Visiting Manchester and area as a tourist

Arriving at Manchester airport on a sunday in march and have time to kill until monday afternoon. Is the city worth a look or would you think it's nicer staying somewhere in the peak district (Buxton maybe?). Will be on my own, no car.

Hire one. depends on your interest - Jodrell bank radio telescope is good if u that way inclined.
Interested my son (then 8yrs)

Take a car into the peaks, or London, or anywhere. Don't bother with Manchester unless you want to shop.

for crack.

Stop Stop...Manchester city centre is more pleasant than the pile of shite I'm sitting in right now namely London (smelly town)...I've seen two stations in the last few days that could do with a renovation and are made of wood...wood for fcuk sake... Great way to stop a fire...

Anyhow, let me me defend my home town. The town centre is cleaner and easier to get around than London. If you like restaurants you can head for the PrintWorks which has loads of bars and restaurants in there. Ranges from Wagammas to chains selling chicken - it is busy and you will see loads of dolled up birds maybe on Sunday too. There is also the Manchester Eye nearby and the Northern Imperial War Museum...

It would be a bit far to head for the outskirts so I would suggest a day looking at the centre. There is the new Arts centre and we've got Lowry Arts centre which is like the Barbican in London. There is also the Granada Studio Tour. There is a bus that is free in the town centre and stop at all the main points...Picaddily Station to Print Works/Deansgate...

So take the chance see something new and forget London...

PS. I forgot if it's a nice day you can hang out around the pubs near the Bar Barcelona (forgot the name of the area but it's at the bottom of Deansgate)...There a few cools pubs with people drinking, eating and hanging out and looking at the nice northern girls...

Thanks stanford, I knew there had to be more about M. than shopping for cheap drugs.

Or have a look here: http://www.visitmanchester.com/

Get the train directly from the airport into the city centre. Takes about 20 mins and costs about 3 GBP for a return ticket.
Get off at Deansgate station and explore. As Stanford said, there are some nice bars in the Castlefield area like Barca, The Knott and Atlas. You can also get the Metrolink from there to other parts of the city.

It's nice to walk around the city centre, especially since they re-did it after the IRA bombing! I visited the Urbis museum the last time I was there, and would recommend it. You've only got 1 day or less, so I wouldn't bother going too far awy when Manchester has lots to offer itself. However if you do prefer the countryside, you could always go to the Lake District or the Peaks, but that'd involve driving a couple or a few hours.

Go to Man City's Trophy Exhibition, won't add much to your time spent in Manchester.

Thanks for all your input, Manchester turned out to be much more interesting than I expected it to be. Esp. liked the Lowry. the museum for science and industry and all the canals and bridges. Sunday and Monday evening the city made a bit of a deserted impression, though. Just not the right time of the week and not the right weather, probably.

I'll be in Manchester for the weekend. Unfortunatly my friend has to work now. Any ideas what I have to see or what I could do during those work hours of his?

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What sort of things do you like to do?

Museums, parks, architecture?

Cool bars and clubs?

they often have nice fireworks displays in Moss side. plus they have a thriving market in recreational goods. well worth a visit.

Check here.

I liked the Urbis museum.