Your Ultimate Open-Air Chester Staycation: Couples Edition
Make the most of the (hopefully) luscious weather with an open-air staycation in Chester this summer. Our magnificent city offers an unparalleled selection of romantic and memorable activities to enjoy with your significant other, and unbeatable restaurants and accommodation offerings to match. Learn more about our romantic open-air offers below:
The Main Event
Dee River Kayaking
Join Dee River Kayaking for a relaxing paddle through the city of Chester, being sure to take in the majestic historic surroundings including the Roman city walls and Old Dee Bridge, or try your hands at white water kayaking by surfing the waves at the 11th-century weir! Another option is to try the ever-popular Stand Up Paddle Boarding. Whichever you choose, the opportunity to laugh with (maybe even at) your significant other is guaranteed!
All of Dee River Kayaking’s Chester based trips depart from Sandy Lane Car Park and can be expected to last between 2 and 3 hours. Participants are advised to wear warm clothes and waterproofs for ‘Calm Water’ excursions, whereas the ‘White Water’ counterparts demand bathing suits (worn under the wetsuits which are provided). All trips require closed-toe footwear.
Please note that Dee River Kayaking may be unsuitable for younger couples, as under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or legally appointed guardian.
Chester Zoo
Situated a short drive or bus journey away from the city centre is our world-famous attraction Chester Zoo. Whether you’re passionate about penguins, mad about monkeys or in awe of alligators, the 35,000+ animals situated across the site’s 128 acres of land promise a great day out for all! Plus, being a major animal welfare charity, your money will be reinvested into improving animals’ lives globally.
With so many animals to see, a visit to Chester Zoo will easily take up most of the day, but rest assured that there are plenty of toilets, plus dining establishments to please all taste buds offering dishes from fragrant Asian fusions to classic fast food! There is even a contemporary British pub onsite, The Oakfield, serving locally sourced food and hand picked beers, wines and spirits. The perfect place for a romantic lunch or indulgent afternoon tea. There are kiosks dotted throughout Chester Zoo, allowing for the perfect pick-me-up snack and drink. Those on a budget, or simply preferring their own food, can bring a packed lunch to enjoy on one of the plentiful picnic benches.
Need a rest but not hungry? Why not embark on a Lazy River Boat Trip around Sumba Island? Alternatively, relax in the spectacular award-winning botanical gardens and admire the rare flora species around you. Before leaving, be sure to visit the Chester Zoo gift shop to purchase souvenirs to remember your visit!
Parking at Chester Zoo is free of charge and plentiful. For those with wheelchairs and limited mobility, disabled parking is available at the main entrance, and almost all park pathways and exhibits are accessible. Accessible toilets are also available across the site. Those bringing registered Assistance Dogs are welcome, although should contact the zoo in advance.
Book your tickets here.
The Spa at Carden Park Hotel
Having a 5* rating and being amongst the UK’s largest all-weather proof spa gardens, Carden Park’s Spa makes for a rejuvenating, sensual experience, perfect for couples! The outside offer comprises full use of the Spa Garden and Thermal Experiences, with whole day, morning and Twilight packages available to name a few. These experiences also begin with welcome refreshments, a comfy robe to use throughout your stay, flip-flops to take home, and maybe even a glamorous Afternoon Tea for two!
You could easily spend all of your time outdoors, but for those wanting the best of both worlds, be sure to visit the indoor Salt Steam Room, Tepidarium, Aroma Steam Room and Experience Showers! Give yourselves an additional gift with a luxurious treatment, be this a Botanical Massage, Macadamia and Papaya Body Scrub, or something different altogether!
Whilst this section is dedicated to the hotel’s spa, the onsite luxury accommodation certainly makes for a great choice for couples! With a king-sized bed, en-suite bedroom or wet room, 39 inch HD plasma television in each room, plus a choice of four onsite restaurants, what more could you want?
Chester Ghost Tour
With over 2000 years of history, and frequent ghost sightings, a Ghost Tour around Chester looks to be an eerie evening never to be forgotten. Join the Chester Ghost Tour guides as they take you on a haunt of the city, telling you gruesome and peculiar tales of various sites’ paranormal inhabitants. You’ll be thankful you have your significant other by your side throughout!
Does the thought of sharing a tour with other humans send shivers down your spine? Book yourselves onto a Private Ghost Tour. But beware, you will automatically become the subjects of any ghastly encounters!
