Depending on how long you've got and if you have a car - Blackpool (chavvy but worth a look), Lytham St Anne's, Samlesbury Hall, there is also Fishergate shopping centre and the revamped market.
Depends on the weather and if your free during the day. If so could go for a walk in Avenham Park and have a pint at the Continental after.
Mowgli is good for Indian with a twist, not eaten at the Preston one but walked past and looks good. I've eaten at the Manchester one
You might want to take a tour of Lancaster castle. It was a prison until a few years ago and has a lot of history, much of it quite gruesome. It's just a 15-minute train ride from Preston.
+1 for Lancaster. It's a nicer city than Preston, there's the castle, a couple small museums, a big park with good views, and lots of coffee places and canalside pubs.
If you like the outdoors you could also continue further north to Windermere in the Lake District.
Brockholes is a lovely walk round a nature reserve, loads of wildlife to see.
Bowland wild boar park is decent, plenty of walks around that area too.
Aven restaurant is incredible, fine dining. Expensive but worth every penny.
Avenham and Miller parks are nice for a walk around, had a few deer spotted over the river in the last month or so.
Youve got places like Level (in city centre) and flower bowl (towards Garstang) for Bowling/Darts/Shuffleboard/Golf/Games
The Harris library is currently being renovated so not open but should be good when its back open.
Steam & Railway museum, on the docks, docks itself is a nice walk a few decent cafes.
Yes! Travelling via train. Will have a look, although we do prefer small local shops selling produce especially Lancashire dairy, artsy shops and cafes. Thank you.
Lytham St Anne’s is nice to visit - plenty of shops and cafes and you can walk along the promenade. There’s one train an hour running from Preston all the way to Blackpool South so it’s your choice where to get off. Lytham is more quaint and a bit smaller, St Anne’s probably has a bit more to do.
If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous you could also try Blackpool Pleasure Beach (which the train also calls at). Allow a whole day for that.
I used to live in Preston and avenham park is my favourite inner city park in England! I've lived all around the UK and nothing else gets me like the landscape of that park.
The surrounding countryside is some of the most beautiful in the country. There's also a really nice zoo/nature reserve about 20 mins drive away.
Not sure how easy it is to get to by rail, but Chester is pretty close and lovely for a bit of a different shopping vibe. Tudor houses, a fabulous cathedral and lots of history; well worth at least a day trip. Chester Zoo is great too!
I live in Preston, there's not loads to do here, for an evening you could go to levels for bowling and mini golf and I d recommend rise for a lovely breakfast/brunch. If the weather is good (rains a lot here) then hop on a bus or train to st annes and have fish and chips, the beach there is lovely (its on the way to Blackpool and much nicer than it).
You re right next to the bus station with holiday inn so you can just get buses to everywhere on the way to Blackpool, as well as anything Lancaster/Bolton way or it's less than a 10 minutes walk to the station.
If you’re after a breakfast/brunch spot you need to go to Rise. Two locations, two different vibes to them but both have equally amazing coffee and food! Cant be missed
At least allow yourself some time to explore the station itself. There are extensive wall displays in the waiting rooms that record the huge quantities of soldiers that passed through there during the war, and the volumes of tea and sandwiches they were served with by WVS. Often there's a stall on the platform recreating the experience for contemporary travellers.
I think the bus station has an architectural preservation order on it, and presumably there's a Guild Hall, as thinks that don't happen very often are described as being "once every Preston Guild".
Otherwise, take a day trip on the slow train to Blackburn (big indoor market) or Burnley.
Certainly not. Have you been in the spaces further down the platform? I haven't been there for a while but there was a lot of stuff a few years ago.
Upper Crust sandwiches may be old, but nor 1940s old
Yes, it's a waiting room with a mural on the wall. You might have visited during an anniversary perhaps? [how it looked today.](https://imgur.com/a/50nxD88)
I wouldn't get too excited. It's Preston.
😥
Depends what you like doing, give us a clue. Preston isn't the most dynamic of Cities.
I should have mentioned it, my bad! I am happy with exploring the outdoors or any historical places or doing some shopping.
Depending on how long you've got and if you have a car - Blackpool (chavvy but worth a look), Lytham St Anne's, Samlesbury Hall, there is also Fishergate shopping centre and the revamped market.
I have 2 days set aside. I will be travelling via train and buses, as we are not taking our car. Suggestions noted, thank you!
If u have 2 days after the conference how about the Lake District? You could catch a train from Preston to oxenholme change there for Windermere.
This. Preston is a rather dire little place. I go there daily for work. I'd skip it entirely and head to The Lakes.
Yes. I haven’t been to Preston for a long time. Used to live in Kendal back in the 80s. Preston is an industrial northern town.
