Cute Spots To Enjoy A Picnic In Manchester
It’s official, the summer is here and the warm weather has officially arrived, who’s excited for picnic season? It’s time for you and your friends to get out of your student accommodation and go exploring.
A good way you can enjoy the beautiful city of Manchester is a picnic with some stunning scenery, however, with so many places to go, it can be hard to choose the best place.
Not to worry, we have it covered with 7 cute picnic spots for you and your friends to relax and catch up whilst enjoying a lovely picnic under the summer sun!
1. Alexandra Park
Looking for picnic spots? Alexandra Park is a luscious 60 acres of space with stunning views and a beautiful atmosphere.
With oval shaped and curved pathways, it was an experimental design at the time it was opened in 1870.
In 2014 it was revamped whilst still maintaining the original Victorian layout. It has many facilities including those for sports, play areas and a cafe.
It even has an orchard containing fruit trees and a garden area which is perfect to relax on a nice sunny day.
Alexandra Park terrace and walk is the perfect spot for you and your friends to have a lovely little picnic lunch and some fun.
They often hold events here during the summertime, so check their website for more details, or just check it out for yourself.
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Address: Russell St, Moss Side, Manchester, M16 7JL
2. Vimto Park
Yes you are right, Vimto Park is named after the soft drink we all know and love!
This Manchester-born drink has its own monument which was commissioned in 1992 and carved by Kerry Morrison.
Although after years of weather changes, it was restored in 2011 and looks better than ever.
It is a nice quiet spot making it a perfect little space for you to enjoy a picnic with friends.
Plus it isn’t far from Piccadilly station, making it easy for you to get there.
So head on down for a nice break from studying whilst crossing something off your bucket list at the same time.
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Address: 39 Sackville St, Manchester, M1 3WE
3. Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens
Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens is the perfect countryside retreat in Didsbury. Definitely worth the travel it would take to get there.
It retains many of the original features it had since before it was gifted to the council in 1915.
And…it has many beautiful sights including birds, trees, butterflies and wildlife, making it a nice spot for a little picnic with friends.
They even encourage it with picnic tables provided in the pergola garden.
But don’t forget to explore, with a nature trail and paths for a little stroll through this historic park.
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Address: 18 Stenner Ln, Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2RQ
4. Whitworth Park
Whitworth Park is a stunning green space on Oxford Road which reaches 18 acres.
This is an amazing place away from the busy city for a picnic on a warm, sunny day.
So grab your friends and head on down for a nice little lunch – don’t forget your picnic blanket!
Whilst you are there, this is a good opportunity to visit the Whitworth Art Gallery to view the thousands of beautiful artwork within.
Especially since you don’t have to spend a penny as it is free entry.
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Address: Oxford Road/Moss Lane East, Manchester, M14 4PW
5. Burrs Country Park
Burrs Country Park is a wonderful spot for a picnic with 36 hectares of scenic countryside with a range of wildlife habitats.
The park holds a Green Flag Award – in recognition of how great it is managed as a green space.
It’s the perfect place for riverside walks, nature watching and all round outdoor activities, so be sure to head down with your picnic basket for a lovely afternoon break.
Not to mention the Burrs Activity Centre located within the park provides a range of outdoor activities such as canoeing, kayaking, abseiling and archery.
If any of them catch your fancy!
Whilst it may be a little further out in Bury, it’s worth the mooch – trust us.
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Address: Woodhill Road, Bury, BL8 1DA
6. Haughton Dale
Haughton Dale is the largest nature reserve in Tameside and is rich in natural and industrial heritage.
Some of the woodlands and meadows have been around since before the industrial developments and are now connected to newer woodlands that have been planted on what used to be textile mills, coal mining and early glassmaking.
It is now a wildlife haven which can be enjoyed with a lovely picnic with friends under the gaze of the sun.
It also has a lot of paths available to walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Perfect for a stroll through the countryside.
There are a few ways you can get into the reserve, but the main entrance is on Gibraltar Lane.
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Address Gibraltar Ln, Denton, Manchester M34 7PY
7. Buile Hill Park
Buile Hill Park is one of the largest parks in the city and is popular with both locals and students alike.
It has a long history that links with many historical figures, including L.S. Lowry who regularly visited the park.
Frances Hodgson Burnett who’s the author of The Secret Garden. supposedly wrote the book whilst visiting Buile Hill Mansion which is now a Grade II building.
It has many attractions which include tennis courts, multi use games area, gym equipment and most importantly, picnic areas.
This beautiful stretch of land is definitely a cute spot to set up your picnic – so tell your friends and head on down for a lovely day at the park.
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Address: Eccles Old Road, Salford, M6 8GL
8. Heaton Park
Last but by no means least in our post to cute picnic spots in Manchester, is none other than Heaton Park.
Heaton Park is located on the edge of Manchester and covers an area of 600 acres, making it one of the biggest parks in the UK and the largest municipal park in Europe.
Inside the grounds of the park there is Grade 1 18th century country house Heaton Hall, along with cafes, an Animal Centre, Tram Museum, bowling greens, a golf course and a boating lake.
You won’t be short of places to roll down your picnic blanket with plenty of sprawling green fields.
So, you can indulge in some alfresco food and drink with your pals!
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Address: Middleton Rd, Manchester M25 2SW
Well, that is our list of cute picnic spots in Manchester. We hope you have many glorious and fun sunny summer days.
Remember, there’s nothing more annoying than travelling all the way to the park and realising you’ve forgotten all of the picnic supplies you need!
Don’t forget to send in your lovely picnic snaps to our instagram @_homesforstudents.
Whilst we are on the topic of food, check out our 10 Tastiest Thai Restaurants To Try In Manchester. You never know, a new favourite restaurant might be around the corner, but you won’t know until you test them out.
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