Castleton attractions

On this 60-minute round-trip river cruise, you’ll go through the historic Manchester Ship Canal and Salford Quays. You’ll get a unique perspective of Manchester’s industrial heritage and its contemporary dynamism. As you traverse the waterways, you’ll listen to an engaging English commentary about the tales behind the canal, its emblematic structures and the landmarks that have molded the city’s skyline. You can gain insights into the city's industrial heritage and history from your onboard audio guide. You'll also get the chance to view historic monuments such as Stephenson's Bridge and the famous Pump House.

This one-hour canal cruise will take you on a whistle-stop tour of Skipton with the award-winning comedian Dave Spikey, best known to audiences for his roles in 'Phenix Nights', 'Bullseye' and '8 out of 10 Cats'. As you sail down the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Spikey will share anecdotes and fascinating stories relating to the region. You'll discover how important the canal was for Yorkshire throughout the Industrial Revolution. Food and drinks will be available for purchase onboard, and you'll be able to soak up views of the rolling Yorkshire Dales as you go.

On the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway you'll ride in historic rail vehicles through the picturesque edges of the Yorkshire Dales. The service is a return trip with a pause at the halfway station while the locomotive is turned. During that stop you're welcome to step off, look around the station and visit the café and gift shop as the train is prepared for the return. The type of train in use varies by day and may be substituted at short notice. Trains you may travel on include 1950s steam services made up of restored Mark One carriages with bay seating and large picture windows; the vintage set of carriages from the 1890s–1920s, more recognisable to Victorian travellers and including coaches from companies such as the Great North of Scotland and even one built for Princess Alice; and the NER 1903 Autocar, a pre‑First World War self‑propelled carriage lavishly refitted and restored by the 1903 Electric Autocar Trust with National Lottery Heritage Fund support, which has won awards and attracted press interest. Some services can accommodate a wheelchair space; contact the railway to confirm accessibility.

SEA LIFE Manchester takes you into an underwater world where you’ll enjoy close-up views of marine life. At the attraction you’ll walk past 30 display tanks and through an ocean tunnel that brings you near creatures large and small. Expect to see everything from humble starfish and seahorses to graceful rays and powerful sharks among more than 5,000 sea creatures on display. As you move through the exhibits, the layout lets you pause and watch different species in detail. The ocean tunnel gives an immersive perspective on life beneath the waves, and many of the tanks offer reassuringly close views — to get any closer you would have to get wet. The visit is offered in a small group limited to five travellers, so your experience will feel more personal and relaxed.

At the National Football Museum in Manchester you'll explore four floors of galleries and exhibitions devoted to the game. In the Pitch Gallery you can have your photo taken with the replica Premier League and Women's Super League trophies, alongside temporary exhibitions and workshops that may be running during your visit. As you move upstairs, the Match Gallery houses the museum’s most significant and rare items. You’ll see the original 'Laws of the Game', the oldest surviving FA Cup Trophy, the 1966 World Cup match ball and Jules Rimet Trophy, plus the statue of Lily Parr. The Play Gallery gives you a hands-on opportunity to try aspects of the beautiful game, with interactive games and a junior discovery zone. Highlights include the skills zone and the shot stopper game. Finally, the Score Gallery is dedicated to the museum’s programme of special exhibitions — check the museum website for details of what will be on during your visit.

This self-guided audio walking tour of Manchester traces a city that refused to accept the status quo. Across 20 stops and a four-kilometre route, you’ll connect two thousand years of radical history, from the Peterloo Massacre and the suffragettes to Alan Turing’s story and the IRA bomb that rebuilt the city centre. Along the way you’ll hear stories many tours skip: cotton workers who chose conscience over survival, a Cold War bunker beneath Chinatown, and even a postbox that survived Britain’s largest peacetime bomb. You’ll set your own pace, start anytime and pause whenever you like, with no group to keep up with and no fixed schedule. Over 500 travellers have taken this Manchester audio tour, and more than 20,000 people have used the provider’s self-guided tours worldwide. A full refund guarantee is offered, so you can book with confidence.

Sightseeing Manchester’s Open-Top Bus Tour will introduce you to the city’s rich past and present. Manchester is renowned as the birthplace of the industrial revolution and has a proud history in science, music, the arts and sport. As you travel on the open top, you’ll hear English commentary by actor Dominic Monaghan (known for Lord of the Rings and Lost), which will add context to the places you pass. Along the route you can enjoy some of Manchester’s most famous sights, including Manchester United Football Club and the Museum of Science and Industry. The commentary and views will help you understand how the city’s industrial roots shaped its cultural scene and sporting legacy. Whether you’re visiting the UK from overseas or simply planning a trip to Manchester, the tour will give you an engaging, informative overview and leave you with a clearer sense of the city’s history and highlights.

