Landscapes filled with lakes, estuaries buzzing with birdlife and revolutionary cities with sporting histories: the North West has something for everyone. Explore iconic cities that are as famous for their music scenes as their grand industrial buildings and museums. Hear The Beatles resonate from street corners in Liverpool and the Stone Roses and Oasis rock in fashionable Manchester. Switch off the sound in the Lake District as you retrace trails between ethereal peaks, fells and tarn lakes. Or head for the bright lights of the seaside under hedonistic Blackpool's blazing seafront illuminations. Welcome to a sports lovers' paradise with county crickets grounds, iconic horse races and Premiership football clubs to boot.
North West England
Eat, drink, shop and play till late at Camp and Furnace
Camp and Furnace is all about fun: whether you want to play a game of Monopoly, go vintage shopping or sing-a-long with the music.
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
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
Experience the Blitz spirit at Stockport Air Raid Shelters
See how Britain survived the Blitz as you negotiate this dark labyrinth of tunnels at Stockport Air Raid Shelters.
Location: Stockport, 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
Sip cocktails and soak up panoramic views of Manchester at Cloud 23
If you’ve got a head for heights and a taste for good cocktails, go to Manchester’s highest bar with a view.
Location: Deansgate, Manchester
Wander Blackpool’s small but perfectly formed Model Village
See English rural life through a microscope and marvel at the exquisite detail of these handmade figurines, at Blackpool’s Model Village.
Location: Blackpool, Lancashire
Go to Liverpool Sound City, an innovative music, film and art festival
Get a ticket for one of the UK’s largest international music, digital and film festivals.
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
August events: International Beatleweek
Get swept up in Beatlemania as fans from all over the world descend on the city where it all started.
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
Be seduced by ritzy Blackpool and its mighty Tower
Soar to dizzying heights at Blackpool Tower, whirl around on its famous dance floor and be dazzled by ‘the greatest free light show on earth’.
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
Enjoy beer and cycling at Manchester Beer & Cider Festival
There are hundreds of beers, ales and ciders to test out as you watch the cyclists whizz by at the Manchester Beer & Cider Festival.
Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester
Rainy Day Activities: Aim for a strike at All Star Lanes
Bowling, dining, cocktails and perhaps a touch of karaoke - a simple combination of indoor activities that guarantee a memorable boutique experience.
Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester
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
Enjoy a romantic city break at Oddfellows
With its gorgeous Georgian architecture, Oddfellows is the perfect place to have a romantic break away.
Location: Chester, Cheshire
December events: Start off your Christmas season in Chester
Visit Santa, sip on mulled wine and spend the weekend celebrating all things festive in the beautiful city of Chester.
Location: Chester, Cheshire
Rekindle your love with a romantic weekend break in Chester
Stroll hand in hand around the ancient Roman Walls, take a romantic boat trip along the River Dee and go for a delicious dinner in Chester.
Location: Chester, Cheshire
Delve into delicious food in Manchester’s Exchange Square
Enjoy fine food, delightful drinks, impressive architecture and remarkable views in some of Manchester’s best and newest restaurants and bars.
Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester
Indulge in a tripple at Manchester’s Beer and Cider Festival
If beer and cider are your passion don’t miss this CAMRA-organised festival at Manchester the Velodrome between 25th - 27th January 2018.
Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester