Manchester Airport Runway Visitor Park, Altrincham

We sometimes take the kids here at a weekend when we are stuck for something to do for a couple of hours and want to get outside. It is just three pounds for a car and its occupants to stay for an hour, which we have always found plenty. As my husband travels quite a lot for work, the kids like to see his usual Emirates Manchester to Shanghai flight take off on the massive new jumbo that they have just launched. Aeroplanes taking off are met by whoops and shrieks of excitement. If you climb up onto the wooden viewing platform you have an excellent view of planes coming in and out, and sometimes the runway vehicles going about their business too. You sometimes have to let the little ones squeeze between the plane-spotters that are inevitably at the front with all their gear, but they are welcoming to it. There is a restaurant on site, and you can opt to have a tour around Concorde for an additional charge. Also in the grounds of the viewing platform there are a couple of old planes that you can go inside, picnic benches and plenty of space. Be aware though that there are strict restrictions on what you can do - ie no ball games and you're not allowed to feed the birds as they are a hazard to the planes. There is also a little gift shop which always draws our excited kids in. Wrap up warm if it's a bit windy - as you are exposed to the elements and have got massive planes thundering past it can be a bit chilly. Well worth it even for children who aren't especially plane crazy, thinking about it we've not been for a while so we might go this weekend!