The county of Cheshire is in north west England. The largest town in Cheshire is Warrington and the county town is Chester. Other popular towns in Cheshire include Widnes, Crewe, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich and Wilmslow. Cheshire is divided into Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East, Warrington and Halton.
Cheshire Cheese, British salt, cotton and silk are made in Cheshire.
During your holiday or weekend break to Cheshire you may wish to stay in a family friendly hotel or romantic spa hotel in Cheshire. The Travellers Guide has a good selection of hotels, guest houses and self catering accommodation near the most popular tourist attractions in Cheshire.
Must See and Do Tourist Attractions in Cheshire
There are several well known National Trust (NT) properties in Cheshire which have beautiful landscaped grounds and estates. Tatton Park (Knutsford), Little Moreton Hall (Congleton) and Dunham Massey are popular NT properties which make a great family day out. The Roman Amphitheatre in Chester and the Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker are popular tourist attractions.
Chester (the county town) is a must-see town for tourists visiting Cheshire.
Family Days out in Cheshire
Cheshire provides a range of child friendly hotels for your family holidays. The National Trust (NT) properties are of great interest for both adults and children.
The Chester Zoo guarantees family fun and other suitable activities for children during your family holidays are the Go Ape! – High Wire Forest Adventure, the Family Roman Tours, the Cheshire Cycleway, the Blue Planet Aquarium, the Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre and the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre.
Sport in Cheshire
Cheshire offers a range of unusual types of sports, such as hang gliding, quad bike trekking, caving, karting, canoeing and paintball, but also classic ones like diving, horse riding, skiing, cycling, mountain biking, walking and climbing.
The Mere Golf Resort & Spa offers golfing holidays as well as spa breaks in Cheshire. Other golf courses include the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Styal Golf Course, Disley Golf Club, Sandbach Golf Club, Congleton Golf Club and many more.
Shopping in Cheshire
Cheshire offers modern shopping malls and outlet stores as well as traditional boutiques. The Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet (South Wirral), The Grosvenor Shopping Centre (Chester) and the Golden Square Shopping Centre (Warrington) supply you with the latest collections of high-fashion designers and numerous other goods. Chester is the best address for your shopping trip in Cheshire.
Nightlife in Cheshire
Cheshire’s nightlife is bustling and offers a great variety of locations. Crewe Lyceum Theatre invites you to view a performances in the Grade II listed location. Popular bars, pubs and clubs in Cheshire include The Bollin Fee, The Rectory, The Watergates Bar, The Chester Hangman, The Falcon, Odyssey Bar, The Collingwood and The Old Harkers Arms, among many others.
Transport in Cheshire
If you are planning to fly to Cheshire then Manchester Airport (MAN) and Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL) are main international airports which you should get flights to.
Crewe, Warrington and Chester provide big railway stations which take you quickly to London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and other popular destinations.
Cheshire’s extensive canal system is also used for tourist transportation.
Official Tourism Office for Cheshire – www.visitcheshire.com
Tourist Attractions in Cheshire
Blue Planet Aquarium
A visit to the Blue Planet Aquarium is a voyage of discovery that will provide amusement and entertainment for all ages. Home to around 20 different species of sharks, you can enjoy the views safely from a seat in the Aquatheatre. Although the sharks are a big attraction, there is a whole host of other marine life at Blue Planet. Over 450 species will captivate you such as the comical Clown Fish, menacing Piranhas or the and even have a collection of tropical brightly coloured poison dart frogs!
The 70m moving underwater walkway is a fascinating journey through Caribbean waters, whilst outside the Otter Enclosure houses two families of Asian Otters. For the under 10’s the Octopus Adventure play area will keep them occupied whilst the new outdoor cafe provides refreshments. Why not try a Bubblemaker session where you learn to dive and discover what it is like to be a real Deep Sea Diver! Or join the Blue Planet Aquarium’s team for the day and help look after some of the marine life, there is just so much to see and do at the Blue Planet Aquarium in Cheshire.
