Mayfield Park Playground

Mayfield Park is Manchester's first new public park in over 100 years, sitting on 6.5 acres in the heart of the city, just a five-minute walk from Piccadilly station. The playground at its centre is a proper one, with six slides at different levels, ground trampolines, and climbing and balancing surfaces, all woven around the newly uncovered River Medlock. The wider park has grassy areas, bridges, a stepped hill for rolling down, and over 142 trees and 120,000 shrubs and plants, with wildlife including otters and birds already making themselves at home.

On-site you'll find clean, accessible toilets with a baby changing unit next to the play yard, plus water refill stations dotted around the park. There's a coffee cabin and an ice cream van for refreshments, and Freight Island food hall sits right next door if you fancy something more substantial. The park is smoke-free and has a security team on site, which makes it feel relaxed and well looked after.

The park is open every day from 6:30am to 7:30pm, and entry is free. Dogs are welcome throughout, though not inside the play yard itself. Pushchairs and wheelchairs are well catered for, with accessible entrances and facilities throughout.

This one works well for a wide range of ages. Younger children will love the play equipment, while older kids and adults can wander the landscaped routes, spot wildlife along the river, or take in the Cathedral of Sound art installation. It's a genuinely lovely spot that punches well above its weight for a city-centre park.