Smile Adventures
Smile Adventures
5
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About
Discover The UK from Manchester! We are a Manchester-based tour company who offer high quality, interactive day trips and tours to many locations in the surrounding area. Our cultural city day trips give you chance to discover wonderful destinations such as York, Liverpool and Edinburgh, whilst our National Park tours reveal the highlights of stunning areas such as Snowdonia, The Lake District, Peak District and Yorkshire Dales
Manchester, Greater Manchester, England
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
337 reviews
Excellent
312
Very good
23
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Payal
1 contribution
May 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to Snowdonia along the Miner's track, part of which is covered. It takes you through the lakes with amazing views. The trek is negotiable by the average person, thanks to the Smile Adventures team. Anglesey is a good place to visit too and easy enough to get to after the long trek.
The itinerary is well planned, maintaining a good balance of activity, rest and food through the day.
Lee, Rey and Jo were amazing, interacting with all members of the 35+ group of people while also providing interesting information on the places we were visiting.
Had an amazing day in the midst of nature, good people and Team Smile Adventures! Thank you!
The itinerary is well planned, maintaining a good balance of activity, rest and food through the day.
Lee, Rey and Jo were amazing, interacting with all members of the 35+ group of people while also providing interesting information on the places we were visiting.
Had an amazing day in the midst of nature, good people and Team Smile Adventures! Thank you!
Written 31 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your fantastic feedback!
It really keeps us going to hear such lovely comments.
We're so happy you had a good experience with us -and hope to see you again soon.
Best wishes from all the Smile Team ☺️
Written 10 August 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
eFFeRRe08
Manchester, UK7 contributions
Nov 2019 • Solo
The guys of Smile Adventures are very professional, friendly and funny! I've spent three months in MCR and almost every weekend I used to travel with them to discover the UK (Lake District, North Wales, Old Trafford and Etihad Stadium, Paintball, etc...) ! It was a golden opportunity to meet new friends to wide my social circle during my experience abroad as they organise Tours for ALL the students of the English Schools in MCR... and to improve my English too! Thank you very much Lee, George, Marine and Andrew! It was a honour to meet you! I'll be back in the future with more friends! ... and don’t forget to smile! :D
Filippo
Filippo
Written 7 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Fillipo!
We hope you're well :) Sorry for the delay in the response.
Thanks so much for all your kind words!
We hope to see you again.
Best wishes from all the Smile Team
Written 26 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
maria
4 contributions
Aug 2022
This was my first trip with Smile Adventures and also my first solo tour. I enjoyed it so much! George and Antonio were great guides with loads of knowledge and were super approachable should you need to ask questions. The coach was lovely and I really enjoyed having things pointed out to us on our journey so we had things to look for. The tour was super organised and everything was really clear (e.g. meeting points and times), it didn't feel rushed at all and we had plenty of times for a quick explore of each place and to get any food/drinks and go to the toilet.
I'll definitely be booking more trips with Smile Adventures and genuinely highly recommend them to anyone looking for a solo/couple/group trip from Manchester.
Overall a great time and amazing value for money!
I'll definitely be booking more trips with Smile Adventures and genuinely highly recommend them to anyone looking for a solo/couple/group trip from Manchester.
Overall a great time and amazing value for money!
Written 25 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AMB
4 contributions
Oct 2021
Having done a tour to the Lakes I decided to try out the North Wales Tour and I'm glad I did. As ever George and Marine were excellent tour guides and despite the changeable weather they ensured the day was entertaining. Obviously the quiz on the bus was the main highlight but the scenery throughout the day was also stunning and George ensured we learned lots throughout the course of the day.
If you're thinking about booking a trip but aren't sure I would really recommend it. The trips are really good value especially if you don't have a car and want some guidance rather than just doing a solo trip.
If you're thinking about booking a trip but aren't sure I would really recommend it. The trips are really good value especially if you don't have a car and want some guidance rather than just doing a solo trip.
Written 4 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks a lot for the fantastic review!
We really appreciate it 😊
So pleased that you've enjoyed these 2 adventures - and we hope there are more to come!
