This former mill town is home to over 260,000 ‘Boltonians’, a community famed for their friendliness and sense of humour, and epitomised by residents such as Peter Kay and Sara Cox. In one of the biggest towns in the country, you will find award-winning food and drink establishments, a wide range of activities and attractions, and an entertainment scene featuring some brilliant live theatres and Bolton Wanderers football club. All ensure that you will never be left wondering what to do in Bolton.

1. What makes Bolton unique?
2. Bolton's popular attractions
3. Nightlife in Bolton
4. Sports in Bolton
5. Food in Bolton
6. Coffee shops in Bolton
7. Shopping centres and markets in Bolton
8. Bolton living costs
9. Festivals and Events in Bolton
10. Travel in and around Bolton
11. Explore the UK from Bolton

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1. What makes Bolton unique?

From fascinating heritage to great entertainment and live sporting events you are never far away from a world of choice in Bolton. With an annual events calendar, offering some of the North West’s best events, including one of the UK’s biggest Food and Drink Festivals each August Bank Holiday, the world’s largest Ironkids and the Ironman UK Triathlon…you are guaranteed a great day out regardless of the weather!

Bolton’s wonderful industrial heritage is clearly visible around the borough and lives on through the canals, coal, cotton, railways and of course its people. Some of Bolton’s most famous sons include Samuel Crompton, Fred Dibnah and others, whose character, work and inventions have all left a visible imprint on Bolton.

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2. Bolton's popular attractions

Bolton is full of fun things to do and unique places to visit. Despite being just a town, within this wonderful place are numerous spots you can not miss, including:

• Bolton Steam Museum. One of Bolton’s old industrial giants, in the cotton store of the now demolished Atlas Mill.
• Bolton Museum. Opened in 1939, this museum hosts the town’s central library, as well as the museum on the top floor where you can get up to speed on Bolton’s story.
• Smithills Hall. Medieval manor house wreathed in formal gardens at the namesake country park that dates back to the 1300s.
• Queen’s Park. A quintessential Victorian park inaugurated in 1866 and revamped since the 2000s thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund.
• Hall in the Wood Museum. There is a riveting history at this 16th-century half-timbered manor house.
• Churchgate. A pedestrianised thoroughfare with a few interesting features.
• Bolton Town Hall. This building creates a big impression on the pedestrianised Victoria Square.
• Rivington Pike. At 363 metres with a clean view over Greater Manchester to the south, and the Lancashire Plain to the west, Rivington Pike is one of the best vantage points in the North West of England.
• Turton Tower. Go in to see one of the best collections of period furniture and paintings in the North West, while the kitchen has been turned into a tearoom loved for its home-baked cakes and bread.
• Moses Gates Country Park. What used to be an industrial landscape pitted with mines and home to Victorian bleach and chemical works, is now a restful 700-acre park.
• Doffcocker Lodge. An interesting slice of industrial history now reclaimed by nature.
• Smithills Open Farm. In 70 acres of open countryside at the Smithills Country Park, next to Smithills Hall, this attraction for kids has more than 25 types of animals.

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3. Nightlife in Bolton

If you decide to head out for a drink in Bolton, you will find a wide variety of bars, pubs and clubs to choose from. Whether you are looking for a pint in one of Britain’s oldest pubs, a G&T in a specialist bar with over 80 gins, or a big night out at one of Bolton’s nightclubs, you will find it all in this town.

Start your guide to the best bars in Bolton at Hogarths on Churchgate in the heart of the town centre. G&T lovers will adore this specialist gin bar, with over 80 varieties featured in their ‘gin bible’. The best thing to do here is to pick a gin and let their skilled staff match it with the perfect mixer.

If you fancy staying out late, Kahiki Hideout on Bradshawgate is one of a few town centre bars where you can do so. This Tiki bar prides itself on fun vibes and great cocktails, not to mention the excellent soundtrack of R&B, hip-hop and 90’s classics which you can dance along to until the early hours.