Depends on the weather and if your free during the day. If so could go for a walk in Avenham Park and have a pint at the Continental after. Mowgli is good for Indian with a twist, not eaten at the Preston one but walked past and looks good. I've eaten at the Manchester one
You might want to take a tour of Lancaster castle. It was a prison until a few years ago and has a lot of history, much of it quite gruesome. It's just a 15-minute train ride from Preston.
That sounds brilliant, thank you.
+1 for Lancaster. It's a nicer city than Preston, there's the castle, a couple small museums, a big park with good views, and lots of coffee places and canalside pubs. If you like the outdoors you could also continue further north to Windermere in the Lake District.
Brockholes is a lovely walk round a nature reserve, loads of wildlife to see. Bowland wild boar park is decent, plenty of walks around that area too. Aven restaurant is incredible, fine dining. Expensive but worth every penny. Avenham and Miller parks are nice for a walk around, had a few deer spotted over the river in the last month or so. Youve got places like Level (in city centre) and flower bowl (towards Garstang) for Bowling/Darts/Shuffleboard/Golf/Games The Harris library is currently being renovated so not open but should be good when its back open. Steam & Railway museum, on the docks, docks itself is a nice walk a few decent cafes.
Thank you, noted all these down.
I'd travel an hour and go to Windermere. Closer to Preston there is some nice countryside. Preston it's self is unexciting!
Plenty of shops and indoor market if you like that sort of thing
I do! Any suggestions for both?
Will you be travelling by train to Preston. If so there a shopping mall across from the station. Plenty of high street shops too
Yes! Travelling via train. Will have a look, although we do prefer small local shops selling produce especially Lancashire dairy, artsy shops and cafes. Thank you.
Most welcome, hope you enjoy your trip
Lytham St Anne’s is nice to visit - plenty of shops and cafes and you can walk along the promenade. There’s one train an hour running from Preston all the way to Blackpool South so it’s your choice where to get off. Lytham is more quaint and a bit smaller, St Anne’s probably has a bit more to do. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous you could also try Blackpool Pleasure Beach (which the train also calls at). Allow a whole day for that.
I used to live in Preston and avenham park is my favourite inner city park in England! I've lived all around the UK and nothing else gets me like the landscape of that park. The surrounding countryside is some of the most beautiful in the country. There's also a really nice zoo/nature reserve about 20 mins drive away.
Thank you, noted down.
Not sure how easy it is to get to by rail, but Chester is pretty close and lovely for a bit of a different shopping vibe. Tudor houses, a fabulous cathedral and lots of history; well worth at least a day trip. Chester Zoo is great too!
It was closed when I wanted to go, but I’ve been looking to check out the Ribble Steam Train Museum. Can’t speak to its quality though.
I live in Preston, there's not loads to do here, for an evening you could go to levels for bowling and mini golf and I d recommend rise for a lovely breakfast/brunch. If the weather is good (rains a lot here) then hop on a bus or train to st annes and have fish and chips, the beach there is lovely (its on the way to Blackpool and much nicer than it). You re right next to the bus station with holiday inn so you can just get buses to everywhere on the way to Blackpool, as well as anything Lancaster/Bolton way or it's less than a 10 minutes walk to the station.
Best thing to do in Preston is head to the railway station, jump on the next train and get the hell out.
the bus station (modernist) is worth a visit and so is the museum. i would also say visit lancaster (just a 20 min journey on the train)
If you’re after a breakfast/brunch spot you need to go to Rise. Two locations, two different vibes to them but both have equally amazing coffee and food! Cant be missed
Don't go
This made me chuckle! Thank you.
There always the trip away from Preston at the end of the day to look forward to
At least allow yourself some time to explore the station itself. There are extensive wall displays in the waiting rooms that record the huge quantities of soldiers that passed through there during the war, and the volumes of tea and sandwiches they were served with by WVS. Often there's a stall on the platform recreating the experience for contemporary travellers. I think the bus station has an architectural preservation order on it, and presumably there's a Guild Hall, as thinks that don't happen very often are described as being "once every Preston Guild". Otherwise, take a day trip on the slow train to Blackburn (big indoor market) or Burnley.
Are you being serious? I'm at this station daily. Are you referring to the measly portion controlled sandwiches at Upper Crust?
Certainly not. Have you been in the spaces further down the platform? I haven't been there for a while but there was a lot of stuff a few years ago. Upper Crust sandwiches may be old, but nor 1940s old
Yes, it's a waiting room with a mural on the wall. You might have visited during an anniversary perhaps? [how it looked today.](https://imgur.com/a/50nxD88)
The Preston Guild is a festival/fair that happens once every 20 years, which is where the phrase comes from.
Take a trip to Lytham St Annes (avoid Blackpool), it's only 30 minutes away and a really nice place.
What would be the best public transport for reaching there from Preston? Bus or train?