Housemate got a car? Five spots less than an hour away from Manchester to explore this weekend

Have you got a car sat outside your student house that only gets used for the weekly shop to Aldi? Why not expand your horizons and explore somewhere new this weekend with your housemates and escape the bustle of Manchester city life?

Here’s a list of the best day trips we can think of within an hour of Manchester, for whether you need to touch some grass after a big night out or just fancy exploring somewhere new.

Altrincham

Altrincham is the perfect area for a sunny Saturday. Like everywhere in Manchester, Altrincham is enjoyed best with blue skies and warm weather. The town has everything a Fallowfield girl could ever want: Tons of charity shops on the high street and lots of picturesque eating and drinking spots for the Instagram stories. What’s more, it’s only a 25-ish minute drive from Fallowfield.

Altrincham Market is the perfect spot for a (quite overpriced) bite to eat and mooch around the market stalls – I personally recommend the steak sandwich and triple cooked chips.

Tatton Park

Feel the need to reconnect with nature after a wild Friday night? Local National Trust sight, Tatton Park, is a great spot for a weekend walk, and only 25-30 minutes away from Fallowfield and Withington.

Despite the parking charge of £8 (or park in Knutsford and search for free parking), this can easily be a low-cost/free day out with your housemates, as the park is free to enter. The walk around the grounds and lake will take around two hours, and alongside the beautiful views you can also get close to the deer and sheep that roam the grounds.

Quarry Bank Mill

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30 minutes away from Fallowfield in the car, Quarry Bank Mill near Wilmslow is another National Trust spot that offers a great day out with your house. As one of Britain’s “greatest industrial heritage sights,” not only is Quarry Bank a great option for all you naturalists, but also for the history nerds, with its famous cotton mill built in 1784!

The site offers free parking, and you don’t need to pay to explore the sight. If you want to enter the historic mill, however, it will set you back a steep £22 (or you can sneak through the back door which they sometimes leave open, but you didn’t hear that from us).

Chester

If you’re looking for a busier day out in a neighbouring city without the chaos of Manchester city centre, this is the perfect option. Chester is a great city to explore with its picturesque streets, Tudor architecture, and remains of its Roman past with the largest amphitheatre in Britain.

The journey only takes around 45 minutes in the car from Withington (or an hour on the train from Manchester Piccadilly or Victoria). There are plenty of food spots around whether you’re looking for brunch, dinner or a casual coffee (we’ve heard Jaunty Goat does great coffee). Park the car by the river for 4 hours of free parking.

Liverpool

Need we say more? Liverpool never fails to be a fun venture, whether it’s a shopping trip, casual day out or a night out at the weekend. And with St Patrick’s Day around the corner, Concert Square is a staple spot to spend St Paddy’s with your mates. An hour away in the car, or a cheap train ride away, Liverpool is always a great option for the weekend.