Visitors travel from all over the world to shop in Manchester and it’s easy to see why.

Shopping centres such as Manchester Arndale and intu Trafford Centre as well as high street destinations such as Exchange Square and Market Street offer an unrivalled selection of international brands combined with the best of British at department stores like John Lewis, Selfridges, Debenhams and Marks and Spencer.

For that extra special something, visit boutique districts around King Street, Spinningfields and New Cathedral Street and browse their designer shops. Or if one-off independents and handmade is more your thing, Manchester's alternative and creative heart, The Northern Quarter, is home to countless vintage stores, record shops, cafés, bars and restaurants.

For a shopping outlet with fantastic deals and a range of designer brands, Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet has a quarter-million square feet of retail space, comprising of more than 145 boutiques

Every family loves a good park, but it's not always easy to find the best ones.

A good park can keep the kids happy all day providing it's got enough facilities and most people don't mind travelling to one that ticks all the boxes.

So whether it's a sand play area, a decent cafe, or crazy golf that you're looking for we've been asking parents to recommend their favourite parks in Greater Manchester. And it makes for an impressive list.