Best Parks in Manchester City Centre and Greater Manchester
This post is a list of 13 of the best parks in Manchester City Centre and Greater Manchester to help you decide which one to visit next. Whether it is the school holidays and you’re searching for family-friendly attractions for the kids in Manchester, or you are just looking for something free to do in Manchester, this is the list for you. If you are wondering where else you can go for free, look at our list of the 22 Best Free Museums in Manchester.
The list includes the best parks in the city centre and the best parks in Greater Manchester. It contains essential information about the parks and our opinion of them. As always, we know there are so many great green spaces in Manchester, so if you think we need to add to this list – let us know. We love discovering new spots!
The Top 14 Parks in Manchester in 2023
One of the best things to do in Manchester is to visit one of its open green spaces. Some are quiet. Some are not. Which one will you choose?
Best Parks in Manchester City Centre
Cathedral Gardens Manchester
Nestled between Manchester Cathedral, the National Football Museum, the Corn Exchange, and Chetham’s School of Music are Cathedral Gardens Manchester. It is a new park but provides a great escape if you are in the Manchester city centre and want to take a breath.
It is a regenerated area with a water feature that changes with seasons and concrete sitting areas and is now one of Manchester’s best parks. With a view of the magnificent Manchester Cathedral, this is not a surprise.
Mayfield Park
Manchester has made some great headlines recently and one of those has been because of Mayfield Park. Check out this Guardian article about one of the best parks in Manchester.
Manchester city center’s first public park in over 100 years is now open to the public. It was a decrepit industrial site next to Piccadilly Station, which has been transformed into a beautiful, accessible, diverse green space for everyone.
The park opens from sunrise until dusk, seven days a week. The entire area has been changed with the 6.5-acre park situated around its banks and the River Medlock and featuring parkland and gardens dotted with trees and plants and walkways open to the public.
It will have areas for all to enjoy as play areas, urban square meadows, and tranquil spaces for those seeking to get away from the bustle of the city. It is one of the best family days out in Manchester, as the play area is next level, with 8 incredible slides for all to enjoy.
Vimto Park
You cannot have a list of the best parks in Manchester and not include Vimto Park. You may or may not know, but the beloved drink’s birthplace is this great city.
Vimto Park is next to the University of Manchester and is home to a Vimto monument. Honestly, it is worth going to Vimto Park to see this monument. It was a lot bigger than we imagined and certainly pays tribute to the drink. You should at least try the purple drink if you cannot visit the park! Hot or cold? Which one is your favourite?
Piccadilly Gardens
Slap bang in the middle of Manchester is Picadilly Gardens. We know it is a bit controversial to put it on the list of the best parks in Manchester. It would be wrong to say to come to this park to escape the city’s hustle and bustle. Instead, you will be able to feel the buzz of the Mancunians meeting, eating, drinking and joking.
If you want to sit down on one of the many benches or seats and people watch, this is the park for you. Also, you’ll see a range of different people in this park, so it’s fun just to come and see the locals. Restaurants and shops surround it, and you may be lucky enough to be there when the food vans are there. Yum!
Watch out for the trams!
Whitworth Park
Is it sunny outside? You may or may not be able to find a space in this popular Manchester park. It is near and owned by the University of Manchester and is a meeting spot, a workout spot and a walking spot for many people who live nearby. It is also next door to the Whitworth Gallery – an excellent free museum in Manchester.
The park was granted a Green Flag award in 2014 for being a safe environment for its local community. There is a children’s playground, a cenotaph and a statue of Edward VII. In the spring, the daffodils bloom, and when it is a warm day, there’s usually an ice cream van!
Castlefield Urban Park
Castlefield Urban Heritage Park is one of the best urban parks in Manchester. You will find a Roman stronghold, the first ultramodern conduit in Britain.
Therefore, [arkgoers interested in history will find an abundance to explore, but you can also enjoy the well-maintained walkways, landscaped open spaces, and relaxing cafes.
The Bridgewater Canal is among the most popular attractions, with the emotional ground and scenic walkways next to it. You can also explore the storages of Castlefield restored to act their 19th- century appearance.
There is also the inceredible Victorian-era Castlefield Viaduct, which is currently looked after by the National Trust. It is a ‘sky park’ in the heart of the city. It is open to visit, but you have to be quick with limited tickets released every Thursday!
Best Parks in Greater Manchester
Prestwich Forest Park
In Prestwich Forest Park you will find 200 glorious hectares of woodland. There are plenty of open spaces to explore and wildlife in Waterdale, Philips Park, Drinkwater Park, and Prestwich Clough.
The park hosts regular events and has a countryside feel to it. You can go orienteering, walking, horse riding and cycling. Alternatively, a lot of people use it as a place to relax and seek solitude. Why not join them? It is one of the best parks in Manchester after all.
Heaton Park
Heaton Park is the biggest park in the North West, and a lot is going on. This type of park would bring kids and spend the day, having a good time especially if it is sunny and is easily one of the best parks in Manchester.
