Motorhome & Campervan Hire in Manchester

As always when visiting the UK, having the right clothes and equipment for any weather will mean that you’re never here at the wrong time! When you hire a campervan in Manchester, here are a few things to consider when deciding on the best time of year for your trip.

• Spring is a lovely time to explore Manchester and the surrounding areas in a campervan. The weather is generally mild, and nature starts to come alive with blooming flowers and lush greenery. This season is ideal for outdoor activities and sightseeing. If you’re here in March, why not visit the Manchester Film Festival?
• Summer is a popular time for campervan adventures in Manchester due to the warm weather and longer daylight hours. Just be aware that campsites may be busier and more expensive during this peak travel season. In June, get tickets to Parklife Festival, Manchester’s biggest music festival, or take the kids to the Manchester Festival of Nature.
• Autumn is the best time to see the turning leaves in the countryside surrounding Manchester. In September you still have a good chance of warm weather, but without the crowds on their summer holidays. Planning to be in Manchester in October? Both the Manchester Literature Festival and Manchester Folk Festival take place in this autumnal month.
• Winter in Manchester can be chilly and damp, but it can also be a unique time to visit if you don’t mind wrapping up against the weather. The city often has festive markets and events during the holiday season, and a rainy day is the perfect excuse to cosy up in the evening in your campervan with a mug of hot chocolate and a film. If you’re planning on an outdoors adventure somewhere near Manchester, make sure to take the necessary equipment, pack extra clothing, and make sure someone knows where you’re going.

When you rent a campervan in Manchester you’ll need to fill up on fresh water and then empty your waste water at the end of your trip. There are not many places to do this other than campsites, so the best option is to start and finish your adventure with a stay at a campsite that has these facilities. Some campsites allow you to use their facilities for a small fee if not staying there. This map when filtered for ‘Aires with disposal services’ shows available waste disposal sites – you can see how rare they are in the UK, so a campsite with these facilities is ideal.

When you hire a campervan in Manchester you’ll need to return it with a full tank of diesel and refill the AdBlue. The Tesco Superstore petrol station is the nearest to us where you can do both:

• Tesco Superstore, Altrincham Rd, Baguley, Manchester M23 9TJ (2-minutes from our location)

Please note: The AdBlue service station information provided is for guidance only and is provided without warranty of any kind; customers are advised to check the information for accuracy on their own responsibility, as roadsurfer assumes no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information.

Manchester has an excellent bus and tram system, so where possible we’d recommend finding somewhere on the outskirts of the city near your campsite to park when you hire a campervan in Manchester – you’ll find more availability, and it’ll be cheaper too. Due to height restrictions at many car park, the main central car parks suitable for your campervan rental is:

• The car park at 25 Addington St, Manchester M4 5EU is convenient for exploring the hip Northern Quarter.

Manchester has little in the way of city centre campsites, so if you want to explore the city when you rent a campervan in Manchester you’ll need to camp a little way out. The upside to this is that the surrounding areas are so beautiful that it’s worth the travel time!

• Hollingworth Lake Caravan Park sits at the western edge of the Pennines in a gorgeous country park. Under an hour north from Manchester, it’s the ideal camp spot for starting to explore the Pennine hills.
• Burrs Country Park Club Campsite is an easy 40 minute drive to the north of Manchester, great for anyone wanting to stay closer to the city.
• The Hawthorn Caravan and Campsite has the bonus of a pub right on site, as well as a laundry room and dish washing room. Another site that’s a quick 40 minutes to the east of Manchester.

When you hire a campervan in Manchester make sure you don’t miss out on the incredible food scene in the city. Read on for our short but sweet food and drink guide to Manchester:

• For street food, check out either GRUB or Hatch for an ever-evolving line-up of food vendors.
• Our top café picks, for a quick coffee or a longer stop for food, go to Evelyn’s Cafe Bar, Federal Cafe & Bar, Home Sweet Home, Takk, and Fig + Sparrow. Many of these are found in the cool Northern Quarter – think artisan coffee, hearty breakfasts, and charming interiors.
• If you’d like a fancy spot for a nice meal to celebrate the beginning or end of your adventure, why not try one of Manchester’s fine dining restaurants? Adam Reid at The French is part of the Midland Hotel, where you’ll find modern British cuisine with a twist, and great tasting menus. Mana’s inventive menu is a real standout, where food from the UK is given the gold star treatment.
• While everyone should head to Affleck’s to experience this independent shopping emporium, their food market is a great spot to head to for a casual bite to eat. Other casual eateries include Rudy’s Pizza, Fat Pat’s, Common Bar, The Sparrows, and 10 Tib Lane.
• Just after a drink? We’ve got you covered. There are pubs and bars aplenty in Manchester! The Marble Arch is a traditional pub, while Albert’s Schloss serves up a Bavarian theme. In the Northern Quarter, The Whiskey Jar is housed in a former mill and while it specialises in whiskey, you’ll find other drinks here too!

You’ll find no shortage of things to do when you rent a campervan in Manchester! We’ve rounded up a few places to visit near Manchester to get you started on planning the adventure of a lifetime.

• Head out of the city to a beautiful village for a long walk before settling in at a cosy pub to refuel. Marsden, Delph, and Hebden Bridge are three fantastic places to set off from, with plenty of choice for a meal afterwards.
• Southwest of Manchester, Delamere Forest is host to all sorts of activities, including Go Ape, horse riding, and mountain biking. You can also keep it simple and enjoy the forest with a leisurely stroll along its tree-lined paths.
• A stadium tour and a ticket to a football match is high on a lot of visitors’ lists when they come to Manchester, and well worth it if you’re a big fan of the game! For those a little less obsessed but still interested, head to the National Football Museum for some insight into the way the beautiful game has affected change through the years.
• Got some adventurous kids in tow? Depot and Parthian are two climbing centres that welcome all skill levels. A 20-minute drive north from the city centre is Heaton Park, which has plenty of space for children to run as well as a boating lake and playgrounds. The Science and Industry Museum is full of interactive exhibitions for children (and adults!) with adventurous brains.