All Ghost Tours are approximately 90 minutes long and, where possible, should be booked in advance here. All tours depart from Chester Visitor Information Centre on Northgate Street. If informed at the time of booking, Chester Ghost Tour can be made accessible for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility.
Countess of Chester Country Park
Bringing the countryside to the city is the magnificent Countess of Chester Country Park, an excellent location to take a leisurely stroll whilst enjoying both the stunning scenery and company. Choose from three main walking trails, all between 0.8km and 5km-long, and with varying degrees of accessibility. The Countess of Chester Country Park also offers a Cultural Trail (3.6km) which takes guests through the wetlands and across an ancient green line, whereas the Poppy Trail, unsurprisingly, passes through a gorgeous field of the red beauties! Regardless of which route you choose, be sure to keep a lookout for the stunning fauna inhabitants including the Red Admiral Butterfly, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, and endangered toads.
Although aimed at beginners to map reading and the park’s youngest guests, there is no reason why couples cannot put themselves to the test with the site’s Permanent Orienteering Course! It’s a bit of fun if anything!
In terms of parking, the site has a small car park which costs £1 for two hours Monday to Friday, and is free at weekends. When it is busy on weekends only, park users may use the Hospital staff car park. Alternative parking can be found at the Mollington Banastre Hotel’s overflow car park.
City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
Running between 9am and 5.30pm daily, April to October, a 24 or 48-hour ticket for the Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing tour makes for a convenient, panoramic way to marvel at the wonders of Chester at a pace and rhythm which suits you and your significant other. There are 12 stops on the route, introducing the city’s iconic walls, gothic cathedral, and stunning roman amphitheatre amongst others. The views speak for themselves, but those interested in learning more can do so through the insightful pre-recorded or live commentary guides onboard. Plus, each purchase comes with a free booklet full of deals and discounts to use throughout the city, perfect for those bargain lovers!
We know plans sometimes change, and so it is great to know that your City Sightseeing tickets can be activated at any time within one year of purchase. Additionally, the company offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before your chosen travel date!
In terms of accessibility, the buses can generally cater for wheelchairs, although there is a chance you will have to wait for a later service (if the onboard wheelchair spaces are already filled).
Learn more about this Hop-On Hop-Off Tour here.
A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Grosvenor Park Open-Air Theatre
Shakespeare’s most magical, gleeful comedy invites audiences of all ages to follow their heart and embrace their imagination this summer at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre. It makes for a perfect date night activity! The show is available between 1st July to 27th August 2023, so you have ample time to view it – but be quick, as tickets are selling fast!
The theatre itself is fully accessible, with appropriate toilets on-site. Additional requirements may be catered for if you contact ticketing@storyhouse.com.
A Night at Moonlight Flicks
Snuggle up with your partner and enjoy a late-night showing of a great film in the serene surroundings of Chester Cathedral, courtesy of Moonlight Flicks! This year's programme will be released soon!
Make your night even cosier by pre-ordering a wood-fired pizza or classic cinema snack box to enjoy alongside the movie! Alternatively, bringing your own snacks is equally permitted!
If your screening is cancelled due to poor weather, you will be able to switch to a different one or get a refund. The Dean’s Field at Chester Cathedral is accessible for wheelchair users.
A Side of Food
After all of those activities, delicious food with surroundings to match is a must! Fortunately for you, we have rounded up our top dining choices in the city for couples.
The Old Harkers Arms
Boasting an extensive range of modern but unpretentious British-inspired dishes, alongside locally-brewed beverages and more, The Old Harkers Arms gastropub is almost certain to please. And, with a daily-changing menu, there is always a new dish to indulge in.
Its quaint outdoor seating area offers stunning views of the Shropshire Union Canal and its wildlife, making it the ideal venue to relax with great food and a glass of bubbly (or whisky given it has been frequently listed in the Good Pub Guide under the ‘Top 10 Whisky Pubs’ category)! All in all, we believe it is the amongst the most perfect, scenic date night venues!
The Boathouse
Boasting a floating beer garden and beach huts with views overlooking the River Dee, The Boathouse is a gorgeous venue to take your significant other for an al fresco dining experience. The venue offers an impressive, award-winning drinks selection alongside home-cooked seasonal pub classics, meaning there is something that may cater to everyone!