For those looking to go clubbing in Bolton, there are a couple of options. Level Nightclub is a multi-room, multi-genre venue packed to the rafters with millennials every weekend. It is easy to see why, with cheap drink deals, celebrity guests and an eclectic mix of music from charts to house and R&B. Level is conveniently placed on Mawdsley Street, in the heart of Bolton town centre.

If hip-hop isn’t your thing, then why not check out The Blind Tiger? This rock-themed bar is a popular venue for those looking for a wide variety of reasonably priced drinks, live music and late closing times. It is only open on weekends but is well worth a visit.

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4. Sports in Bolton

Bolton Wanderers F.C. is an English Football League club formed in 1874 and plays their home games at the University of Bolton Stadium. The club has won four FA Cups, the most recent in 1958, and spent 73 seasons in the top division of the English league.

Bolton Hockey Club fields women, men and junior teams and has more than 120 playing members. Apart from a local Bolton Cricket League, the town also has a Bolton Rugby Union Club, formed in 1872 and now situated on Avenue Street.

Other state-of-the-art facilities open to the public include:

• Little Lever Sports and Leisure Centre
• Turton Sports Centre
• Smithills Sports Centre
• Farnworth Leisure Centre
• Leverhulme Park Community Leisure Centre
• Harper Green Community Leisure Centre
• Westhoughton Community Leisure Centre

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5. Food in Bolton

From award-winning curries to delicious vegan lunches, the diverse choice of food in Bolton is impressive for a town of its size. Whether you are in town for business or pleasure, our selection of the best places to eat in Bolton will help you plan where to dine during your stay.

If you are in the mood for trying something from a bit further afield, head to Tapaz Ristorante on Bradshawgate, a short walk from The Octagon theatre. With an extensive tapas menu offering the best tastes of the Mediterranean, you have a great opportunity to try something new.

There is also Ciao Napoli, a cosy Italian with a relaxed atmosphere and a fresh, authentic menu. Come here for great pasta, pizza, steak dishes and enjoy the welcoming family atmosphere that good Italian restaurants are known for.

When it comes to reputation, you will struggle to find one stronger than Royal Balti House. Widely regarded as the best restaurant in Bolton, this popular Indian has a variety of amazing curries on its menu. You should definitely try their famous ‘Bolti’, a dish named after the town, which helped them sweep a variety of awards at the 2017 English Curry Awards and received glowing praise from celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott.

There is also The Bank, a delicious steakhouse tucked away in the newly renovated vaults beneath Market Place Shopping Centre. The casual atmosphere and extensive cocktail menu make this a brilliant place to visit with friends or family.

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6. Coffee shops in Bolton

If you fancy heading out for a light bite at lunchtime, Bolton’s cafés will happily tempt you in with specialist tea, coffee, delicious desserts and sumptuous meals. One of the most popular is Chill at The Cowshed. Their tea room offers a vast array of quality tea and coffee, along with delicious snacks and over 40 flavours of ice cream. They also have a great afternoon tea menu where you can sample a selection of sweet and savoury delights and wash them all down with a pot of tea.

Heading north of the town centre is Earthlings, a health food café and juice bar which specialises in vegetarian and vegan food. You may find yourself amazed at the incredible dishes that Earthlings create, all made from ingredients that have been grown organically.

If you are looking for a caffeine fix, The Coffee Grind on Newport Street in the town centre is the place to go. These guys know more than a thing or two about coffee, and their extensive range is helpfully separated into five strength levels to help you decide which one to go for. They also have a delicious range of sweet treats to accompany your drink, should you wish to indulge.

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7. Shopping centres and markets in Bolton

Bolton is the perfect destination for undercover shopping, with a plethora of fashion boutiques and high street brands. Shopping in Bolton caters for all styles, ages and budget. Shopping in Bolton is definitely unique to its history, leaving you with cherishable memories.

