14 Fun Things To Do in Manchester for Adults

You won't be surprised to learn that the bustling city of Manchester has lots of fun things for adults to do.

Here's our pick of the best fun activities for grown-ups that the city has to offer:

The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience

Fans of the hit 90s TV series The Crystal Maze will love this opportunity to take on the puzzles and challenges for themselves.

As in the TV show, the play area is divided into four themed zones:  Medieval, Industrial, Aztec and Futuristic.

Solve the themed challenges against the clock to collect crystals, and the more you collect, the more time you'll have in the iconic Crystal Dome to collect gold tokens.

Billed as the ultimate team challenge, what could be more fun than getting some mates together and running around, shouting at each other and generally getting over-excited while collecting as many crystals as you can?

https://the-crystal-maze.com/manchester/

Manchester Bites 3 Hour Food Tour

Manchester is an amazing and diverse city, and a wonderful place to eat provided you know where to go.

On a Manchester Bites Food Tour, a local guide will help you explore and learn about the city, while sampling some of the best food available in the city, and meeting the people and communities that make it.

The Manchester Food Tour - From Canals to Canapés includes 10 tastings over three hours in the Ancoats and Northern Quarter areas of the city.

Explore the back streets and canals and sample delicious food from the excellent restaurants that now inhabit the refurbished mills and warehouses, while discovering the history of Manchester's industrial past.

Manchester Bites also offer a Vegan Food Tour with 8 tastings of the best vegan food Manchester has to offer in the city centre, Northern Quarter and Medieval District.

The Manchester Food Tour costs £55 for adults (£60 for the Vegan Food Tour).

https://manchesterbites.com/

Whistle Punks Urban Axe Throwing

In a place that rains as much as Manchester, you might be looking for indoor activities for adults that the weather can't disrupt.  One activity that you may not have tried before is Axe Throwing.

Get a team of up to 10 friends together and book a session at Whistle Punks.

Sessions are 70 minutes long and start with a full safety briefing.  Your instructor will then teach you how to throw axes at the target.

Once you've got the hang of it, you'll compete against each other in a tournament and even learn some trick shots.

There's a well-stocked bar for refreshments with a great selection of craft beers, delicious cocktails and soft drinks plus sourdough pizza.

Axe Throwing is definitely for Adults Only - the minimum age is 18 and you'll need to bring ID.

https://whistlepunks.com/location/manchester/

Silent Disco Adventure Manchester

Feel part of something amazing when you take part in the Silent Disco Adventure in Manchester.

Somewhere between a sightseeing tour, a club night and a flashmob, you can lose yourself in the music and show off all your best moves in a dance-fuelled tour of Manchester you'll never forget.

Definitely one of the best fun things to do with friends in Manchester - your silent disco adventure will take about 60 minutes.

https://silentadventures.co.uk/manchester/

National Football Museum

If you're a football fan, what could be better than visiting a museum dedicated to the beautiful game?

Ok, a World Cup win would probably be better - but that might be some time away and you could visit the National Football Museum today! 

As well as seeing displays of important objects like the FA Cup silverware, you can try your hand at interactive games and even test your skills in the penalty shootout against a virtual keeper.

You can even have your photo taken with the replica Premier League trophy.

https://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/

Explore Chinatown

A visit to bustling Chinatown is always great fun - and not just for the food!

Check out the stunning ornamental arch on Faulkner Street at the entrance to Manchester's Chinatown - welcoming you to the second-largest Chinatown area in the UK.

The arch was made in China and shipped to Manchester in three containers.

The area has a wide range of restaurants to explore, offering superb Chinese food, and you'll also find Japanese, Korean and Thai cuisine, and more to enjoy.

iFly Indoor Skydiving

Visit iFly in Manchester to experience the thrill of skydiving - without having to jump out of an aeroplane!

Manchester is home to iFly's first 14ft diameter vertical wind tunnel in the UK, so you'll have plenty of space to fly.

You'll receive virtual flight training before you arrive, and your instructor will recap everything you need to know on the day.

Once you're suited-up you can step into the wind tunnel with your instructor and experience free-fall with wind speeds of up to 180mph!

The walls of the tunnel are transparent, so you'll also get a great view of others in your group enjoying their flights.

There's even a Virtual Reality enhanced flight option that simulates a skydive from an aeroplane - if you're feeling adventurous.

Definitely one of the most high-adrenaline activities Manchester has to offer.

https://www.iflyworld.co.uk/locations/manchester/

Treasure Hunt Manchester

See the best that Manchester has to offer in a unique and fun way by taking part in a treasure hunt.

As you solve the clues you'll see the sights like Canal Street, Central Library, the Town Hall and Spinningfields.

Follow the treasure maps to discover things most people miss like what's buried under Alan Turing's bench.

You're free to go at your own pace, stopping for refreshments, or just soaking up the atmosphere as often as you like.

https://treasurehuntmanchester.com/

Immersive Gamebox

For a unique, immersive group gaming experience, check out Immersive Gamebox:

Step into your team's private Gamebox and choose one of the exciting games on offer - many are ideal for grown-up players

With motion tracking, touch screens and surround sound you'll all be fully immersed in the gameplay.