There is a lot you can do at this park. Firstly, there is a boating lake, with rowing boats and pedalos (some in the shape of swans), which is pretty fun. It is seasonal, though, and dependent on the Manchester weather.
Secondly, you can see lots of animals, including donkeys, peacocks, pigs and ponies – which is great if you’re a kid or a curious adult. There are also different children’s play areas with lots of swings, small trampolines and epic slides. There’s a treetop trek, a golf course, a tramway museum, amongst many other activities. You certainly cannot get bored at this park.
Other facilities include toilets, a cafe, an information point, and ice cream vans!
There is car parking in several areas in the park, but you have to pay. It is £1 for one hour, £2 for 1-3 hours and £3 for over 3 hours. If you are a local, they do Annual E-Permits, which is helpful. However, it is good to know that these charges only apply between 10 am – 5 pm – Monday – Sunday.
Alternatively, you can arrive by tram and get off at the Heaton Park tram stop.
Fletcher Moss Park
Fletcher Moss Park is in Didsbury, and it’s a glorious park in Manchester. A walk in the park involves admiring the different flowers in bloom (at least in spring). Expect to find large open spaces for children to play and for adults to explore. It is a popular spot and can get very busy on summer days and weekends.
There are also many picnic benches and benches and sit on, relax, and maybe have a coffee? Treat yourself!
There are tennis courts at Fletcher Moss Park, and if you want to play, you can purchase tickets from the café. The café is called the Alpine Tea Room, which serves frappes, wraps and vegan options, including takeaway coffee for your walk. There are toilets here too!
Didsbury Park
Didsbury Park is near the centre of Didsbury, and it’s certainly a lot bigger than you might expect. It has beautiful cherry blossom trees in the spring and other lovely trees, and a calm atmosphere. There are basketball courts, a children’s park and a bowls club.
There is a volunteer association in Didsbury Park, and they ask you to join them on Mondays at 9:30 am. They have won the RHS outstanding award for five years running, and you can follow them on friends of Didsburypark.com or @didsburypark on Instagram.
A café called the Pavilion Café serves coffee, hot food; drink sweet treats, snacks, and tea. These are all at affordable prices, which is excellent considering Didsbury can be expensive.
Alexandra Park
Alexandra Park in Whalley Range is not your average park. It was one of the earliest Victorian parks in Manchester and has been listed Grade 2 on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens since 1995.
In 2014, the park was restored, and if you walk around, you can see numerous people enjoying themselves walking, running, boot camps, and other sports.
A Pavillion was constructed in 1894 and is still used today as a place to watch sport and bring people together.
When you visit, check out the drinking fountain, the Flagstaff, the terrace and Chorlton Lodge. There is also tennis courts, a cricket pitch, football pitches, children’s play areas and a lake to walk around. The fact there is something for everyone makes this one of the best parks in Manchester.
Chorlton Water Park
Chorlton Water Park is old farmland flooded in the 1970s to create the lake that takes centre stage in the park. It is a Local Nature Reserve and a Green Flag Park, and a Site of Biological Importance, so takes a proud place on the list of the best parks in Manchester.
It is also a popular spot and deserves a place on the list of Manchester’s best parks. It prides itself on being an area for everyone to enjoy nature. There are toilets, a car park, water sports (kayaking), picnic benches and a children’s play area. You can also walk next to the River Mersey from here, to extend your walk, as it doesn’t take very long to walk a loop of the lake! We saw some people fishing here too and read signs that you can night fish (with a permit)!
Sale Water Park
You do not have to worry about parking at the Sale Water Park, because there is plenty – over 300 spaces! There is also a tram stop for those people who don’t drive or are climate-conscious. This makes it one of the best parks in Manchester.
It is in the south of the city, and you can expect woodland, a lake, and the River Mersey. It is also home to Manchester Water Sports, where people can sail, jet ski, kayak, canoe, and try other water sport activities.
We enjoyed following the path and completing a lake loop before sitting on the benches in front of the Boathouse Restaurant. They serve lunch and dinner if you are hungry!
Dunham Massey
Dunham Massey is a National Trust property that is an excellent place to visit to see fallow deer and enjoy the gardens. It is between Manchester and Cheshire and provides a fantastic city escape at a country park.
You can find one of the UK’s largest winter gardens, the grand house and the Stables Restaurant. The car park is open from 9 am- 4pm, and the last entry to the house is 30-minutes before closing and the 30-minutes before for the formal gardens. Check the National Trust’s Website for up to date information! It does have a price tag though: Adult s£8 and Children £4!
There you have it, our list of the best parks in Manchester. Which one is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.
If you are visiting the city read our guide: 24 hours in Manchester
Or are you looking for day trips out of the city? Why not head to the Peak District National Park? Here you can discover some of the most beautiful places in the country. Check out:
Photo Credit: averagelives.com
Lovely post look forward to seeing it!