49 places across Greater Manchester, 26 of which cost nothing. Every one written up honestly, with dated events from the venues that run them.
Greater Manchester splits neatly into two economies. The free one is genuinely good: the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester Museum's dinosaurs and vivarium, Imperial War Museum North, and Heaton Park, which is vast enough to swallow a whole afternoon. The paid one clusters around the Trafford Centre, where Legoland Discovery Centre, Sea Life and Play Factore sit within a few minutes of each other and will happily empty a wallet before lunch.
That Trafford cluster is the rainy-day insurance, and rain is a consideration here, but book online because walk-up prices are worse and school holidays get busy. If the weather holds, the East Lancashire Railway from Bury is the day we recommend most to visitors, and Hollingworth Lake or Burrs Country Park cost nothing. Days out in Greater Manchester rarely need a long drive; the tram does half of them.
170 dated events coming up across the county.
The North Park becomes a Play Hub with giant deckchairs, den building, log piles and lawn games, plus Pokemon play zones this year. Runs right through to the first week of September.
Starts at 2.30pm. Times, prices and tickets are on the organiser's own page.
Runs on 12 dates. Times, prices and tickets are on the organiser's own page.
Runs on 48 dates. Times, prices and tickets are on the organiser's own page.
Starts at 11am. Times, prices and tickets are on the organiser's own page.
Meet DJ Mu-Mu who will demonstrate the art of turntables and vinyl at our Read & Rave activity!
Everything on164 more not shown here
Twelve to start with. Each area above has the full list.
A free town museum hiding one of Britain's best Egyptian collections, including a full recreation of Thutmose III's tomb, plus an aquarium in the basement. Genuinely free, genuinely good.
A black and white Tudor manor house sitting in around 60 acres of parkland with woods, brooks and lakes. The park costs nothing, under 16s go into the hall free, and all-day parking is £3.
Riverside country park on the Irwell with a playground, old mill remains and its own East Lancashire Railway station, so a heritage steam train can be part of the day rather than the whole of it.
A flat mile around a lake, swans included, plus a genuinely good playground with a zip line, sand play and sensory equipment. Free entry, free parking, and south Manchester knows it, so go early on sunny days.
A big lake crowded with waterfowl, a flat path alongside it and a cafe where you left the car: the easiest small-child walk in the Stockport area. Entry is free, the car park is not.
Woodland trails, big playgrounds and a hall lawn made for picnics, with a miniature railway, high ropes and crazy golf as the paid extras. The free bits alone fill an afternoon.
The UK's only museum of hats and hatting, back open after a four-year refurbishment. The galleries are free and you can try hats on; the Victorian factory floor is a £7.50 guided tour. An hour well spent, not a full day.
A steep wooded gorge two miles out of Rochdale where the River Spodden churns through waterfalls beneath a 100-foot railway viaduct. Free and genuinely dramatic, but the paths are proper paths - boots, not buggies.
One of the biggest municipal parks in Europe: a free animal centre, boating lake, adventure playgrounds and an actual vintage tram running on summer days. You will not do all of it in one visit.
A flat, buggy-friendly lap of a reservoir with a good playground, rowing boats in season and ice cream at both ends. Simple, cheap and reliably works.
War told through people's stories in a building designed to feel like a shattered globe. The hourly Big Picture Show projections fill the whole gallery and stop everyone mid-step. Heavy themes, handled well - better for the top end of primary.
Fifty-odd acres of Leigh parkland with an inclusive playground, free disc golf through the woods and enough open grass to empty any child. Toilets open at weekends only, courtesy of the volunteers.