Another tempting bonus to The Boathouse is that it features on-site accommodation, meaning you can finish your meals, and, immediately after, be in your comfortable place for the night. The so-called Riverside Rooms are all furnished with a tranquil, nautical theme, and feature an en-suite bathroom, a Freeview TV, complimentary toiletries, and beverage making facilities. Plus, all rooms can access free parking and Tesla charging points.
Ring O’ Bells
Combining top-quality, classy dishes with the finest wines and beers around is Ring O’ Bells, situated in the Chester suburb of Christleton. With an extensive menu ranging from pizza, wraps, roasts and more, alongside an equally extensive gluten-free selection, Ring O’ Bells’ lovingly homemade dishes are likely to go down well with all. Plus, by serving such a vast range of dishes, your significant other’s frustrating “I don’t mind what type of food we eat” exclamation is overcome! Even better? Ring O’ Bells’ al fresco offer sees its guests seated beneath a tipi canopy!
Wednesdays and Fridays at Ring O’ Bells are designated pizza and burger nights respectively, meaning you and your partner can dine on such dishes on a 2-for-1 basis! So, if you are looking for charming, flavourful dishes and a price point to suit a budget, this is the place to be!
The Coach House
The multi-award-winning gastropub The Coach House Inn provides a hearty fayre of simple, yet high-quality dishes in which to indulge in style. Dinner guests are treated to an intimate candlelit dinner, whereas those visiting for breakfast, lunch, or simply a mid-afternoon snack can expect a less romantic, but nonetheless exquisite, experience. Dining on a Sunday? Be sure to enjoy a traditional roast dinner on-site (vegan option available)!
Like The Boathouse, The Coach House Inn also provides luxurious accommodation with individually designed bedrooms and a cooked breakfast included as standard, which brings us on to our final section…
A Romantic Place to Slumber
You’ll certainly need a cosy place to rest and recharge after all of those activities. See below our top Chester accommodation picks for couples (don’t worry, they are not all in the open-air)!
Oakwood Farm Chester
Based just 3 miles from the city centre is Oakwood Farm Chester, a stunning venue offering both a Touring Park and Mews accommodation.
In the Mews accommodation, 9 modern double (or twin) rooms are available, all complete with a large en-suite shower room, smart TV and free Wi-Fi. If the stunning room was not enough, a delicious breakfast can easily be arranged for the following morning, meaning you will be ready for another day exploring the city!
Oakwood Farm Chester’s Touring Park can accommodate caravans, motorhomes and, for those wanting to somewhat continue the al fresco lifestyle, tents. All pitches, regardless of type, feature water and electric hook up, making for optimal convenience. Get snuggly with a small campfire or BBQ in the evening and, if it is a clear night, be sure to watch the stars together!
Oddfellows
Pairing Georgian charm with quirky, intimate interiors, the boutique Oddfellows hotel is a great choice for a short romantic getaway in our historic city. Each of the hotel’s whimsical bedrooms, suites, and apartments feature beds you can sink into, spacious bathtubs, and sensual showers, meaning you and your significant other can expect pure bliss during your stay.
Venturing outside of your room, be sure to enjoy the The Secret Garden, an Instagrammable, trendy outside area serving countless bespoke cocktails and an inventive food menu produced with as many locally sourced and seasonal ingredients as can be! Why not go the extra mile and treat each other to a stylish Afternoon Tea in this flora-filled venue?
The Chester Grosvenor
Last but certainly not least is Cheshire’s only 5* hotel, The Chester Grosvenor. Upon approaching this spectacular hotel, you will be greeted by a Commissionaire, and the VIP treatment will continue throughout your visit.
Each of the beautiful rooms and suites on-site is furnished only with the finest fabrics and fixtures, and attentive staff are never more than a call away. If a pampering is what you desire, the serene on-site Spa offers the perfect mixture of serenity, relaxation, and vitality, perfect for rewinding after a busy day of al fresco activities in the city.
The food scene at The Chester Grosvenor is nothing short of spectacular either, boasting chic and refined dining in the 3AA Arkle Restaurant where you can experience Executive Chef, Elliot Hill and his team's exciting tasting menus. Or the fresh, modern cooking in La Brasserie, fusing English and international cuisines together to a 2 AA Rosette standard.
Have we inspired you and your significant other to take a staycation to Chester to enjoy the open-air?
to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
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