Budget
Being on a budget doesn’t mean you have to scrimp and save on fun. We’ve plenty of ideas for cheap weekend breaks to take the pressure off your purse. With such rich landscapes you won’t need to spend much at all, just grab your bike or pull on your hiking boots and explore the countryside before tucking into a picnic hamper in front of a panoramic view that inspired Brontë or Turner. Next, soak up the works of those creative masterminds in any number of free museums and art galleries on cheap holidays in UK cities too. And nothing helps you get under the skin of a place like a free guided tour from a local Greeter.
Walk Cheshire’s beautiful Sandstone Trail
Take a walk on the wild side discovering the ancient market town of Frodsham, Georgian Whitchurch and everything in between.
Location: Frodsham, Cheshire
Savour your scoops at The Ice Cream Farm
Keep the kids happy with more than 40 delicious flavours of ice cream, an outdoor play area, farm, quad bikes, mini golf and more...
Location: Tattenhall, Cheshire
Discover 1,000 years of history at Chester Cathedral
Journey through hundreds of years of history and discover hidden spaces as you climb to the top of the cathedral tower.
Location: Chester, Cheshire
View Chester from an open-top vintage bus
Ride the open-top vintage bus on a Chester Tour and see the city’s archaeological and architectural heritage.
Location: Chester, Cheshire
Picnic in Blackpool’s largest park
Stanley Park, in the heart of Blackpool, is renowned for being one of the region's finest parks.
Location: Blackpool, Lancashire
September events: Be blown away at St Annes International Kite Festival
St Annes hosts the spectacular annual Kite Festival, featuring magnificent kites from all over the world.
Location: St Annes on Sea, Lancashire
Take a wander around Brotherswater
The Lake District in Cumbria is famous for its stunning landscapes of lakes and fells and is the perfect place for family walks of all ages.
Location: Ambleside, Cumbria
See unusual sculptures in Grizedale Forest
Discover the unexpected, the quirky, the confounding and the confusing in Grizedale Forest with a whole host of art inspired by the landscape.
Location: Windermere, Cumbria
Take in 'Swallows and Amazons' landscapes on a relaxing cruise
Take a trip around the landscape used in the film ‘Swallows and Amazons’ and discover what inspired Arthur Ransome to write his famous book.
Location: Derwentwater, Cumbria
Marvel at Liverpool’s architectural heritage
Stroll along the waterfront for some of Liverpool's many architectural treasures.
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
Hunt for the witches in the woods of Pendle
Embark on the interactive Pendle Sculpture Trail, and find the witches ceramic plaques in an atmospheric woodland setting.
Location: Pendle, Lancashire
Imperial War Museum North
Get an insight into the wars and conflicts that have shaped both England and the world at the Imperial War Museum North.
Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester
Take your pick from Liverpool’s rich cultural gems
Liverpool is a thriving capital of culture with museums and galleries for every taste, many of which are free to explore. Dip in and emerge inspired.
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
Bird watching in St Bees
The largest seabird colony on the west coast of England is at St Bees Head.
Location: St Bees, Cumbria
See how the Chinese party as they usher in the New Year
Manchester’s Chinatown is transformed as lanterns, food stalls and a Dragon Parade take over the streets of the city.
Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester
Rainy Day Activities: Explore Earth and space at Liverpool’s World Museum
Need ideas on things to do when it rains? Visit one of North West England’s oldest museums and get a hands-on look at our planet from the oceans to the stars.
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
Admire Blackpool's light fantastic
Every autumn, Blackpool lights up the Lancashire skies with a sparkling spectacle that has to be seen to be believed.
Location: Blackpool, Lancashire
Rainy Day Activities: Venture beneath the city on the Mersey Tunnel Tour
Take a sneak peak at the famous Queensway Mersey Tunnel - a unique indoor attraction close to Liverpool's bustling docks.
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
Enjoy a budget break at Euro Hostel Liverpool
Spend a weekend in Liverpool and stay at a hostel with a difference – it’s dormitories, but not as you know it.
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
Titanic & Liverpool: the untold story
Titanic & Liverpool: the untold story tells Titanic’s story from unique Liverpool perspectives, including Captain Smith and the 120 crew with Merseyside links.
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
Experience life in a WWI trench at the Lancashire Museum
Tens of thousands of proud Lancastrians perished in the Great War, whose experiences in the trenches are brought to life at the Museum of Lancashire in Preston.
Location: Preston, Lancashire