If you’re anything like me, you absolutely love being in the centre of all the action. Manchester is the perfect place to be, but it can be kind of overwhelming at times. MediaCity, on the other hand, has those city centre vibes, but is a chilled out alternative. Here are my recommendations for things to do in the area from dawn (well kind of dawn, I am a student after all) until dusk.
10am: Coffee
Can you even call yourself a student if you don’t just love coffee? Don’t resist that urge to spend £5 on a silly little latte when you visit MediaCity because there are TONS of great little cafés to chill out in. You’ve got some of your well known ones such as Pret A Manger and Costa, so why not grab yourself a nice little brekkie! You won’t go hungry around here…
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca61rVmB0Y8/
1pm: Lunch
But there’s always room for lunch! If you’re in the mood for a fancy meal, check out The Alchemist for some delicious scran and some boujee cocktails as well (it’s five o‘clock somewhere). But for something a little cheaper, there’s a cheeky Nandos, Wagamamas and various other chains dotted around the campus. There’s also a shopping centre nearby which has a lot of coffee spots and restaurants in as well.
3pm: Imperial War Museum North
This is a beautiful museum that is definitely one to tick off the bucket list. Sat just next to the Quays, I would highly recommend visiting. They have some incredible displays including fighter jets, cars, handwritten letters, uniforms, and lots more. It’s the place to go for a deep-dive into history and immerse yourself in some pretty powerful exhibitions.
6pm: Shop til you drop
As I mentioned, you should definitely go and check out the shopping centre. Whilst it’s not quite the Arndale or Trafford Centre, there are still some super cute and affordable places to treat yourself. There’s also a cinema in there, free table tennis rooms for you to have a quick game with your friends and a food court to chill out in too. Great vibes…
https://www.quaysidemediacityuk.co.uk/
10pm: Drinks!
There are so many places for you to grab a drink in MediaCity. There’s the Dockyard, Seven Brothers, Prezzo, the list goes on! Or if you’re up for a bit more culture, then I would head on over to The Lowry, an amazing theatre, art and exhibition space. They have a wide range of shows depending on what mood you’re in and at a great and affordable price too. Previous shows that famously toured all over the country include ‘The Show That Goes Wrong’, ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’, ‘The Comedy About a Bank Robbery’ and more! Now you might not think going to see a show is everyone’s cup of tea, but I remember forcing my dad to come with me once and guess what…he loved it!
https://www.facebook.com/thedockyardmcuk/
https://www.sevenbro7hers.com/media-city-beerhouse/
https://www.prezzorestaurants.co.uk/
And the best is yet to come…MediaCity looks incredible at night. With all the buildings lit up and the colours bouncing off the Quays, make sure you’re there to see it!
There you go, just a couple of incredible activities you could wind up doing in a trip to MediaCity. Be sure to tag us on our socials @salforduni if you do any of these yourselves!
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