Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge soccer (football) fan and if you are anything like me, the whole reason you ventured out to Manchester is to see Manchester United play at Old Trafford. Seeing a game at Old Trafford has been one of my biggest dreams since I was about 7 years old so when the stars aligned, and Cristiano Ronaldo decided to return to Manchester United in August 2021 I knew that if I was going to make this dream happen that I had to do it now.
So, if you have not guessed by now, the whole point of this trip and travelling over 5,000 km was to finally see Manchester United play at Old Trafford. This isn’t to say that the only thing do in Manchester is to see a soccer game. There is plenty of other things to do for anyone who isn’t interested in attending a game.
Getting to Manchester
I was travelling to Manchester from London and opted to take a train as it was faster than driving and I wanted to avoid dealing with Heathrow Airport. The train was the fastest and the cheapest option for getting to Manchester. I took the train from Eustace Station in London, which took approximately two hours and cost around $63 CAD. Trains leave pretty frequently from London so you shouldn’t have an issue catching one.
Where to Stay
If you are like me and only planning to go to Manchester to see a soccer game, I definitely recommend staying close to the stadium. If budget allows, Hotel Football is a really great option and is literally right outside the stadium, so you don’t have to worry about dealing with the traffic leaving the stadium. Hotels can be pretty pricey around the stadium on game day so if you are looking for a hotel that is a bit more budget friendly, I enjoyed a great stay at ABode Manchester.
ABode is located in the city center and is a short walk from the train station and a ton of different restaurants and activities. The thing that attracted me the most to this hotel, besides the reviews was the unique décor and designs of each room. Each room was very spacious, and the price was reasonable for the room and area it was located in. The staff were very friendly, and I didn’t have any issues during my stay.
Getting Around Manchester
Getting around Manchester was really easy. As I mentioned previously, my hotel was located in the city center and was a short walk from the train station. The city center is extremely walkable. I opted to uber to and from the soccer stadium, which was a bit pricey, but I just didn’t have the energy to deal with public transportation. Public transportation in Manchester is pretty easy to navigate. You have the option of using the tram or the bus. I always use google maps to help me navigate my way around a city and it will tell you which bus or tram you need to take. I would definitely recommend taking the tram if you are heading to a game or looking to venture out of the city center.
Getting Tickets to a Soccer Game
As I am such a huge soccer fan, I actually have an official membership with Manchester United for the 2022/2023 season. Being a member certainly makes it easier to obtain tickets and there is also other benefits associated with the membership. The membership is fairly inexpensive (50€) and you also receive a 10% discount at the Manchester United shop.
This season’s premier league schedule was released June 16, 2022 and I made sure to be online as soon as tickets became available that day in order to purchase my ticket.
Since this was my first premier league game, I was willing to go all out and actually purchased one of the hospitality tickets. I purchased the Museum Pre-match hospitality package, which included the following:
- My ticket to the game
- Early entrance 3 hours prior to the game
- Food
- Wine and Beer
- Access to the museum
- Gift Bag
Now, do I think it’s absolutely necessary to spend as much as I did on the hospitality package? No. However, being a Manchester United fan for over 20 years I definitely did not have any regrets and enjoyed every second of my time at the game. I do believe the purchasing the hospitality package really made the experience that much more enjoyable as the atmosphere gets you really excited for the actual match.
If you also have a membership but don’t want to break the bank on tickets, you can certainly purchase tickets for just the game that are significantly cheaper than the hospitality tickets.
Now, if you don’t have a membership and aren’t interested in purchasing one (not necessary) then you can also purchase tickets through www.sportsbreak.com . Through this website, you are able to purchase ticket and hotel packages, which makes attending a game much cheaper.
Where to Eat
As I was only in Manchester for 24 hours and dinner was included in my hospitality package at the stadium, I only had the opportunity to try two restaurants in Manchester.
The first was lunch at the Pen and Pencil after I arrived in Manchester. I loved the atmosphere in this restaurant and the staff were all very friendly. I ordered the buttermilk chicken burger with fries. The piece of chicken that comes on the burger was pretty big and not dry or overcooked. The fries were also cooked perfectly, and the portions were great. The menu had a wide range of options and on the last Saturday of every month they offer bottomless brunch.
For breakfast, I decided to try Moose Coffee. The menu looked amazing and there was definitely something for everyone. I’m typically not a huge breakfast fan but there were several dishes that I wanted to try on the menu. I ended up ordering the Mallow Moose Hot Chocolate and Grande Bouche (french toast), which came with bacon and Canadian maple syrup. Everything was delicious, the food came out fast and the staff were very friendly.
What to Do
If you have decided to stay in Manchester longer than 24 hours or you are not interested in going to a soccer game, some other fun things to do in Manchester are:
- Piccadilly Gardens
- Manchester Art Gallery
- Old Trafford Stadium Tour
- Manchester Cathedral
Manchester is such a great city and I’m sure you’ll have a great time exploring it. If you do end up going to a soccer game, let me know how you liked it!