Best wishes from all the Smile Team
Written 6 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Adam C
1 contribution
Apr 2022
We recently used Smile Adventures to deliver a tour for a visit from corporate clients from around Europe. Smile worked with us to decide what would be included on the tour and were able to make changes on the day as required. The tour was a great success and viewed by participants as the highlight of the day. Lee did a fantastic job of brining the city to life and struck the perfect balance of being fun and informative. Lee and his team clearly know the city incredibly well so are able to focus on the bits participants find most interesting and personalise the tour for them. I lived in Manchester for 2 years but learnt and saw things I didn’t know. The group did not know each other at the start but clearly bonded during the tour while learning about the city. This was exactly what we were looking for so I would highly recommend Smile Adventures.
Written 9 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your review, Adam!
It was a pleasure working with your team.
We hope to see you again soon.
Best wishes from all our crew. 😊
Written 22 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jolsk
United Kingdom12 contributions
Oct 2021 • Solo
I had a fantastic day out in York this weekend with our guides George and Jo. They were really friendly and professional and looked after us. We had a guided tour of the city, free time for lunch and exploring and in the afternoon visited the railway museum. It was my first trip with Smile Adventures and I’ve already booked another. I can’t wait for summer so I can book some more! Would highly recommend.
Written 3 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your fantastic review!
We're so pleased you enjoyed your first adventure with us. Looking forward to seeing you again!
Best wishes from all the Smile Team 😁
Written 6 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jolsk
United Kingdom12 contributions
Jun 2022 • Solo
I’ve just had an amazing weekend in Edinburgh, staying overnight in the city. In Manchester we were joined by another tour group from Liverpool called Daytrippers and their guide Johan. Marine our guide from Smile Adventures was there and was always very helpful and friendly.
The journey up by coach was very comfortable and we had a rest stop. Day 1 in Edinburgh, Johan gave us a guided tour of the city and we even visited the grave of Greyfriars Bobby. In the evening we had a great meal in a pub Johan recommended and the food was great.
Day 2 I climbed Arthur’s Seat which was challenging but well worth it, then had free time to explore Edinburgh Castle. The highlight for me was seeing the crown, sword and sceptre used at Mary Queen of Scot’s’ coronation.
All in all I would highly recommend trips with Smile Adventures and /or Daytrippers. Marine and Johan are great hosts and our driver Bryan was friendly and funny and got us there and back in one piece. I’ve had a few trips with Smile before and this one really was amazing.
The journey up by coach was very comfortable and we had a rest stop. Day 1 in Edinburgh, Johan gave us a guided tour of the city and we even visited the grave of Greyfriars Bobby. In the evening we had a great meal in a pub Johan recommended and the food was great.
Day 2 I climbed Arthur’s Seat which was challenging but well worth it, then had free time to explore Edinburgh Castle. The highlight for me was seeing the crown, sword and sceptre used at Mary Queen of Scot’s’ coronation.
All in all I would highly recommend trips with Smile Adventures and /or Daytrippers. Marine and Johan are great hosts and our driver Bryan was friendly and funny and got us there and back in one piece. I’ve had a few trips with Smile before and this one really was amazing.
Written 27 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for your fantastic review!
We're so pleased you enjoyed the Edinburgh Weekend.
We hope to see you in future for another adventure.
Best wishes from all the Smile Team:)
Written 22 February 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Paul K
2 contributions
Jan 2022
Very good day trip at the Lake District, guide, had done his homework as give us a information about the history of lakes and place names... I would go again as I liked the day out and guides were very friendly and informative... Also guide showed us an amazing view of the lakes which I had never seen before which I enjoyed...
Written 24 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the fantastic review, Paul.
We're pleased you enjoyed the Lakes trip - and its great you got a view you've not seen before!
We hope to see you again soon for another adventure 😊
Best wishes from all the Smile Team
Written 25 January 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ammar K
1 contribution
Apr 2022
The Lake District was a really good trip because Smile Adventures safely took us to many parts and places I would not have visited alone and so we covered quite a big chunk of the lake district making the most of the trip!
I was alone and fine because I was surrounded by welcoming, easy-going and like-minded people. This reminded me of the good old school day trips.
Thank you,
Ammar.
I was alone and fine because I was surrounded by welcoming, easy-going and like-minded people. This reminded me of the good old school day trips.
Thank you,
Ammar.
Written 14 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your fantastic review, Ammar!
It was a pleasure to have you along for the adventure :)
Hope to see you again in the future.