If you fancy some retail therapy during your visit, then check out the modern indoor shopping centres featuring high street favourites at Market Place or Crompton Place, the award-winning Bolton Market, and the UK’s largest retail and leisure park at Middlebrook. With popular stores such as River Island, JD and Zara, as well as great independent retailers, you can shop until you drop in Bolton.

For a calming grocery shop experience, visit Bolton Market, a staggering Victorian iron and glass building where tourists take tours or calming strolls around this excellent place. Whether you are here to shop or not, you can see its cathedral-like proportions: At its highest point, the roof rises to 34 metres. For a casual browser, the Lifestyle Hall is the place to go, with a patisserie, coffee roaster, real ale bar, a tropical florist and tempting international dining options in the food court. For produce, the food hall is also surprisingly cosmopolitan, but is also anchored in locally sourced meat, cheese, fruit and vegetables.

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8. Bolton living costs

Budget guide:

• One-way Ticket (Local transport): £4.50
• Meal out: £13.00
• Fast Food (McDonalds): £5.29
• Gasoline (1 litre): £1.25
• Cinema ticket: £9.00
• Taxi (normal tariff): £2.30

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9. Festivals and Events in Bolton

Bolton has a number of eclectic festivals and events throughout the year, including:

• Bolton Food and Drink Festival. One of the best family entertainments at a favourite event in the North West.
• Bolton Film Festival. Celebrating films from home and abroad, this festival acts as an amplifier of emerging and established talent.
• Bolton Beer Festival. A 3-day celebration that exhibits more than 200 beers, wines, spirits and attracts over 7000 people.

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10. Travel in and around Bolton

Bolton has strong transport links which make it easy to get into town once you arrive. If you are travelling to the area by plane, Bolton is less than 25 miles from Manchester Airport, with regular bus and train services.

By car

Bolton is easily accessible by road - the M60, M61 and M6 are all on our doorstep - so you can base yourself here and get out and about into the rugged beauty of the West Pennine Moors.

By bus

A network of local buses coordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester serves the Bolton district and beyond; bus operators include Arriva North West and Diamond North West. Bolton is also served by the National Express coach network.

By train

Bolton Interchange is managed by Northern; the railway station is part of a town centre transport interchange with services to Manchester, Wigan, Southport, Blackburn and intermediate stations operated by Northern and TransPennine Express.

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11. Explore the UK from Bolton

Bolton is an ideal base for you to start exploring neighbouring cities, towns, and the rest of the UK.

Rochdale

Rochdale is a borough located in the north of Greater Manchester. Running alongside the Pennines, Rochdale has some of the most beautiful countryside in the region, and also home to some of the word-famous landmarks.

To celebrate the spectacular countryside of Rochdale, Hollingworth Lake is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. This is a perfect place for fans of outdoor activities because of many walkways and cycle routes. It is also a base for sailing, rowing and other watersports.

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Wigan

Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, known as the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and its administrative centre. The town was also swept up in the Industrial Revolution in which it became a coal mining and cotton-spinning centre in the UK.

The amount of positive energy this city possesses is more than enough to attract millions of tourists each year. From magnificent concert halls to excellent shopping malls, it harbors a rich collection of cultural heritage. But with a closer look, you will be amazed by its cultures, humbled by the generosity and friendliness of the locals, and of course, its thumping nightlife and excellent eateries.

Bury

Home of black pudding, this town to the north of Manchester has a lot more than just sausage. Of course, meat-eaters have to sample that black pudding at Bury’s award-winning market as a priority.

But there’s also a rich cultural menu, at the Bury Art Museum and live music venues like the Met, where Joy Division played one of their last concerts. Bury’s Irwell Valley is caused by the East Lancashire Railway, with steam trains chugging beside vestiges of 19th-century textile mills and villages born in the Industrial Revolution. Not to mention, two-time Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel is one of a few noteworthy Bury natives, and there is a monument to the “father of modern policing” in a dramatic spot on Holcombe Hill at the edge of the West Pennine Moors.