Heaton Park is Manchester's largest green space, a broad municipal park north of the centre with enough room for long walks, picnics, and a proper break from the city. It includes woodland, open lawns, a lake, and the grounds of a former stately home.
On some weekends vintage trams run inside the park, which gives the place a faintly old-fashioned charm. It is not central, but it is one of the best choices in Manchester when you want space rather than another city square.