Discover more in Cheshire and Greater Manchester
Great houses and glorious gardens, moorland landscapes and medieval deer parks around Cheshire and Greater Manchester.
Plan your a family day out in Cheshire and Greater Manchester. We've got play areas, wildlife to spot, plenty of things to do when it rains and loads of activities for kids (and the young at heart).
Get close to nature, step into the past or run tired legs out in a play area – there's something for the whole family to enjoy whatever the season.
Plan your family day out to Quarry Bank and discover all the family-friendly things to do no matter the weather. From exploring the mill, to enjoying one of our seasonal trails around the property.
From roaming fallow deer to bug-rich gardens and the heritage and history in the Georgian House and 400-year-old mill, there's something for all the family at Dunham Massey.
From running, skipping and jumping around Crow Wood play area and dressing up in period costume inside the house, to spotting red deer in the park, there’s something for everyone at Lyme.
Discover the secret gardens at Hare Hill, where little legs can roam safely; the perfect spot for a family day out.
Whether you’re enjoying one of our self-led trails or the wibbly-wobbly floors, there's plenty of activities to keep the whole family entertained at Little Moreton Hall.
At this special time of year when the trees take on their autumnal colour, visitors are welcome to walk, cycle and play in 1,000 acres of Parkland for free. There are lots of great trails, amazing viewpoints, and idyllic spots to relax and reflect. Call in at the Welcome Building for a free parkland map and explore! If you are lucky, you may spot a redwing or a fieldfare eating hawthorn berries.
Celebrate Christmas in Cheshire and Greater Manchester and find lots of things to see and do with family and friends at Dunham Massey, Quarry Bank, Lyme, Tatton Park and more.
There’s nothing quite like playing outdoors. Swooshing down slides, clambering over logs and letting your imagination run wild. It’s no wonder that play areas are an essential part of many family days out. Here are some top places to play in Cheshire and Greater Manchester.
Let off some steam and have fun with your family in the Crow Wood play area. It’s the perfect place to run, skip and slide. Get closer to nature on a walk through Crow Wood and see what wildlife you can spot in the mill pond.
Is it a ship? Is it a castle? Will you get eaten by sharks if you fall off a beam? The log pile in the north park is a play area at one with nature. Perfect for little ones with active imaginations, these carefully placed logs and branches create a casual play environment for children (and adults) of all ages.
You can find the playground just beyond the Mill Yard. It's small but perfectly formed, giving little ones the chance to jump, balance and climb obstacles. And with picnic benches are close by, it's perfect for parents to take a break with a warm coffee.
Test your balance on giant logs and pretend the mud is water or strike your best tree pose on a tree stump in the natural play area at Alderley Edge. Look around to see birds flit from branch to branch amongst ancient trees and the woodland floor.
In spring, summer and autumn little ones can escape to the hidden natural play area at Hare Hill and discover the magic amongst the nature that lives there. Make a secret den and create some look out points to spot wildlife. Cook up a storm in the mini-mud kitchen – you’ll find all the ingredients you need on the woodland floor beneath.
When it’s raining (and we get a lot of that in the north west) you have two options: find some indoor fun or grab your waterproofs and get stuck in! Luckily we have loads of suggestions for both…
Shelter from the rain inside the mill and feel the floors shake beneath your feet as the historic machinery whirrs and clatters into action. See one of the most powerful water wheels in the country spinning as the river flows beneath it.
Lyme’s house has been taken over by magnificent and unusual beasts and this year they’re exploring winter traditions. Step inside to find interactive fun for all the family: monkey around as you learn to wassail, sing carols with the birds, and join the Lord of Misrule for a festive feast.
Don’t let the rain keep you at home – there’s plenty of activities that you can get up to no matter the weather at Dunham Massey. Put on your wellies and splash in muddy puddles, or create a modern art masterpiece from squishy mud – you can find inspiration with ’50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ activities.
Step inside the wonky house at Little Moreton Hall to travel through Christmas past, without the need for a time machine! Be entertained by a jovial jester and listen to live Tudor music.
Discover a world of endless adventures with our pick of some of the best things for teenagers to do in Cheshire and Manchester. Round up your friends and family and get exploring.
Get into the Christmas spirit and experience houses dressed for the season. Find glistening Christmas trees, listen to festive music and treat yourself to a gingerbread latte from a café.
Full of far-reaching views, vast wildlife and picturesque buildings, the places we care for are a young photographer’s dream. Walk across moors and woods at Lyme to get seasonal snaps of surrounding counties and Manchester’s skyline, photograph the fallow deer at Dunham Massey, or get creative with the quirky angles of Little Moreton Hall’s black-and-white Tudor house. Click here for top photography tips.
Discover the places that provide the backdrop for some of your favourite TV shows. Jane Austin fans can step inside Pemberley, Mr Darcy’s home, in the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice (1995) at Lyme. You might recognise some of Tatton Park from Peaky Blinders (2013–2022) and Sherwood (2024), while The Mill (2013–14) is based on the lives of millworkers at Quarry Bank during the industrial revolution.
Bring your bike and take a trip through sheltered woodland or through the deer park at Lyme – there’s even a short but challenging mountain bike trail here too. And did you know that if you arrive on a bike to Lyme, Quarry Bank or Dunham Massey you can get 10% discount in the café? All three sites are close to national cycling routes and places to lock up bikes when you arrive.
Rounding off the day with a sweet treat and hot drink are a key part of any visit. From breakfast baps and toasties, to doughnuts and brownies, and lots of vegan options too, we’ve got something for everyone. Or grab a coffee to takeaway before your walk – we’ll even give you 25p off your drink if you bring your own reusable cup.
Discover more family days out in the North of England and Wales with plenty of places to play, explore, and create memories.
Plan your family day out in Liverpool and Lancashire. From the beauty of the great outdoors and amazing histories to play areas, balance bikes and even a maze, there's something for the whole family to enjoy rain or shine.
Plan your next family day out in the Lake District – seek out natural play areas, scramble over rocks and spot wildlife on your way. The long summer days are a great opportunity to make the most of your membership and visit somewhere new.
Plan an adventure in Yorkshire this autumn, with play areas, activities for kids, wildlife to spot and plenty of things to do when it rains. Bring the whole family to make memories during your time together.
With fun-filled activities and exciting events, there are plenty of great family days out to be had in Wales. Explore vast Welsh castles, tick off some ’50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ activities, or let off steam in natural play areas.
Great houses and glorious gardens, moorland landscapes and medieval deer parks around Cheshire and Greater Manchester.