How to Spend a Great Day in Preston, Lancashire

Preston – the biggest city in Northern England’s Lancashire Region – wears its long cultural and industrial heritage proudly on its sleeve. I stopped here for a couple of nights mainly to use it as a hiking base, but found enough interesting historical traces to warrant some explorations of the city itself.

Preston makes for an easy day trip from nearby Manchester or even Blackpool, but staying overnight allows you to get an early start and check out some more out-of-the way destinations. Read on for my recommendations on what to do in Preston in one busy day.

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The Best Things to Do in Preston in One Day

This one-day itinerary includes both historical and natural sights and should give you a good introduction to both the city and its surroundings.

Breakfast at Rise

This small café near the eastern end of the old town is a great place to start your day. The staff is super friendly and attentive, the coffee is strong and the food absolutely delicious (I highly recommend getting the Turkish Eggs).

The place is so popular that people reputedly have to queue to get a table on the weekend. I came here on a weekday, so I had no trouble in that regard. The café is located at the western entrance to the Miller Arcade, near Preston’s main square.

Miller Arcade

This pretty historical arcade right next door to Rise Café dates to Victorian times and was inspired by London’s Burlington Arcade. Inside, the building sports some nice architectural details, including a glass ceiling and a number of street lamps looking a little out of place.

The interior of the arcade is open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and from 11am to 5pm on Sundays. You can double-check the times here.

Samlesbury Hall

Walk north-east from Miller Arcade to reach Preston’s modernist bus station, where you can hop a Blackburn-bound bus (at the time of writing, that was Bus No. 59) and get off at Samlesbury Hall in the incorporated village of Samlesbury.

This historic Tudor Villa dates to the early 14th century and in my opinion is one of the area’s must-see sights. The beautiful black-and-white painted wooden building contains a number of grand restored rooms and some interesting historical details.

For instance, the Southwort family who used to live here, defied the orders of the crown by secretly sticking to their Catholic faith and there are a number of priest holes in the building, where Catholic clerics were likely hidden by the residents to save them from persecution.

I also liked two small interactive exhibitions in the attic dealing with the Samlesbury Witch Trials and the alleged hauntings of the mansion (yours truly didn’t encounter any spectres). Finally, there’s a small café with outdoor seating in a pretty courtyard, which is a great place for a coffee before heading continuing your explorations.

Samlesbury Hall is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Double-check the times here. I highly recommend getting here as soon as the place opens, as I had the beautiful building completely to myself for the first 15 minutes or so. Entrance is by donation.

Brockholes Nature Reserve

After getting your dose of history, I recommend getting your nature fix at Brockholes Reserve. Take a bus bound for Preston, get off at the Tickled Trout Hotel, then walk west for a bit to cross the Ribble and follow the northern shore of the river east until you reach Brockholes.

Brockholes is a marshland nature reserve just outside the eastern outskirts of Preston, which has been converted from an old quarry site. There are a number of viewpoints bordering several lakes, ponds and marshes and a multitude of animals to spot.

While walking through the reserve I spotted various waterbirds, fish, frogs and some squirrels and I didn’t even take it particularly slowly. There’s also a visitor centre with a small museum and several cafés, which is constructed on a floating platform and wouldn’t look out of place in South-East Asia. The visitor centre is open daily from 10am to 4pm. Double-check the current times here.

If you’ve still got some energy, you could continue walking along the River Ribble for about 8 km or 5 miles to reach Preston’s Avenham Park. Otherwise, catch a bus from the Tickled Trout Hotel on the southern side of the river.

Preston Markets and the Wallace and Gromit Statue

Assuming you took the bus, walk west from the bus station to find the city’s two market halls, which are covered by Victorian-era market canopies.

At the western entrance to the northern hall, I stumbled across a statue of Wallace and Gromit. After a short research, I found out that Nick Park, the creator of the iconic stop-motion duo, was born in Preston. Obviously, I couldn’t resist snapping a picture with the pair;)

Market Square and Harris Museum

A few hundred metres to the South of the market halls, you’ll find Preston’s impressive main square, which is dominated by the tall Cenotaph – a monument to the fallen local soldiers from both World Wars.

The eastern side of the square is framed by the courthouse and the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, which unfortunately was closed for refurbishment when I was here, so I can’t give you any first-hand information.

The exhibits are said to cover the cultural and industrial history of the region, and there’s supposed to be a large collection of artworks, too. It’s slated to reopen in the spring of 2025. You can check the current state of things here.

Preston Martyrs Monument

Walk down Friargate and turn left when it meets the A59 to find the Martyr’s Monument. Preston was an early centre of Northern England’s industrialization and like in many places, conditions for workers were quite terrible, which led to a strike in 1842, during which four men were killed.

The stone monument in front of the old corn exchange building was inspired by Francisco de Goya’s painting El tres de Mayo de 1808, although the figures are a bit more stylized and almost reminded of Picasso’s Guernica instead.

A Short Break at Bistrot Pierre

If you follow Lune Street south and then turn right on Fishergate, Preston’s main shopping street, you’ll pass a place, which I didn’t take for a café on my first look. Bistrot Pierre is located inside a restored 19^th century Baptist church, which is a cool setting for a drink or a quick bite.

Winckley Square

Backtrack on Fishergate and turn right on Chapel Street to arrive at Winckley Square, a grand square dating to the turn of the 19th century. There are a number of well-preserverd Georgian Houses surrounding an open public park.

In the southern half of the gardens is a spot where a number of plaques in the ground describe some former residents of the square. The gardens seem to be a popular local hang-out spot, as they were always full of people when I crossed them.

Avenham and Miller Park

If you continue south from the south-western corner of the square, you’ll reach Avenham Park and Miller Park, two large adjoining green spaces. There are some cool fountains and statues from Victorian times, plus it’s simply a pleasant place for a stroll – I particularly liked the Japanese Rock Garden.

If you walk to the southern end of the Parks, you can take a walk along the edge of the River Ribble. If you’re fed up with walking around for the day, you could plunk down on one of the many benches or lawns in the park and while away the afternoon.

Find a Place for Dinner

By now, it’s likely high time for some dinner. Being always budget-conscious, I opted for a meal and pint at the Twelve Tellers Pub (a Wetherspoons) near the Preston Minster, but there are fancier places, too. For instance, the 1842 Restaurant near the Martyr’s Monument has a very good reputation and might be a nice place to top off your eventful day.

Map of Things to Do in Preston

All the places mentioned above can be found in this map of Preston and its surroundings.

How to Get to Preston

Preston lies pretty centrally in Lancashire and can easily be reached by train from nearby Blackpool, Manchester and Lancaster. There are also several direct train services from London. It’s easiest to check the National Rail Website for connections.

Where to Stay in Preston

There is not a huge selection of places to stay in Preston, but there are a few options for every budget. If you don’t want to spend a lot, Moor Park Apartments would be a good choice. Legacy Preston International Hotel is a well-rated midrange choice, while Winckley Square Residences would be the place to go for some luxury. Have a look at the map below for more options.

Where to Go Next

The Lake District National Park, England’s best area for hiking

Chorley, the perfect base for exploring the West Pennine Moors

Blackpool, The UK’s Most Famous Seaside Resort