Things To Do

If you're spending some time around Didsbury, Manchester and Cheshire before or after the wedding, here are some of our favourite things to do! We've tried to include locally owned business wherever possible to help support the local community!

Getting Around

Manchester has a wealth of transport options. Try Citymapper to plan your travel.

The Tram (Metrolink) is great for getting in and out of town. You can use your contactless to tap in and out on the pillars on the platform at the start and end of your journey. Note there are no tram services running to Piccadilly Gardens or Piccaddilly up to 10 August. See here for the services affected.

The buses can also be paid via contactless card or your device. If you travel on another bus within an hour of the first bus, the second bus is free.

The local trains can be used to get around or somewhere further afield.

Generally, you do not have to pay for parking on the streets (although always check the signs). There are no congestion zones, but do watch out for bus lanes and speed cameras of which there are plenty around. We wouldn't recommend driving into the city centre due to traffic, easy to miss bus lanes and expensive parking.

Breakfast

Appleby's - 21 Barlow Moor Road

Fry ups and breakfast baps, great for a post wedding hangover

Cafes and Lunch

Corner and Bloom - 812b Wilmslow Road

Lovely cafe for sandwiches and salads or just a coffee

Piqniq by La Chouquette - 10 School Lane

Delicious sandwiches, coffee and pastries to take away. Also try out La Chouquette, their original site at 812a Wilmslow Road for a wider range of award winning French bakery delights

Dinner

Rudy's Pizza Napoletana - 653 Wilmslow Road

Great pizzas, recommend booking ahead. Note the cheese contains rennet but there are vegan cheeses/cheese free options available

Italiana Fifty Five - 651a Wilmslow Road

Delicious Italian food, particularly great for fresh pasta and cocktails

Takeaways

Anchors Fish and Chips - 812 Wilmslow Road

What it says on the tin. Recommend the deep fried halloumi!

Going Out

Attempt The Didsbury Dozen Pub Crawl - Didsbury

The classic Manchester pub crawl, The Didsbury Dozen, including a pint at each of the 12 Didsbury pubs listed below (just maybe don't try it the night before the wedding!). The dozen are: The Didsbury, Ye Olde Cock Inn, The Famous Crown, The Royal Oak, Fletcher Moss, The Nelson, The Dog and Partridge, The Salmon of Knowledge, The Station, The Woodstock Arms, The Metropolitan, The Railway

Visit a Wine Bar at Cru - 8 Warburton Street Didsbury

The latest and best Didsbury Wine bar, Cru, serving a variety of wines and small food plates on a small cobbled street off Wilmslow Road.

Activities

Board Game Cafe at Goodtime Games - 212 Burton Road

Boad Games Cafe serving only vegan/vegetarian food. Recommend booking here

Try Disc Golf at Longford Park

There is 17 hole a Disc Golf course in Longford park. You can hire a disk from the cafe for a returnable deposit.

Play Darts at Flight Club - Ship Canal House, 98 King Street, Manchester City Centre

Play a variety of Darts games from classic darts to snakes and ladders. You don't have to be any good at darts to enjoy. Must book ahead (click here to book)

Play Shuffleboard at Lane7 - Unit 3, 235 Deansgate, Manchester City Centre

Play Shuffleboard or a variety of other games at Lane7 in the City Centre. Make a reservation here

Tour of the Concorde at Manchester Airport - Runway Visitor Park

Take a guided tour of one of the remaining Concorde planes stored at Manchester Airport, take a seat on board and go inside the cockpit! We recommend the Classic 1 hour tour. Must book in advance and recommend booking soon to avoid disappointment. See here

Indoor Bouldering at Big Depot Climbing - Wythenshawe

Try out indoor bouldering at Niamh's local climbing gym, Big Depot Manchester, or climb on the auto belay or roped climbing if you're already trained (you will need to complete a waiver for any bouldering or climbing activities prior starting)

Shopping

There are loads of charity shops around Didsbury to spend hours investigating, as well as the surprisingly affordable 'Vintage Wardrobe' at 39 Barlow Moor Road and some local Manchester brand stores 'The Edit' and 'Bond', both on Wilmslow Road.

Outdoor Trips

Parks

There are a number of local parks, with Didsbury Park, Fletcher Moss Park and Botanical Gardens and Fog Lane being our closest (Fog Lane and Didsbury Park both have cafes too). Further a field Bruntwood Park and Chorlton Water Park are very beautiful and worth a visit.

Walk the Mersey River

There are many points along the Mersey to walk. We recommend joining at Simon's Bridge by travelling towards Didsbury Sports Ground (if you are parking we recommend parking along Fordbank Road or Ford Lane as the carpark down the track is very uneven and sometimes closed off) and continue down the track between the allotments and the sportsground until you reach the end, go up onto the band and you will see the bridge. There are a few loops that can be done from here which you should be able to see from google maps.

Alderley Edge

Near the venue you can visit the National Trust owned Alderley Edge forest and hills with beautiful views across the Cheshire countryside. Entry is free but you will need to pay for parking if you don't have National Trust membership (see details here)

The Lovell Telescope and Jodrell Bank

See the once largest steerable telescope (now third largest) in the world. Book ahead and save 10% online here. Note phones must be switched off at the site to avoid interference with the radio signals.

RHS Bridgewater

Visit the beautiful RHS Bridgewater in Salford, Greater Manchester, which opened in 2021. Recommend booking ahead here

National Trust Sites

Visit the local National Trust sites to see the grand houses and estates of of Dunham Massey and Lyme Park.