With this ticket, you’ll get to explore multiple underwater zones and see over 2,000 aquatic creatures. You’ll discover themed areas featuring different habitats with interactive elements, including the Rocky Hideout underwater caves and Ocean Tunnel. Here you can see species as diverse as blacktip reef sharks, clownfish, green sea turtles, piranhas and tropical fish. You’ll also be able to learn about the life cycle of turtles in the Turtle Beach show.

You’ll explore Manchester with a local who has called the city home for 25 years and has spent the past nine working as an independent guide. Along the way, they’ll share the stories and history that made them fall in love with Manchester, giving context to the places you pass and the people who shaped the city. The walk focuses on the city centre, so you’ll see the main attractions and hear local insights rather than a long, general overview. Because the guide limits group numbers, you’ll enjoy a more personal experience and have the chance to get to know them and the other guests. If you have only a short time in Manchester, or if you want to uncover its secrets while visiting the central sights, this tour is an ideal way to feel oriented and connected to the city.

Travelling through the Yorkshire Dales, you’ll enjoy First Class service in reserved seats in the Dales Dining carriages while steam passes your window. The experience pairs fresh, hot food with scenic views of the Dales. Meals are sourced from the award‑winning Bizzie Lizzie’s of Skipton and are prepared for you to eat onboard, giving a relaxed way to enjoy the countryside as you travel. You’ll be served freshly prepared Fish & Chips or Sausage & Chips, and a vegetarian option of vegetable lasagne is available. Along the way, you can savour your meal in the comfort of the dining carriage, taking in the landscape of rolling hills and valleys as you go. The focus is on a comfortable, food‑centred journey through the Yorkshire Dales with quality local fare provided by Bizzie Lizzie’s.

LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre at Trafford Palazzo in Manchester’s shopping city is an indoor LEGO® play space where you can learn, build and enjoy a range of hands-on attractions. Along the way you’ll take part in Master Model Builder workshops to pick up building tips, ride the Kingdom Quest laser ride to zap skeletons, and try Merlin’s Apprentice and the LEGO® City: Forest Pursuit Driving School. There’s also a LEGO® Ninjago Laser Training camp for more active play. You’ll also see MINILAND®, where Manchester’s top attractions are recreated in LEGO® bricks, and spend time among more than two million LEGO® pieces under one roof. Whatever the weather, the centre offers a variety of creative and interactive experiences to explore during your visit.

Join Joe, an Oasis insider who went to school with the Gallagher brothers, on an exclusive Oasis-themed walking tour of Manchester. As you move through the city, Joe will share first-hand memories and personal stories about the band, giving context to the places that shaped their early days and rise to fame. Along the way you will visit legendary Oasis landmarks, including the band’s rehearsal space, gig venues where they performed, their favourite pubs and the places where the Gallagher brothers lived. You will see signed Oasis instruments and memorabilia and hear explanations that aim to unpack hidden meanings behind some of their most iconic songs. There will be plenty of photo opportunities at the locations fans know best, and Joe will point out details and anecdotes that only someone who knew them personally can offer.

On this cruise, you’ll get to experience the British tradition of afternoon tea while aboard a comfortable Dalesman canal boat. You’ll go on a two-hour cruise down the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, taking in surrounding views as you float along. There will be a bar on board, stocked with alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, including a variety of local beers. You’ll be served an afternoon tea of sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream and a selection of desserts, and you can pair the finger food with unlimited coffee and tea as you relax on the water.

In Manchester, an immersive audio journey will let you explore the city at your own pace. The experience puts you in control of your route, rather than following a fixed itinerary. Expertly written narration and clear audio will guide you through the city, offering historical insights and hidden stories that are often known only to locals. As you move through Manchester’s most compelling attractions, you may spend as much time as you like at each site. Along the way the storytelling will bring places to life and reveal fascinating tales that traditional guidebooks often miss. The combination of engaging voices and high-quality audio will make ordinary sightseeing feel like a personal discovery. You’ll experience Manchester authentically, following your own path while gaining privileged access to the stories that shaped the city.

This tour of Angel Meadow takes you back to the rain-lashed streets of the Victorian slum Friedrich Engels once dubbed ‘Hell upon Earth’. Led by historian and writer Dean Kirby, the author of the bestselling book Angel Meadow: Victorian Britain's Most Savage Slum, you will hear the hidden story of how the district and its people helped shape Manchester. In the shadow of one of the world’s first cotton mills, you will learn how 30,000 people were trapped by poverty as the Industrial Revolution took hold. As you move through the area around the River Irk, the tour will explore the harsh everyday realities faced by Mancunian families: overcrowded lodging houses, deep cellars and the gangs of scuttlers who prowled the pavements. Along the way you will hear how ordinary residents struggled to keep body and soul together and how those struggles connected to the wider growth of the city. Whether you are a descendant of Angel Meadow ancestors or have a strong interest in Manchester’s social history, this historian-led tour offers a close, factual look at a difficult and important chapter in the city’s past.