Manchester has plenty of things to do with teenagers, from immersive gaming experiences and football attractions to street art, shopping, live music and seriously good food.
Whether you live locally, are visiting Manchester for the weekend or desperately need to fill another day of the school holidays, these are some of the best teenage days out in Manchester and the activities most likely to earn something more enthusiastic than a shrug.
Because, let’s face it, teenagers can be a tough crowd.
Transparency note: Some of the attractions featured in this guide were visited as part of gifted collaborations. These are clearly marked within the relevant sections, and all opinions are my own.
Fun Activities and Experiences in Manchester for Teenagers
1. Step Inside the PAC-MAN LIVE Experience
Address: Arcade Arena Manchester, Lower Byrom Street, Manchester, M3 4FP.
AD – Our visit to the PAC-MAN LIVE Experience was gifted.
The PAC-MAN LIVE Experience takes the classic arcade game and turns it into a huge, real-life challenge.
You race around a glowing maze wearing an interactive vest, collecting points while attempting to avoid the ghosts and everyone else suddenly becoming far more competitive than expected.
When we visited, we did not stop running, laughing or sweating from beginning to end. It is fast, brilliantly chaotic and MUCH more energetic than it looks… and competitive!
Read our full PAC-MAN LIVE Experience Manchester review to see what happened when we entered the maze.
2. Race Around Chaos Karts
Address: Arcade Arena Manchester, Lower Byrom Street, Manchester, M3 4FP.
AD – Our visit to Chaos Karts Manchester was gifted.
Chaos Karts is about as close as you can get to stepping inside a real-life Mario Kart game without being attacked by an actual blue shell.
Digital tracks, obstacles and power-ups are projected around the arena while you race electric go-karts and attempt to sabotage the rest of your family.
We all had so much fun when we visited and genuinely wished the experience could have carried on for longer. I may have come last overall and earned the Peacemaker Award for my shockingly bad aim, but we do not need to dwell on that.
Find out more in our Chaos Karts Manchester review.
3. Lose Your Head at the Museum of Illusions
Address: 58-66 Market St, Manchester M1 1PW.
AD – Our visit to the Museum of Illusions Manchester was gifted.
The Museum of Illusions on Market Street is packed with mirror rooms, optical illusions and hands-on exhibits where perspective and gravity appear to have completely given up.
I went along thinking it would be a fun family attraction, but honestly, the adults had an absolute blast too. The cloning table had me questioning whether Manchester could cope with more than one of me, while the tunnel had my legs temporarily filing a formal complaint.
The pin wall completely finished us off. We were bent double laughing, repeatedly pressing ourselves into it, making shapes and trying to be sensible before failing miserably all over again.
It is interactive, brilliantly camera-roll friendly and easy to add to a day of shopping or exploring the city centre. You can see what happened during our Museum of Illusions Manchester visit on Facebook while I get the full review written.
4. Take on The Crystal Maze or The Cube
Crystal Maze Address: St Johns, Lower Byrom Street, Manchester, M3 4FP.
The Cube Address: Upper Mall, Manchester Arndale, Manchester, M4 3AB.
Manchester has two brilliant game-show experiences for families who enjoy working together or discovering precisely which family member falls apart under pressure.
The Crystal Maze includes physical, mental, mystery and skill challenges before the final dash inside the famous Crystal Dome. Over at Urban Playground in the Arndale, teams can tackle a series of deceptively tricky challenges inspired by The Cube.
Both are great options for competitive teenagers. Just remember to check the latest age restrictions and supervision rules before booking.
Liv has actually been to The Cube and said it was very good.
5. Attempt a Manchester Escape Room
Breakout Manchester Address: 87 Newton Street, Manchester, M1 1EX.
Escape Hunt Manchester Address: Unit 19, Corn Exchange, Exchange Square, Manchester, M4 3TR.
Escape rooms are perfect for teenagers who enjoy puzzles, problem-solving and proving they are considerably smarter than their parents.
Manchester city centre has plenty to choose from, including Breakout Manchester and Escape Hunt, with themes ranging from fantasy adventures and treasure hunts to murder mysteries and Wild West challenges.
Most games last around an hour. The family argument about who ignored the obvious clue may continue for considerably longer.
If you are heading to Escape Hunt, check out our guide to restaurants in the Corn Exchange to fuel up before or after your experience!
6. Watch a Gig at Albert Hall
Address: 27 Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5QR.
Taking your teenager to a proper gig can be far more memorable than booking another standard attraction, especially when the venue is as impressive as Manchester’s Albert Hall.
Set inside a restored former chapel, it has stained-glass windows, ornate balconies and plenty of beautifully crumbling character.
We first visited to watch Those Damn Crows and have since been back for Mumford & Sons’ album launch gig and a Riot Jazz show. Each night had a completely different atmosphere, but the venue was incredible every time. We absolutely love it and would happily return again and again.
Our guide to Albert Hall Manchester shows what it is like inside and what to expect when you visit. It is one of my favourite venues in the city, I hope you will love it too!
