Im in Manchester for 5 days next week with my wife and son.
Looking for tips on things to do, areas to explore, etc.
Im staying in the Northern Quater I thinkgs thats the independant district?
My son is 14, I hear the science museum is good, so will probably head there.
Any favourite record shops, resurants, galleries I should visit?
Any tips welcome.
Record shopsâŚVinyl Exchange, Piccadilly Records and Eastern Bloc, all in the NQ and within a few minutes walk from each other.
To eat, Nam is worth checking outâŚ
Just to add, if you and the family enjoy Pizza, you canât go wrong at Rudyâs. Again a few mins walk from the NQ 
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I ate here a couple of months back and it was extremely good. Really interesting selection of food and a great venue.
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My kids both loved MOSI up to around the same age as your son. If any of you like football thereâs the National Football Museum which isnât too far from the Northern Quarter and My kids also really enjoy the Peoples History Musuem.
On the galleries ⌠https://manchesterartgallery.org is worth a visit and pretty central. I really like the Whitworth which is a little bit out of the city centre but worth the walk or a bus down Oxford Road past the universities. https://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/ If you get on a tram you could also head over to the Lowry Galleries Your Visit | Information | The Lowry which always has something interesting on and not just Lowry.
You should also head north from the Northern Quarter into Ancoats which can be a bit painfully âhipâ but thereâs lots of decent food that side of the city. have a look at Rudyâs for Neapolitan pizza, and Erst https://www.erst-mcr.co.uk
Iâll try and add a few more as I think of stuff
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The Peopleâs Museum is worth a visit.
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As well as the aforementioned NQ record shops check out Vinyl Resting Place on the top floor of Afflecks Palace, 2nd hand stuff, decent selection & really nice guy who runs it, always find something good on every visit, Afflecks in general is decent for shopping for all sorts of stuff.
You could get the tram over to Chorlton, 3 or 4 miles outside the city centre, King Bee records is about a minutes walk from the tram stop & near the main shopping strip, lots of take aways & a few bars & restaurants including Luke Unaâs Electrik restaurant
If the weather is decent you could go to New Islington Marina for a chill out, its been packed the last few days with the heatwave (New Islington is basically Ancoats rebranded by the developers & gentrifiers), a few mins walk from the NQ.
Thereâs also Freight Island, in nearby Piccadilly, which is hosting events all summer.
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Stayed in Ancoats last weekend for the Primals gig. Definitely reeks of gentrification but seems like theres some decent bars and eats and has a nice atmosphere. We went to Street Urchin for food just off Great Ancoats St. Recommended
Had a visit to the Science Museum a few months back. There was a great Factory Records exhibition, not sure ifs still on but definitely worth a look if it is
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I just canât get my head around the gentrification of Ancoats, it must be 30 years since I was there.
Until covid f*cked everything up we made the visit home twice a year so my folks could spend time with their granddaughter.
3 years ago the Refuge was my chosen go to, last time Martin Moscrop was djing and it was ace.
Freight Island and the Carlton club appear interesting.
Speaking as an ex manc that is
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Interesting and depressing article on the gentrificationâŚ
Corrupt as fâŚ
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In other Ancoats newsâŚ
Thanks for the tips guys, the Science Museum and the peoples museum are both high on the agenda, and Iâll try to check all the record shops 
And on Thrusday at The Refuge thereâs an interesting photo exhibition with James Holroyd supplying the sounds, so Iâll pop along to that for sure.
And thanks for the food recommendations, I can see my diet being blown.
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Chinatown not far from the NQ as well, the Chinese Bakery is good if you have a sweet tooth.
Also some good cheap, no frills, South Asia places in the NQ where you can get a good curry (or 3) or a kebab for a few quid.
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I ate in some of the curry cafes going back a few years, good cheap nosh. Donât think it was the Northern Quarter then either 
I hope they are still there. Worth a look if so.
The best curry cafe is on Thomas Street. âRice and 3â is a thing in North West towns - donât know if itâs a national thing - Iâve only had it in Bury, Bolton, Manchester etc.
Walk along Thomas St. towards Shude Hill. Itâs down the last alley on the left before you get to the end of Thomas St. Looks like a greasy spoon sort of joint.
3 x curry and a serving of rice for a few quid.
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âThis & Thatâ
Al Faisal Tandoori on Thomas St, near Oi Polloi & Vinyl Revival, is good & cheap as well
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Yeah I think that was the one near Oi Polloi.
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Had a great few days in Manchester, and thanks for the tips.
Thanks for the Rice and Three tips, we went to This and That and really really liked it.
Went to Crate Island on the sunday and that was good as there was an event on and it had a proper buzz in the place on a rather rainy late sunday afternoon/evening.
I had a whole afternoon to myself to explore the Northern Quater, and a great time looking around and exploring all the side streets.
Loved the ctiy
Cant wait to get back.
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The white hotel in Salford
Ridiculous
Roast at the refuge after a couple of pints and games of pool
Giving this a bump as Iâm heading over end of the month. Friday to Monday. Night time activities mostly sorted, but any recommendations for somewhere prior to white hotel on the Saturday would be useful ? Also grateful for recommendations on clothes/footwear shops, is northern quarter still decent now oi polloi closed?