Tours and Activities in the North

Carmel Smickersgill, Tours & Activities Editor

In this month’s Tours and Activities guide we’re interested in talking, walking and baking. Three pillars to feel grounded by amongst the general madness of summer and the fragile chaos of the wider world.

In Manchester, join Queer Lit to hear Juno Dawson talk about the final book in her wildly successful Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series or bake Challah bread with Manchester Jewish Museum. You can also hear Luka Yuanyuan Yang, the artist-filmmaker in residency at esea contemporary, discussing her new book and themes that come up in her short films.

In Leeds, Pride Place are holding a gaming night for LGBTQ+ table top fans of organised fun and Music House is exploring Woodhouse’s musical identity through the gaze of a walking tour.

Scroll down to find more top picks of tours and activities, and break away from your normal.

Our top picks

Echoes of Elsewhere: Film Screening and Book Talk with Luka Yuanyuan Yang

'Echoes of Elsewhere': Film Screening and Book Talk with Luka Yuanyuan Yang, 27 July 2025, From £3.97 - Book now

Echoes of Elsewhere sees artist-filmaker Luka Yuanyuan Yang discuss her new book as well as showing the films that inspired it.

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‘Tales of Chinatown’, 2019, film still, 19 min 11 sec, single-channel video. Courtesy of the artist.

In conversation with Juno Dawson at Queer Lit

Human Rites: In conversation with Juno Dawson at Queer Lit, Manchester, 26 August 2025, From £5.00 - Book now

Juno Dawson brings her wit and charm to queer lit as she discusses the themes in her new book Human Rites. 

Juno Dawson Banner.
Social Refuge

Woodhouse Heritage Music Walks

Woodhouse Heritage Music Walk, 25 October 2025, Free entry - Find Out More

Join heritage experts Joe Williams and Matthew Bellwood for deep dives music walks around Woodhouse in Leeds. 

Heritage walkers on Monument Moor in Leeds, walking towards the statue of Henry Rowland Marsden. A seagull is sitting on the statue's head.
Image supplied by Leeds Inspired

LGBTQIA+ Social Gaming evening at Pride Place

LGBTQIA+ Social Gaming evening!, 16 July 2025, Free entry - Find Out More

Pride Place Leeds are hosting an evening of gaming, good times and queer joy led by Scarlet and Fran. 

Photo of people socialising at a Pride Place event
Image supplied by Leeds Inspired

Make It! Challah bread (All ages welcome)

Make It! Challah bread (All ages welcome) at Manchester Jewish Museum, Manchester, 31 July 2025, From £0.00 - Book now

Join Manchester Jewish Museum for a hands-on baking workshop where you’ll learn how to knead and shape your very own challah bread. 

 A golden-brown braided challah bread is presented on a white plate, viewed from slightly above.
Manchester Jewish Museum

SUPERMASSIVE at Depot Mayfield

SUPERMASSIVE at Depot Mayfield, Manchester, Until 13 September 2025, From £16 - Book now

Part interactive gallery, part surreal playground – SUPERMASSIVE crash lands on the rooftop of Depot Mayfield.

SUPERMASSIVE
SUPERMASSIVE.

Tour of Windermere & the Lake District

Windermere & the Lake District, Until 31 March 2027, From £76.25 - Book now

From the urban hum of Manchester to the serene embrace of the Lake District, Rabbie’s one-day tour offers a poetic escape into one of England’s most storied landscapes.

Windermere & the Lake District Tour
Rabbie's Tours

Stockport Music Story Walking Tour around the Old Town

Stockport Music Story Walking Tour around the Old Town, Until 26 May 2026, From £5.00 - Book now

Explore the abundant musical heritage of Manchester’s neighbour with the Stockport Music Story Walking Tour. 

The Stockport Music Story logo
The Stockport Music Story

Brewery Tour and Tasting with Seven Bro7hers

Brewery Tour and Tasting at Seven Bro7hers Brewery & Taproom, Manchester, Until 12 June 2027, From £20.00 - Book now

Let Seven Bro7hers show you the place where the magic happens with a brewery tour and tasting at their Salford hub. 