Many gigs are suitable for ages 14 and over, but always check the individual event restrictions before booking.
7. Tour Old Trafford or the Etihad Stadium
Address: Etihad Stadium, Etihad Campus, Manchester, M11 3FF.
You cannot really create a guide to Manchester for teenagers without mentioning football.
Both Old Trafford and the Etihad Stadium offer behind-the-scenes tours, giving visitors the chance to see areas normally hidden on match days.
Depending on the tour, you may be able to visit the changing rooms, walk through the players’ tunnel, sit in the dugouts and explore the media areas. Even teenagers who are not completely football obsessed may enjoy seeing what happens behind the scenes.
Free and Cheap Things to Do With Teenagers in Manchester
8. Explore Manchester Museum
Address: Manchester Museum, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester. M13 9PL.
Manchester Museum is free to visit and covers everything from dinosaurs and ancient Egypt to archaeology, wildlife and cultures from around the world.
Rather than attempting to inspect every single display case, let your teenager choose the galleries that interest them. Everyone will be happier, and you will avoid turning a free day out into an endurance challenge.
You can find more ideas in our guide to museums and galleries in Manchester.
9. Step Inside John Rylands Library
Address: John Rylands Library, 150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH.
John Rylands Library looks more like a Gothic film set than a working library.
Its stone staircases, vaulted ceilings, shadowy corridors and dramatic reading room make it a brilliant free stop for teenagers interested in books, photography, architecture or anything slightly dark and mysterious.
It is right in the city centre, so it is easy to add to a day of shopping, eating and wandering around Manchester. Check the opening times before travelling.
10. Hunt for Northern Quarter Street Art
Turn a walk through the Northern Quarter into a free street-art hunt and see who can find the best mural, strangest doorway or most impressive photo backdrop.
Start around Stevenson Square before heading through the surrounding areas including Tib Street, Oldham Street, Oak Street and head towards Ancoats.
The artwork changes regularly, so there is usually something new to spot. It also gives teenagers something to focus on while you enjoy having a nosey around the Northern Quarter.
Everyone wins.
Shopping, Food and Manchester Wandering
11. Get Lost Inside Afflecks
Address: Afflecks, 52 Church Street, Manchester, M4 1PW.
Afflecks is one of the best places in Manchester for teenagers interested in alternative fashion, anime, vintage clothing, music, jewellery, collectibles and wonderfully random items nobody knew they needed.
The independent shopping emporium is spread across several floors, with something different around practically every corner.
Allow longer than you think. “We will just pop in for ten minutes” is very rarely how a visit to Afflecks ends.
12. Eat Your Way Around the Northern Quarter
The Northern Quarter is an easy choice when your Manchester day mostly involves browsing shops, taking photos and regularly stopping for food.
There are pizza restaurants, burger joints, bakeries, dessert places and independent cafés tucked into almost every street.
Our guide to the best restaurants in Manchester’s Northern Quarter and Ancoats also includes a handy interactive map, helping you avoid spending 45 minutes walking around while everyone repeatedly says, “I don’t mind.”
They absolutely do mind.
13. Create Your Own Haunted Manchester Walk
Manchester has no shortage of eerie buildings, unsettling stories and supposedly haunted locations.
Use our guide to the most haunted places in Manchester to create your own self-guided spooky walk around the city.
It is completely free, different from a standard sightseeing route and a great option for older teenagers interested in ghost stories, dark history or the slightly stranger side of Manchester.
Rainy-Day Ideas for Teenagers in Manchester
14. Play Through Gaming History at Power Up
Address: Science and Industry Museum, Liverpool Rd, Manchester M3 4JP.
Power Up at the Science and Industry Museum brings together consoles and games from across several decades.
Teenagers can move between retro classics, racing games, multiplayer challenges and newer releases, while parents confidently insist that games were much harder in their day.
Power Up operates on selected dates, so check the latest timetable before heading into Manchester.
15. Visit the National Football Museum
Address: Urbis Building, Cathedral Gardens, Manchester, M4 3BG.
The National Football Museum is not only for people who can recite every Premier League result since 1992.
Alongside shirts, trophies and football history, there are interactive exhibits, changing displays and activities that make it a solid option for a rainy Manchester day.
Check the latest ticket prices and Manchester resident entry offers before visiting.
How to Plan a Manchester Day Out With Teenagers
Finding things to do in Manchester with teenagers does not have to mean spending the entire day shopping or handing over a small fortune for one enormous attraction.
The best option is often to mix things up.
Combine a ticketed experience such as Chaos Karts, PAC-MAN LIVE or the Museum of Illusions with a free museum, a wander around the Northern Quarter and somewhere good to eat.
You will see more of Manchester, keep the costs slightly more manageable and hopefully avoid hearing “I’m bored” before lunchtime.
Have we missed somewhere brilliant? Let us know, especially if it has received the official approval of an actual teenager!
