Preston has a great deal to offer: there are two shopping centres, it was one of the founding fathers of modern football, it has an abundance of bars and restaurants and plenty of entertainment. And being just 40 minutes away from Manchester and an hour and 50 minutes from Sheffield, it’s easily accessible.
For onward travel from Preston the main bus terminal on Tithebarn Street is just 800 yards away, while there’s often a fleet of taxis waiting outside at the rank.
Tommy Cooper, Vera Lynn and Mickey Rooney have all travelled to Darlington and they all came to star in shows at the Edwardian gem that is the Darlington Civic Theatre. To catch local arts and music events, you should head to The Bridge for arts and for music to The Forum Music Centre. If nature is your bag then you should definitely get to Thornton Hall Gardens where you’ll find a beautiful Grade 1 listed building set in 3 distinct and spectacular walled gardens.
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Less than a mile from the station is EastZeast, which offers authentic Punjabi cooking and has menus full of great dishes. If you fancy pizza or pasta, Tiggis is a 30-year-old Italian that has built a following over the years. If your heart’s desire is a Latin American bodega in the heart of Preston, you’re in luck. Duk Bodega is as tasty as it is quirky, serving amazing tapas like lamb carpaccio with juniper.
The Whitburn House Hotel is a beautifully decorated Victorian bed and breakfast that offers long and short stays. It’s also walking distance to the university and Preston North End FC. The Ashwood Hotel is a super affordable, family-run hotel right in the centre of the city. It’s also a 4-minute walk from the station. The Legacy Preston International Hotel is a friendly 3-star hotel just around the corner from the university and a 10-minute walk from the station.
At the British Commercial Vehicle Museum, you can get to grips with lots of vehicles like vintage fire engines, and they even have the Popemobile on site. The Bowland Wild Boar Animal Park has boars (as you’d expect), longhorn cows and more animals that are a real treat for children of all ages.
The 2 central shopping centres offer a great retail fix in Preston. The Fishergate Shopping Centre is right next to the station, so it makes sense that that would be your first call. Come here for your high-street fashion fix. The St George's Shopping Centre is just a few streets further on and has even more high-street goodness, as well as cafes and children’s activities. There are 2 further shopping centres: the Capital Centre retail park and Deepdale Shopping Centre.
For more ideas on what to do in Preston, see Visit Lancashire.