5 Fun and Unique Things to Do in Manchester

Catch a movie or play at HOME
If you’re local to Manchester, you’ll probably be familiar with this arts centre just off Oxford Road. With two theatres, an art gallery, and five cinema screens, HOME is the perfect place for unique entertainment across a variety of media. They’ve got some great stuff on over the summer, too - check them out!
Try an escape room at Breakout Manchester
Our pals over at Breakout Manchester bring a unique level of immersion to their escape rooms. With 15 themed rooms to pick from (and that’s just in Manchester!) the possibilities are endless. Whether you’re trapped in a magical emporium, a vampire’s lair, or a serial killer’s basement, you’ll need a lot of teamwork and a good dose of puzzle-solving skills to escape before time runs out!
Explore VR gaming at Virtual Hideout
Here at Virtual Hideout, we take gaming to a whole new level! Grab your virtual reality headset and transport yourself to worlds you can only imagine: smash our Fruit Ninja leaderboard, save the world from aliens, or battle your friends in a game of archery tag. With a wide range of games to choose from and a VR game host to support you, you’ll leave the session a VR master!
Have a round of darts (and drinks!) at Flight Club
If there’s anywhere we can vouch for in Manchester for good cocktails and fun games, it’s Flight Club! Book in for a Social Darts session and compete against your friends in a variety of minigames. Whether you’re good at darts or not, the action replays are hilarious, and with plenty of drink options and friendly staff on hand they’re a great way to finish the night!
Dance the night away at Manchester’s Gay Village
Surrounding the Rochdale canal in Manchester’s appropriately-named Canal Street is a vibrant community of pubs, bars, and restaurants, centered in queer history and full of friendly faces! The Gay Village is the epicentre of Manchester’s iconic Pride festival, but there’s fun to be found all year round. Have a picnic in Sackville Gardens, go to a drag brunch, or relax and sip a cocktail next to the canal - and when the sun goes down, dance on over to all the fantastic clubs and bars!
If you need a little extra inspiration, check out these fantastic sites for more Manchester-based recommendations and travel guides!