more established of Manchester’s selection of escape rooms, offering slightly more sophisticated technology compared against the others.
There are a number of themed rooms, from detective to a speciality Manchester room.
Together you will be locked in and have to solve puzzles to escape the room, working together and having tonnes of fun in the process.
The escape rooms start at £18.00 per person in a team of two but prices vary due to group size.
See Breakout online for more.
Bowling
Manchester is home to a few places you can go bowling. A cheap and cheerful option is at Bury’s The Rock, which offers bowling set in an arcade and bar to offer all round entertainment and hosting.
All Star Lanes in the city centre provides a 1950s inspired experience, complete with bar and restaurant to sit and chat after your bowling date.
Dog Bowl is a smaller venue, part of Manchester’s Blackdog Ballroom chain, with a couple of lanes to bowl as you enjoy cocktails.
The Trafford Centre also hosts a great setting for bowling, in its arcade next to the foodcourt. This venue also has dodgems and an arcade and is the ideal location to head off shopping afterwards.
Cat Cafe
A more relaxed affair, the cat cafe offers a chilled experience where you can enjoy all inclusive drinks with your entry fee. Additional snacks can be purchased if you feel a bit peckish as you’re there and an array of sofa and floor cushioned seating is provided so you can relax alongside the cats.
The cat cafe has a few characters to meet, from ‘Bog Eyed Bert’ to Siamese Stanley, you’ll find yourself in kitty heaven if you love cats.
The cats come and go as they please and there are rules to abide by so no pestering or picking them up as you’re there, but if the cats come to you for a cuddle you can pet them and play using the toys strewn across the cafe.
The Cat Cafe accepts walk ins but is best to be booked in advance to secure your slot. Prices are around £12.00 for an hour session.
