Manchester is one of the culture capitals in the UK, with its seemingly never ending nightlife scene, awesome family-fueled activities and plenty of group activities to enjoy with your mates.
There are so many fun activities in Manchester that it can be a little overwhelming to know which things are actually worth doing while you’re there.
If you’re looking for fun activities for adults in Manchester, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve compiled a list of our most recommended fun things to do with your friends for an epic day or night out in the city!
All of these fun things to do in Manchester with your mates are conveniently located near our awesome Manchester city centre hotel, so you can enjoy a wonderful stay in an incredible central location.
Fun things to do in Manchester
Manchester is one of the UK’s most eccentric and vibrant cities, with a whole host of fantastic things to do for groups of all ages. Take a look at our highly recommended fun things to do in Manchester below.
1. Visit the Crystal Maze Experience
Inspired by the beloved 90s TV show, the Crystal Maze Experience Manchester describes itself as the “ultimate team experience” so whether you’re looking for a team-building activity in Manchester, or you just want to have a tonne of fun with your mates, this is sure to be a winner for you and your friends!
90s kids are sure to love this activity in Manchester as it’ll let you live out your childhood fantasies of running riot while screaming and shouting at your teammates for assistance. You’ll have to work together and it’s likely to get pretty competitive at times, but it’s so much fun and such a great way to spend an afternoon in Manchester.
2. Have a game of ping pong at Twenty Twenty Two
Located in the heart of the Northern Quarter, less than a 15-minute walk from our Manchester hotel, Twenty Twenty Two awaits you and your friends with open arms, a tonne of beer and some epic games.
Open seven days a week until 1 am Sunday to Thursday and 4am on Friday and Saturday, Twenty Twenty Two is Manchester’s premier ping pong bar. Here you can hire a ping pong table for 30 minutes for just £5 or you can set up a game of beer pong to get real competitive with your friends.
You can even hire a private room for special events such as birthday parties, stag parties or hen weekends so that you and your friends can have an incredible night of fun and games in one of the coolest venues in Manchester.
If you’re looking for a fun night out in Manchester that’s a bit different to your usual bar crawl, a visit to Twenty Twenty Two is an absolute must!
3. Get competitive at Junkyard Golf
Junkyard Golf is home to three awesome crazy golf courses unlike anything you’ve ever seen before! Forget what you think you know about crazy golf, as this place has reinvented the wheel when it comes to indoor fun with putters.
As well as games of mini-golf, you can also enjoy a delicious selection of cocktails, craft beers and spirits, and maybe place bets on who will win and who will lose; loser buys the next round!
Junkyard Golf is just a 10-minute walk from our Manchester city centre hotel, so if you happen to have one too many beverages while playing, you’ll be delighted to know that it’s only a short walk back to your cosy hotel room!
4. Go on a silent disco tour
You might have heard of a silent disco before and you might have even been to one, but have you ever been on a silent disco tour?
Manchester Silent Disco Adventures offer bespoke tours through the city while you wear your headphones and dance the night away. This is a great group activity to enjoy for any occasion such as birthdays, hen dos or stag parties, as it’s different from your usual run-of-the-mill night out.
The tours usually last around 60 minutes and depending on the different seasons and times of the year, you can even embark on themed tours such as a festive silent disco, which is perfect for your annual Christmas night out.
5. Visit Bongo’s Bingo
Bongo’s Bingo offers a modern twist on a classic game giving you a lively evening of traditional bingo combined with crazy nightclub vibes and the chance to take part in raves and dance-offs throughout the night.
It’s certainly not your usual form of entertainment, but it’s an incredibly fun and cheesy experience to enjoy with your mates while in Manchester. You’ll even get the chance to win some truly wacky prizes, ranging from Henry Hoovers to celebrity cut-outs to cash! It’s a whirlwind experience for everyone involved but it’s undoubtedly one of the best and craziest experiences in Manchester.
6. Take a cocktail masterclass
A cocktail masterclass is something that can be enjoyed in most cities around the UK, but Manchester’s eclectic nightlife scene makes it one of the best places to enjoy an evening of cocktail making with the gals.
There are dozens of bars in Manchester city centre that offer immersive cocktail-making classes, including places like Revolution Manchester, The Alchemist, MOJO Bar and Dirty Martini. The best thing about this activity is that even if one of your group doesn’t drink alcohol, they can still join in with the fun and opt for mocktails instead.
Attending a cocktail masterclass allows you to sharpen your bartending skills and enjoy an evening of sipping yummy drinks without following the usual rigmarole of simply sitting in a bar and drinking.
7. Beat your pals at Treetop Adventure Golf
If Junkyard Golf doesn’t tickle your fancy as a crazy golf venue in Manchester, then Treetop Adventure Golf surely will.
Located in the Printworks, Treetop Adventure Golf is one of the best indoor activities for groups in Manchester and it’s the perfect rainy day activity. It’s a rainforest-themed crazy golf attraction that’s ideal for groups of all ages, so whether you’re heading to Manchester on a casual night out or you’re planning someone’s 30th birthday party, Treetop Adventure Golf should be a strong contender on your list of things to do in the city as a group.
It’s not quite as hectic as Junkyard Golf, but it’s certainly worth the money at just £15 for two courses (36 holes).
8. Work as a team at Escape Room Breakout Manchester
Escape rooms have gained a lot of popularity in the UK in the last few years and Breakout Manchester is an escape room adventure that you’re sure to love if you’re visiting the city with friends.
Breakout allows you to work in teams of 2-5 people and you have 1 hour to escape the room by working together to solve puzzles, clues and riddles. It can be quite an intense group activity, but the gratification of solving the challenges as a team is very rewarding and a lot of fun!
One great thing about Breakout Manchester is that they have several different themed escape rooms, so you can visit time and again and experience a different room every time. From Zombie Lab to Most Wanted to Sabotage, choose the room that you and your friends want to tackle and try your hand at being puzzle-solvers. Best of all, Breakout is less than a mile stroll from our Manchester city centre hotel, so you don’t have to travel far to have tonnes of fun.
9. Have fun at Black Dog Ballroom bowling
The Dog Bowl bowling alley at Black Dog Ballroom offers a quintessentially nostalgic night out. Combining an electric New York-inspired bowling alley with throwback tunes and retro arcade games, Dog Bowl is undoubtedly one of the best nights out in Manchester.
Once you’ve hit all your strikes on the bowling lane, you can play some vintage video and arcade games such as Space Invaders, Pacman, RoboCop and more.
10. Go on a football stadium tour
A football stadium tour might not be something that’s to everyone’s taste. However with Manchester being the home of football with two of the UK’s most famous football teams, Man City and Man United, a football stadium tour is an essential part of any visit to Manchester.
Whether you’re team red or team blue, you can tour both stadiums on your visit to the city. There’s really nothing better than heading to Old Trafford or the Etihad Stadium (whichever team you support) to kick off your weekend in Manchester!
Your Base For Fun Activities in Manchester
With so much fun to be had in Manchester with your friends, you’re going to want to maximise your time. This means taking advantage of the hotel rooms right in Manchester city centre that Maldron has to offer. Ideally located near all the fun activities Manchester has to offer.