Official Website: www.blueplanetaquarium.com
Chester Cathedral, Cheshire
Chester Cathedral plays a key role for the Christian community across Chester, the Wirral and Cheshire. It has a rich and fascinating heritage and is a centre of excellence in Church Music. Open for visitors, features include a 17th century tapestry depicting a scene from Acts, heraldic paintings on the north wall representing the arms of the Earls of Chester.
The Stained glass Creation Window is a stunning and colourful interpretation of the Six Days of Creation installed in 2001 to celebrate the Millennium. Chester Cathedral also includes a café and shop, and various function rooms that can be hired.
Official website: www.chestercathedral.com
Chester Racecourse
A large 65 acre racecourse on the banks of the River Dee, Chester Racecourse is also known as The Roodee and sees many large race meetings throughout the year. With races held since 1539 Chester Racecourse has a rich history and the mile-long course is a must for enthusiasts and novices alike to watch many famous races.
With polo and show jumping events, and hospitality packages available too, a day out at Chester Racecourse will be an exciting and memorable one. The hotel enjoys a close proximity to the course and can provide you with further details on meetings throughout the year.
Official website: www.chester-races.co.uk
Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo is the UK’s number one zoo. Open all year round it offers a fun and stimulating day out for all ages and sees over one million visitors every year. As well as over 7000 animals and 400 different species, including some of the most endangered species on the planet, the 110-acre grounds feature award-winning gardens.
There are so many things to see and do at Chester Zoo such as the main attractions: Realm of the Red Ape, Elephants of the Asian Forest, Asian Plains, Parrot Breeding Centre, Twilight Zone, Tsavo – Black Rhino Experience, Bears of the Cloud Forest, Tropical Realm, Miniature Monkeys, Spirit of the Jaguar and Islands in Danger. New in 2007, the Realm of the Red Ape features the Zoo’s Bornean and Sumatran orang-utans in their new tropical environment. Please ask the hotel for details on tickets.
Official website: www.chesterzoo.org
Grosvenor Museum
The Grosvenor Museum is Chester’s biggest collection of local and international history and houses 2000 years of life spread over three floors. Within a 19th century building, the Grosvenor Museum has an impressive collection of Roman tombstones, along with fascinating displays that build a picture of Roman Chester.
The Grosvenor museum also has the superb art gallery that opened in 1989 and houses some of the finest collections in the North West, featuring paintings, sculpture and furniture by local artists. Discover the world of Charles Kingsley, the famous naturalist of Victorian Chester, and explore in a ‘hands-on’ way the geology and natural history of the area. With a programme of special exhibitions as well, and a Conservatory shop, At Grosvenor Museum you will discover everything you wanted to know about Chester.
Tatton Park, Cheshire
A day at Tatton Park has much to offer. Its two historic houses, the Mansion and Tudor Old Hall, are set in 1000 acres of beautiful parkland with lakes, tree-lined avenues and herds of red and fallow deer. Award-winning gardens, a working farm, speciality shops and a superb programme of special events complete the picture.
A popular attraction, Tatton Park is owned by the National Trust and there are over 100 events held annually here including the RHS Show Tatton Park. Please ask reception for more details.
Official website: www.tattonpark.org.uk
The Crewe Heritage Centre
Opened in 1987 and formerly called ‘The Railway Age’ to reflect the railway collection, The Crewe Heritage Centre was built to commemorate 150 years of the town of Crewe. More than just a railway centre, the attractions include the prototype tilting Advanced Passenger Train, working signal boxes, an InterCity train, Buses, classic cars, motorcyles, ice creams vans and the more modern prototype of a Bentley Continental GT on display.
Other aspects of the town is widely featured in the displays, and there is regular special events on the different types of transport. There is also a shop with a stock of old and new transport books, a children’s corner – and of course the famous Miniature Railway.
Official website: www.creweheritagecentre.co.uk