Sessions are 30 or 60 minutes long - and the time will fly by as you take an Alien Aptitude Test, play Block Smash Mania as never before, infiltrate Casino Tropicale as James Bunny or take on the Psychedelic Mansion.

Whatever you choose, gaming will never seem quite the same again, and as it's located in the Arndale Centre, it's one of the best fun things to do in Manchester city centre.

https://immersivegamebox.com/locations/manchester-arndale/

Manchester Gin

Visit the Spirit of Manchester Distillery where Manchester Gin is made and see where the magic happens.

If you like gin, you'll love the Distillery Tour and Guided Tasting:  Enjoy a G&T when you arrive, a tutored tasting of four different gins, followed by a guided tour of the distillery with a friendly and knowledgable guide.  

For gin enthusiasts there's the Gin Making Experience where you get a chance to make your very own gin:

Starting with a G&T and distillery tour, your guided tasting will help you understand your palette and choose your favourite botanicals.  You can then distil your very own spirit and add your choice of botanicals to create a unique bottle of gin to take home.

Whichever option you choose, you'll get 10% off any purchases you make in the shop and 10% off the bill in the Three Little Words restaurant and bar.

The Spirit of Manchester Distillery offers a range of other fun activities for adults including "Taste the Distillery" and "Gin-Making for Two" - check the website for details.

https://manchestergin.co.uk/distillery/

Segway Adventure at Tatton Park

There's nothing quite like the thrill of riding a Segway and there's nowhere better to do it than Tatton Park near Manchester.

Your experience will start with instruction on how to ride the Segway, and some short games to build your skill and experience.

Once you've got the hang of things, you'll be taken on a guided tour with obstacles to avoid.  Then you'll be free to use the speed of your Segway and practice your skills as you explore. 

If you're looking for outdoor activities this is ideal - you'll enjoy stunning views across the park as you enjoy exploring the woods and open areas of Tatton Park - one of the UK's most beautiful estates.

You can choose from 30 or 60 minute Segway experiences at weekends or a weekday 60 minute Segway experience.  Whatever you choose you're sure to have a blast!

https://www.segwayevents.co.uk/locations/manchester-tatton-park

ChillFactore

If you're looking for a cool activity in Manchester, with 1,300 tonnes of real snow at a steady -4 degrees C, what could be better than a session of skiing or snowboarding at ChillFactore?

ChillFactore is the UK’s longest indoor real snow slope, with 180m of pristine real snow to enjoy - and all within 4 miles of Manchester city centre.

There are ski and snowboard lessons for groups of adult beginners, and more advanced lessons too, so whether you've never set foot on the slopes before, or you're a seasoned skier, there's something perfect for you.

ChillFactore also offers a beginner slope Snow Park activities including Downhill Donuts and even a 60m luge - which is unique in the UK.

When you've finished showing off on the slope, you can enjoy a bite to eat at The Lodge Bar & Kitchen, Nando's or Wetherspoons "Castle in the Air". 

https://www.chillfactore.com/

Ride the Trams at Heaton Park

Step back in time and enjoy a ride on a classic mode of transport at Heaton Park Tramway.

They have a range of beautiful historic trams in operation including a double-deck Manchester tram dating from 1901, a Stockport double-deck tram from the same year, and various trams from Blackpool, Hull and Oldham.

Adults over 21 can even try their hand at tram driving by purchasing one of the Tram Driver Experiences on offer - an unforgettable experience for vintage transport enthusiasts.

As well as the trams themselves there's an extensive collection of models and tramway artefacts to explore.

http://hptramway.co.uk/

Escape Hunt Manchester

With Escape Hunt Manchester you can choose from 6 exciting escape rooms, or 3 outdoor experiences. There's even an option to play at home!

The escape rooms offer themed experiences that will test your problem-solving skills to the max and you'll need to work as a team to complete your mission.

Choose from the Doctor Who themed "Worlds Collide", Pirate's Treasure, Escape the Wild West, Alice in Puzzleland, The Fourth Samurai or The Last Vikings.

The Outdoor experiences offer an adventure in the city that's somewhere between fiction and reality, using geolocation technology and augmented reality to create a thrilling experience.

Choose from three outdoor games - Time Cops, Operation Mindfall or Magic Portal - whichever experience you choose, you'll have a fantastic time.

https://escapehunt.com/uk/manchester/

We hope you've enjoyed this selection of fun things to do in Manchester for adults.  It's great to know that the fun doesn't have to stop when you grow up!

Check out our other articles on Manchester:

For more great information about what to do in Manchester, check out our main Things to do in Manchester page.

If you're travelling on a budget, our Best Free Things to do in Manchester has lots of ideas for things to do that won't cost a penny.

Our Fun Things to do in Manchester page has lots of exciting ideas for the family, and if you're visiting as a couple, our Romantic Things to do in Manchester has some great ideas to make your break special.