SB_BreweryTour- Taproom Two
Seven Bro7hers

Earth & Sky at Penistone Hill Country Park

Earth & Sky at Penistone Hill Country Park, Bradford, Until 12 October 2025, Free entry - Visit now

Explore the uplands near Bradford with a sound walk from opera north featuring newly commissions sonic worlds as well as the music of Bradford’s compositional son Frederick Delius.

A woman wearing a long green jacket and a speckled dress stood infront of a wall.
Courtesy of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. Image credit: Tom Arber

Get Outside with Bradford 2025

Get Outside with Bradford 2025, Until 31 December 2025, Free entry - Visit now

Discover the wealth of outdoor free activities, artworks, walks and sound trails to be explored as part of Bradford City of Culture 2025.

Get Outside with Bradford 2025: An image of a large man made pool with fountains in front of a historic building with a clock tower
VisitBradford

Discover Chetham’s: Guided Tour

Discover Chetham's: Guided Tour, Until 31 July 2026, From £0.00 - Book now

Join a knowledgable expert for a guided tour of Chetham’s Library and discover one of the city’s richest hidden gems. 

A wood panelled corridor with lined with shelves of antique books
Chethams

Brewery Tour and Tasting at Cloudwater’s Unit 9 Taproom

Brewery Tour and Tasting at Cloudwater Brew Co, Manchester, Until 2 December 2029, From £25.00 - Book now

Cloudwater is a jewel in Manchester’s local brewery crown. Join them for a brewery tour and tasting at the Unit 9 Taproom. 

Cloudwater Production One
Cloudwater Brew Co.

Peterloo guided tour & archive open day

Peterloo guided tour & archive open day at People’s History Museum, Manchester, 15 August 2025, From £0.00 - Book now

Dive into the Peterloo archive with a guided tour from the People’s History Museum.

Image of curved wooden brown wood cane on a blue background.
People's History Museum

Bradford on Foot

Bradford on Foot, Until 18 October 2025, Free entry - Visit now

Explore Bradford and the surrounding area through the eyes of locals and experts with a series of walking trails compiled by Bradford 2025.

Bradford on Foot
Courtesy Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. Image credit: David Lindsay

Leeds Heritage Pub & Brewery Tour

Leeds Heritage Pub & Brewery Tour at The Tetley, Until 30 August 2026, From £35.00 - Book now

Take a journey through 300 years of pub and brewing history in Leeds, with a heritage Pub and brewery tour. 

Whitelock's Ale House
Image supplied by Leeds Inspired

Craft Beer Tour Manchester

Craft Beer Tour Manchester at Seven Bro7hers Beerhouse, Manchester, Until 23 December 2027, From £45 - Book now

Join Craft Beer Tour Manchester for a journey through some of the cities best local breweries and artisanal beer serving bars. Discover the personality of Manchester’s beer through a diverse

Craft Beer Tour Around Manchester
Image curtesy of Craft Beer Tour Manchester

Walking Tours in Manchester by Jonathan Schofield

With its rich industrial past, iconic architecture and vibrant arts scene, Manchester is a city that begs to be explored step by step.

Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Image by Jonathan Schofield.

Rock and Goal Tour

Rock and Goal Tour at Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester and online, Until 27 February 2027, From £9.99 - Book now

Join Joe Feeley a Mancunian through and through, who guides you into Manchester’s two pillars of cultural excellence with his Rock and Goal tour.

Rock and Goal

Liverpool Arab Arts Festival 2025

Liverpool Arab Arts Festival 2025, Until 20 July 2025, From £10.00 - Book now

Liverpool Arab Arts Festival (LAAF), the longest running annual festival of Arab arts and culture in the UK, returns this July. 

LAAF - Save The Date
Liverpool Arab Arts Festival

Altogether Otherwise

Altogether Otherwise, 6-10 Hanover Street, NOMA, Manchester, M44BB - Visit now

Altogether Otherwise is a haven of activity where all are encouraged to make, do, dance, read and enjoy pursuing creativity with no pressure.

Image of the outside of Altogether Otherwise at night with people inside
Altogether Otherwise

The Manchester Pub Walkabout

The Manchester Pub Walkabout at Manchester Central Library, Manchester, Until 6 December 2025, From £25.00 - Book now

Stagger across three hundred years of Manchester’s drinking history in one of the city’s most fun-loving walking tours, packed with fascinating stories, brilliantly bizarre facts and hilarious fun and games.

