The 14 Best Day Trips from Manchester
How far each place is, what to see there, and a plan for the day.
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There are 14 good day trips from Manchester, United Kingdom, led by Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds. The closest is Preston, about 50 min by car, and 6 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.
Built from 14 nearby places, with sights from real traveler trips, on Packy AI. Last updated November 2026 by the Packy AI Travel Team.
Day trips from Manchester
- 1
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 45 min by car113 km south of ManchesterKnown for Cadbury World.
- 2
Sheffield, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car52 km east of Manchester - 3
Leeds, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 5 min by car57 km north-east of Manchester - 4
Liverpool, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car50 km west of Manchester - 5
Leicester, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 50 min by car119 km south-east of Manchester - 6
Bradford, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 55 min by car47 km north-east of Manchester - 7
Coventry, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr by car129 km south of Manchester - 8
Birkenhead, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car52 km west of Manchester - 9
Nottingham, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 25 min by car93 km south-east of Manchester - 10
Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr by car129 km east of Manchester - 11
Preston, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 50 min by car44 km north-west of Manchester - 12
Derby, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 15 min by car80 km south-east of Manchester - 13
Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 35 min by car100 km south of Manchester - 14
Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car53 km south of Manchester
A sample day: Manchester to Birmingham
- 07:30Leave Manchester
- 09:15Arrive in Birmingham (1 hr 45 min drive)
- 09:30Cadbury World
- 11:30Lunch
- 12:45Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Birmingham
- 15:15Head back to Manchester
- 17:00Home in Manchester
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best day trips from Manchester?
- The best day trips from Manchester are Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool, Leicester. The closest is Preston, about 50 min away by car.
- What is the closest day trip from Manchester?
- Preston is the closest, 44 km north-west of Manchester, roughly 50 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
- Where can I go within an hour of Manchester?
- 6 places are within about an hour's drive of Manchester: Preston (50 min), Bradford (55 min), Liverpool (1 hr), Sheffield (1 hr), Birkenhead (1 hr), Stoke-on-Trent (1 hr).
- What is the biggest city near Manchester for a day out?
- Birmingham is the largest city in day-trip range, 113 km south of Manchester and about 1 hr 45 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
- Where can I go for a weekend from Manchester?
- For a weekend away from Manchester, pick the places far enough to be worth a night: Kingston upon Hull (129 km, 2 hr), Coventry (129 km, 2 hr), Leicester (119 km, 1 hr 50 min), Birmingham (113 km, 1 hr 45 min). Closer places on this list work better as a single day.
- How far is too far for a day trip from Manchester?
- Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Kingston upon Hull at 129 km, around 2 hr by car.
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