Best wishes from all the Smile Team 😊
Written 15 April 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
unknownuser111
1 contribution
Oct 2022
Hello
It al started at the bus, we stopped at a beautiful gas station at 9:30, keep in mind we left at 7:20. We arrived late to Scotland and we were hungry (2:00 pm). We were excited for a whiskey tour which we arrived to at 3:00. We climbed a mountain, and behold the whiskey tour. It was a cheap bottle served in reusable cups. We later arrived to the hostel late.... hungry and in a rush for a tour. We had 15 minutes to eat at the hostel. We left for the tour and again... walking waiting for a GOOD tour, which ended up being a walk to the city with a guy talking. At night we were supposed to go bar hopping which our tour guy was already drinking. The next day I decided to go by myself and wonder in the amazing city of Edinburgh, which was BETTER! I went to the museum, castle, the whiskey experience and just sight seeing.
The hostel costs 20-45 euros a night and the bus should cost 50-80 euros as well. This trip was 150 pounds and it wasn't worth it.
It al started at the bus, we stopped at a beautiful gas station at 9:30, keep in mind we left at 7:20. We arrived late to Scotland and we were hungry (2:00 pm). We were excited for a whiskey tour which we arrived to at 3:00. We climbed a mountain, and behold the whiskey tour. It was a cheap bottle served in reusable cups. We later arrived to the hostel late.... hungry and in a rush for a tour. We had 15 minutes to eat at the hostel. We left for the tour and again... walking waiting for a GOOD tour, which ended up being a walk to the city with a guy talking. At night we were supposed to go bar hopping which our tour guy was already drinking. The next day I decided to go by myself and wonder in the amazing city of Edinburgh, which was BETTER! I went to the museum, castle, the whiskey experience and just sight seeing.
The hostel costs 20-45 euros a night and the bus should cost 50-80 euros as well. This trip was 150 pounds and it wasn't worth it.
Written 17 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi there,
Thanks for leaving your review.
We were very disappointed and sorry to receive this feedback, as all other feedback from the tour was really positive.
I believe that the traffic on the way in to Edinburgh that day was heavier than usual and so that accounted for the slightly late arrival. However, just to clarify that the tour departed at 8am from Manchester, and after taking the necessary service break (in order to comply with driving laws) at Tebay services - the normal schedule is to arrive in Edinburgh by 1.15pm. Unfortunately traffic conditions that day meant you arrived around 40 mins late.
Whilst we realise this is a long journey, it is very much the expected jouney time when travelling by coach, and we try to make sure the journey is fun, with information and a quiz along the way. It's a shame you didn't enjoy the whisky tasting at the top of Calton Hill, as this is a highlight moment for a lot of people - but again just to clarify that this is not a whisky tour and isn't described as such in our itinerary. It is 'whisky tasting with a view'. It would certainly be un-feasible for us to include a full whisky or distillery tour for the budget-friendly price of our tour. We are really proud of our guides, who deliver this tasting with an explanation about the whisky and it's place in Scottish culture - followed by a sample of 2 different Single Malt Scotch whiskies. We do use recyclable cups - as this is definitely the most effective and eco-friendly way to do this outdoors! But it's unfortunate that you didn't enjoy it as much as the rest of the group.
Regarding the Edinburgh city tour - once again we are sorry it wasn't what you expected, but we are very proud of the walking tours delivered by our guides, and by their nature the tours are essentially as you described - a guided walk in the city with information about the famous landmarks and history of the city.
Finally just to touch on your disappointment in terms of value for money - we feel that perhaps your expectations of what is possible for £150 may be a little unfair. We truly believe that return transport by executive coach, a night in a top quality hostel, and a balanced itinerary of guided and self guided periods throughout the weekend, including a whisky taste, represents excellent value for money at the price we offer. Of course it is possible to get to Edinburgh faster if you travel by train - but by way of comparison, a return ticket from Manchester costs aprox £90.
Of course, our aim is always that all group members enjoy the tour as much as possible - and we strive to make our trips fun, flexible and value for money. However, we accept that group travel is not for everyone.
We cannot pretend that we don't feel this review is a little unjustified, but of course we accept that you are very entitled to your view and regret that you didn't enjoy the trip. We will be happy to discuss it more with you if you'd like to get in touch on inf@smileadventures.co.uk
Many thanks
Lee
Written 24 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience
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