Bars
Band on the Wall

2025 Banner Bingo at PHM

2025 Banner Bingo, Until 29 December 2025, Free entry - Visit now

Explore the People’s History Museum with your banner bingo card in hand as you navigate their galleries through the lens of craftivism. 

Two young visitors looking up at a banner in a case, holding pencils and an activity sheet.
People's History Museum

Floating Art Workshops

Floating Art Workshops, Until 31 May 2026, From £24.30 - Book now

Join expert teacher Ula for relaxed painting workshops that will have you creating work you can be proud of, no matter your level of artistic experience.

Craft Beer Tour Manchester

Craft Beer Tour Manchester at Seven Bro7hers Beerhouse, Manchester, Until 23 December 2027, From £45 - Book now

Explore Manchester’s thriving artisanal brewery scene with the experts from Craft Beer Tour.

Craft Beer Tour Around Manchester
Image curtesy of Craft Beer Tour Manchester

Sauna and cold plunge pools at iglu sauna

Sauna and cold plunge pools at iglu sauna, Until 31 August 2025, From £10.00 - Book now

Award-winning sauna and cold-plunge pools experience located in the heart of Hebden Bridge, iglu brings the Scandi experience to Yorkshire. 

Flavours of Manchester – A Taste of Two Cities

Food & Drink Tour of Manchester & Salford : A Taste of Two Cities , Until 31 December 2030, From £49.00 - Book now

The culinary worlds of Manchester and Salford are both uncovered in this brand new food tour from Flavours of Manchester.

Group Day
Food & Drink Tour of Manchester & Salford : A Taste of Two Cities

Eat The City – Scranchester Tours

Eat The City - Scranchester Tours, Until 31 December 2027, From £60 - Book now

Join Scranchester Tours for a feast of edible culture as you rediscover Manchester’s past and present through its food.

Private: Millington Hall Farm

Private: Millington Hall Farm, Millington Hall Farm, Millington Hall Lane, Cheshire, WA14 3RN - Visit now

Millington Hall Farm is a one of a kind destination offering field to fork dining alongside learning experiences that will stay with you long after your visit.

Millington Hall Farm
Image courtesy of Gemma Parker

The Modernist App – architectural city tours

The Modernist App - architectural city tours, online, Until 31 December 2025, Free entry - Visit now

Delve into the treasure trove of 20th Century architecture design with the expert knowledge and passionate curation of the Modernist App. 

Image of The Modernist App in use
The Modernist

More activity events

Walking Tour Stock imagery
Until
ActivityCity Centre
The Manchester Music Walkabout

Manchester’s famous musical legacy comes to life in this walking tour around the city, which will take you from the 1960s to the present day.

From £25.00
Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Spotlight on

Walking Tours in Manchester by Jonathan Schofield

Presenting the best walking tours in Manchester for history buffs, culture enthusiasts, and those looking to scratch beneath the surface of the city.

Take me there

Tours and Activities in the North

HOME Manchester
Manchester
Theatre
HOME Manchester

Offering a packed schedule of events and things to do, HOME Manchester is one of the city’s leading hubs for arts and culture.

The Light Cinema - Sheffield.
Sheffield
Cinema
The Light Cinema Sheffield

Opened in 2017, The Light Cinema Sheffield is a nine-screen multiplex venue showing the latest mainstream blockbusters and independent films.

Cumbria
Cinema
Rheged Centre

A visitor centre off the A66, containing gallery spaces, cinema screen, artisan shopping and local produce, as well as cafes and children’s play areas.

Cineworld Sheffield
City Centre
Cinema
Cineworld Sheffield

The largest Cineworld in the country, if just you have to see it on the biggest screen possible, then the ginormous IMAX screen at Cineworld Sheffield is the place to do it.

Cumbria
Cinema
Alhambra Cinema

An independent cinema in the heart of town, the Lonsdale Alhambra is, for many locals, a treasure of Penrith.

Culture Guides

Star Nhà Ease
Cinema in the North

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Exhibitions in the North

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Theatre in Manchester
Theatre in the North

Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.

European Poetry Festival European Camarade
Literature Events in the North

From tongue-twisters to twisty page-turners, we have all kinds of spoken word surprises in the latest literature round-up.