Things to do in Manchester when it rains
Manchester is an incredible city, filled with history and exciting activities, no matter how old you are. Unfortunately, the weather isn’t always as good! Anyone who lives in the city will tell you that the weather is very wet more often than not, so making plans can often involve a back-up option in case of rain. If you’re looking for ideas for your next rainy day out, then continue reading our helpful guide on things to do in Manchester when it rains.
Ideas for rainy days out in Manchester
Depending on your company, whether you’re taking the kids out for some entertainment or heading out with friends, there is plenty of exciting stuff to fill your time in Manchester.
We’ve compiled a list of six interesting and entertaining things you can do to get out of the rain and enjoy yourself in the city.
- Cinema
- Play retro arcade games
- Games & drinks at Roxy Ball Room
- Escape room
- Museums
- Chill Factore
Cinema
The first of our ideas for things to do in Manchester when it rains is to head to your local cinema. Whether you’re with the kids, out on a date, or socialising with friends, the cinema is always a brilliant go-to place to have some fun.
Are you a rom-com fan or do you prefer superhero movies? Or, do you just want to sample some exhilarating action from an all-out action movie? Whatever you prefer, we’re sure there’s plenty at your local cinema to enjoy, as well as delicious popcorn and sweets!
Play retro arcade games
Do you love retro games and socialising with cocktails? If so, then NQ64 is the perfect place for you and your friends to spend a rainy day in Manchester.
Based in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, NQ64 is home to an underground arcade bar where you can play a range of retro games as well as enjoy some of your favourite drinks. There are classic games like Super Mario Brothers, Virtua Fighter, The Simpsons, Punch Out, X-Men, Street Fighter, Tekken, and so many more.
There’s an ever-changing list of beer on offer at the bar, as well as a variety of delicious fruity cocktails for you and your friends to enjoy together.
There’s no entry fee at NQ64 but you do require tokens to play on the arcade games. Though, 15 tokens are just £7, which is a great deal. Console games are free to play too, so head down there with your friends and lose hours playing some incredible games!
Games & drinks at Roxy Ball Room
For another type of game-and-drinks style entertainment, try the Roxy Ball Room with friends. Inside you can play crazy pool, ten pin bowling, American pool, shuffleboard, beer pong, and ping pong. You can also drink alongside all of this active fun with friends, making for a great day out.
With the rain pouring down outside, you can enjoy hours of (dry!) fun with the variety of games and cocktails on offer.
Escape room
Test your mind with some friends, or even the kids, at an Escape Room. Not sure what that is? Well, an Escape Room is a room where you’re locked inside and have to use your nous to try and find a key or keycode to ‘escape’ the room.
It’s brilliant fun for friends and families to spend some time together while the weather is wet and miserable. Why not try and do it as quickly as possible and break the Escape Room record? You can always brag to your friends and family about it - especially if they’ve tried it themselves!
Museums
In Manchester, there are a wide variety of museums available to walk around and take in the history. From the National Football Museum and the Science and Industry Museum to the People’s History Museum, there’s plenty to do while the rain pours outside.
The People’s History Museum is a great place to visit, even with children. It’s good to show children history and culture, so a trip to the museum could be a useful way to spend some time away from the weather. The museum tells the story of the past, present, and future of democracy in Britain. Learn about the history behind the right to vote, time to rest, fair pay and more.
Why not sample some incredible art at the Manchester Art Gallery too? You can look at pieces of work from years gone by from a litany of legendary artists. There are an amazing selection of sculptures to gaze at, while there’s even some work displayed from Christian Dior.
Swap rain for snow at Chill Factore
Last, but certainly not least, consider a family day out at Chill Factore and swap rain for snow!
With the rain pouring down outside, head indoors for a day of fun on the slopes where you can please everyone, from the adrenaline enthusiast to the chilled observer at Chill Factore.
Near to one of Europe’s largest shopping centres, The Trafford Centre, Chill Factore is packed with fun things to do for the whole family. We’re home to the longest real snow slope in the UK (180 metres!). And what says fun more than real snow? From sledging and sledding to ski lessons, we’ve got something for everyone. There’s even a comfortable viewing gallery for the less active, so you can sit back, enjoy a coffee, and watch the excitement unfold.
As well as fun on the slopes, we also have a restaurant - The Lodge Bar & Kitchen - where the whole family can enjoy delicious food and drink at great prices.
Check out the tickets for our snow park and ski lessons for the whole family today.
If you’d like to speak to a member of staff to find out more about what fun you can have at Chill Factore, contact us on 0161 749 2222 or email us at info@chillfactore.com.
