I'd love to pick Cornwall but I know I'd be part of the problem of potentially pricing locals out. I'd probably pick somewhere in South Wales, relatively cheap, wife has family there and some beautiful areas in south west Wales.
North Wales or somewhere around the Lake District. I love the mountains and the sea. I'm planning to retire to the North (eventually, if I live long enough and it's a financial option).
Both are beautiful places! We stayed in North Wales in April for my wife's birthday as we climbed Snowdon and it was really beautiful. One of my favourite DJs performed a set on the railway they have and you get an amazing view of the area.
I'd probably live outside the lakes though purely because of how busy it gets in summer.
The caveat is that I'm from the US, and in basing the decision purely on loving the accent and having known a truly wonderful lady from there. So, you know, kinda sus.
Nah, great pick mate. River, sea, culture, piss up, friendly locals, great scran and a suitable distance from Manchester (far enough to keep them at arm's length but close enough that you can take advantage of the facilities).
Seeing as I live in the north east my options seem to be either north of Aberdeen or south of Birmingham. I'm going to say Bristol. I've never visited but it seems to have a nice reputation.
For me it all boils down to them all being cities big enough for you to be able to do anything you can think of without needing to really plan ahead.
Want to go see a gig that day? Pick a genre, it'll be on somewhere. If it's a big international tour, I can assume it'll be on at a venue near me.
Want to try some obscure cuisine? Enjoy a huge selection of restaurants or food halls to visit serving anything you can think of and several companies who will deliver it to you in half an hour. If you're not feeling adventurous, your favourites will be available from countless places to a very high standard.
Want to walk round some galleries or museums, or even just a tour around somewhere with historical significance? Take your pick
What about sport? You can go and get tickets and watch some of the best athletes in the country or even the world.
Have a niche hobby? There will be a group of people you can share that with somewhere, there may even be several groups.
Want to get from A to B? Go to the metro/tube/tram station, one will be along in less than 5 mins. You're not forced to own a car.
Want a bit of nature, they all have parks with fantastic botanical gardens all over the city and great countryside & little villages just outside of it.
Nightlife? You'll be able to have any kind of night you feel like: a big pub crawl, dancing into the early morning, a laugh at a comedy club, maybe just a chill out at an arcade and everything in-between.
Need some random item delivered? You might be able to get it in a couple of hours, definitely by the next day if not
Want to just experience something new? They're always changing, so you'll never have seen it all
Need to get to another major city in the UK? Rapid trains to get you there. Need to get to another city on the planet? It's not unreasonable to expect the airport 30 mins away to be able to get you there directly.
Finally (though least relevant to you) there's work, you simply get a much greater selection of better job opportunities and easier commutes to those jobs if you live near them.
(that ended up being a touch longer than I expected, haha)
Welsh borders down Hereford way. You have all your big shopping requirements in Hereford, you have Hay-on-Wye for books and you are within striking distance of the Forest of Dean or the Brecon Beacons.