Unusual Date Ideas To Try In Manchester

Bored of going out for a meal with a stranger or fancy spicing up your dates by opting for something a little bit different? We’ve pulled together a list of fun, unusual and downright strange date ideas in and around Manchester.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Play ping-pong at Twenty Twenty Two

If you’re the competitive type, take your date to Twenty Twenty Two in the Northern Quarter and challenge them to a couple of rounds of ping-pong. Each table costs just £5 per 30 minutes.

Bowling Alley
Another option for anyone who likes to be active on their dates, Dog Bowl is the city’s coolest bowling alley, located in an arch beneath Oxford Road railway station. Order a couple of cocktails and discover which one of you is the most competitive.

Head to Ginger’s Comfort Emporium for an ice-cream sundae

Ice Cream Parlour, Ice Cream
This exquisite ice-cream parlour, located on the top floor of Affleck’s, serves some of the most unusual and delicious flavours you’ll ever taste. Share a sundae and bask in 1950s nostalgia.

Hit the slopes at Chill Factore

Ski Resort
Escape the city and pretend you’ve jetted off to the French Alps at Chill Factore. Teach each other to ski or snowboard, or just enjoy pushing each other over in the snow as you attempt to climb off the ski lift at this impressive indoor slope.

Wander the passageways of The John Rylands Library

Building, Library
Literary lovers and architecture advocates will revel in a trip to The John Rylands Library, one of the most interesting buildings in the city. Spend some time admiring the collections or simply wander around the corridors, getting lost in the labyrinth of passageways.

Enjoy a chocolate-themed afternoon tea at Cocoa Cabana

Bakery, Patisserie, Dessert Shop, Contemporary, Bangladeshi, British, Pastries, Dessert, Fast Food
If your date has a sweet tooth, they’ll definitely appreciate a chocolate-themed afternoon tea experience at Cocoa Cabana in West Didsbury. Conveniently located right next to Burton Road tram stop, this chocolate boutique offers everything from steaming cups of hot cocoa to mouthwatering tarts.

Cook Indian food together at The Spice Club’s cookery class

Offering pop-up supper clubs all across Manchester, The Spice Club also run a series of Indian cookery classes where you can learn how to make their delicious dishes yourself. Held in a private kitchen in north Manchester, the classes take you through cooking a complete Indian meal from scratch. Following the class, the obvious second date would be to cook for each other at home.

Cuddle kittens to your heart’s content at Manchester’s Cat Café

Cafe, British, $
Does your date love cats? If so, we’re pretty sure they’ll be in their element at Manchester’s Cat Café, where you can both enjoy a refreshing drink and slice of cake in the presence of an array of friendly felines. Walk-ins cost £1 for every five minutes including unlimited drinks, so be prepared that it could get a bit expensive if you fall in love with the cats!

Take to the skies at Mainair Microlight Centre

Building
If you really want to impress your date (and they have a head for heights), book a lesson at Mainair Microlight Centre in Eccles. Choose from a 30-minute flight or take a series of lessons to learn to fly yourself, admiring the views of Manchester from above as you soar over the city.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.