A great day out for all the family, the Runway Visitor Park is one of the North West's most popular outdoor attractions. Adjacent to the busy runways of Manchester Airport, the park’s raised viewing area means you can stand literally just a few metres away from the planes as they go past. Even if you're not that interested in planes there is something quite exciting about watching them take off and land so close. Visit at weekends and experience live commentary of the airport's operations which makes it even more interesting.
You can sit in the sun and enjoy a picnic or some food from the cafe, the kids can play on the large play ground and have a go on the fairground rides in between spotting planes.
Top Info
💰 Entrance is Free, just pay for parking
⏰️ Open 8am - 8pm
✈ Watch Aeroplanes Take Off & Land
🛫 Take a look inside Aeroplanes
🛩 Live Commentary at Weekends
🛝 Playground
🎠 Fairground Ride
☕ Cafe
🍦 Ice Cream Kiosk
🥪 Picnic tables
🚗 Car park is £5 for 2 hours & £10 for 4 hours
🚗 Disabled parking bays available for Blue Badge Holders ( charges still apply)
🐕 Only Guide Dogs allowed on site
🌎 Sunbank Lane, Altrincham. WA15 8XQ
✈️Children' Playground
There's lots of space for children to play and there's a massive plane-shaped climbing frame with a slide out the back of the plane. Along with some swings and wooden assault course with climbing walls and balance equipment.
✈️Fairground Rides
There is a good selection of fun rides which you can pay to have a go on. With bumper cars, a miniature train, spinning tea cups, trampoline bays and a bouncy castle. The rides start from £3 per person.
✈️Take a look inside Aircrafts
As well as being able to watch planes taking off and landing, there's some aircrafts on the site itself, which families can also climb aboard to explore. Some are free and some you can pay to go on board.
The park is also home to a variety of retired planes, including the spectacular supersonic airliner, Concorde G-BOAC; and former RAF military spy plane, Nimrod. There’s also a DC-10, Avro RJX and a retro Trident airliner, offering a glimpse of what flying was like in the 1960s and 1970s.
Some of the tours are bookable, like the one to step on board the supersonic airliner Concorde G-BOAC; the former RAF military spy plane Nimrod is open on certain dates, and the Avro RJX - the last aircraft to be fully manufactured in the UK - is open daily.
Entrance is free to the plane spotting area however you must pay for parking and 3 out of 5 aircrafts tours are at an additional cost.
RVP Café
At the RVP café, you'll find a wide range of hot and cold drinks, kids lunch boxes, oven bottom muffins if you are there for breakfast and a great selection of lunch items including salads, pizzas, dirty fries and hotdogs.
It's the perfect place for families looking for somewhere a little bit different to eat out, with lots of activities to keep you and your children entertained the whole day.
Ice Cream Kiosk
The ice cream kiosk is open at weekends, serving delicious Mr Whippy, along with a full range of Walls ice creams and lollies.
Aviation Shop
An Aviation Shop at the park stocks a range of plane-related souvenirs, suitable for children through to the more serious aircraft enthusiasts. If you book for one of the Concorde tours, there's a selection of Concorde memorabilia including books, models and stationery.
Concorde Tours
Enjoy an amazingly unique experience by getting a tour with one of the most iconic aircraft in history. Included will be a tour of the cabin, walk under the wings and you'll get to watch the famous nose droop, and just to top it off, you'll get a lovely glass of champagne to commend the moment.
School Holidays
In the school holidays, the airport offers Flight Academy sessions for children to step into a pilot's shoes. Separate 90-minute sessions run for children aged four to seven and eight to 12, with one accompanying adult free.
Cafe Deal
You could avoid the parking fee by getting the Family Meal Deal in the café. For £35 you get two pizzas, two fries, adult drinks and two kids' soft drinks and free parking.
Car Parking Charges
The only thing you have to pay for is parking,
Car and Motorbike parking charges are as follows
£5 up to 2 hour
£10 from 2 hours up to 4 hours
£12 for all stays over 4 hours
Coach Parking is charged at a flat rate of £12
Parking is free for all conference delegates
There is free admission to the Runway Visitor Park for visitors arriving by public transport, on foot or by bicycle (not motorbike)
Visit May 2024
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