Zip World Manchester
The cheapest real activity anyone is recommending, and it's indoors. An hour of play for a fiver a head, with picnic benches for when you need to sit down.
Rock Up Manchester
Trafford, Greater Manchester
Rock Up is a chain of fun-climbing centres, and the Manchester one sits in the same Trafford Way building as The Snow Centre (Rock Up's own site still calls it Chill Factore). There are more than 25 themed climbing walls on auto-belays, over 75 challenges, a high ropes course, a vertical drop slide and a rotating treadmill wall, plus a multi-storey soft play for the ones too small to climb. Climbing starts at age 4; the high ropes and Adventure Walls need 1.2m.
A session is 90 minutes, of which the first 30 are the safety briefing and harness fitting. The starter climb is £19.95, and every four children aged 12 and under need an adult in the arena, either climbing or on a £3 ringside ticket. For under-fives, Toddler Climb and Play at £12.95 runs in the morning and mixes a spell on the walls with the soft play, and adults go free.
It is closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays in term time, and there are SEND and autism sessions and a Wednesday saver session. Pair it with lunch rather than the Snow Centre itself unless you have a very big budget.
What it costs: Starter Climb (one hour on the walls, challenges and indoor ropes course, ages 4+) £19.95. Explorer Climb, adding the interactive climbing, £23.45. Adult Climb £16.95, Ringside adult ticket £3. Toddler climb and play (under 5s, mornings only) £12.95 with accompanying adults free. Soft play only £6.95 (ages 8 and under, 0 to 11 months free). Drop-off Climbing Academy (6+) from £13.90 a session on the 10-week course. Wednesday term-time saver sessions from £12.
Know before you go
- You need one adult in the arena for every four children aged 12 and under. If you are not climbing, a Ringside ticket is £3.
- Sessions are 90 minutes including a 30 minute safety briefing, so arrive for the start time. No open-toed shoes, and tie long hair back.
- Closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays in term time. In the school holidays it opens 9.30 to 8 Monday to Saturday and 9.30 to 7 on Sunday.
Worth knowing: Climbing from age 4. Adventure Walls and the high ropes need 1.2m (7 and over recommended). One adult in the arena for every four children aged 12 and under.
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