10 Best Things to do in Liverpool

Liverpool in England offers visitors more than just the birthplace of The Beatles – although that’s a pretty big deal! History, sports, art, museums and MUSIC make this a top spot for travelers. Here are the 10 best things to do in Liverpool.

Catch the Reds at Anfield Stadium

Mention Liverpool and the first thing springing to many people’s minds will be its football club: Liverpool FC. Anfield is the name of the stadium that Liverpool FC calls home. Whether it’s the pan-European Champions League or the English Premier League, excitement is always off the charts when Liverpool are playing at Anfield.

The stadium seats about 54,000 people and tickets often sell out long before match day, so be sure to purchase in advance. Whether you see a game or not, take a tour of the stadium to learn about the club’s history of success and relive prior conquests. The tour lets you in the changing rooms and onto the pitch, giving guests a feel for what it’s like to don the red shirt and experience why, with Liverpool FC, “you’ll never walk alone.”

Rock Out at The Beatles Story

The Beatles Story presents the world’s largest permanent exhibition dedicated to telling the story of the band’s rise to international superstardom. Here, you’ll find heaps of memorabilia and an audio tour guiding you through the lives of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison.

From classic audio recordings to classic photos, the life and times of The Beatles is presented in a manner suitable for both superfans and – gasp – the uninitiated.

Less than a mile walk from The Beatles Story Museum, Cavern Club (10 Matthew Street) is where the band debuted in 1961. Through the years it has hosted an unimaginable number of artists and up-and-coming musicians still play here live. It is adjacent to the Liverpool Beatles Museum – one museum isn’t enough for the Fab Four!

Diehard fans The Beatles will love the Magical Mystery Bus providing tours of the band’s old hangouts, childhood homes, The Beatles statue at Pier Head and places around Liverpool in England which inspired their music including Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields.

Admire the Royal Albert Dock

The Beatles Story is located next to Royal Albert Dock, Britain’s first building to be built with only bricks and irons. This marvelous five-story building was used as a harbor basin where cotton, tobacco and sugar were once unloaded – a reminder of Britain’s insidious role in the transatlantic slave trade and African and American colonialism.

The gigantic Victorian structure is built around an arcaded walkway allowing tourists to walk its perimeter. Its beefy columns once labored as capstans for moored ships. The whole of Royal Albert Dock has been redeveloped and gentrified into fancy apartments, designer boutiques, restaurants, cafes and museums, including Tate Liverpool art museum steps from The Beatles Story.

Explore the Merseyside Maritime Museum

Also located at the Royal Albert Dock is the Merseyside Maritime Museum sharing exhibitions recalling the immigration of millions of people who left Britain for North America between the 1830s to the early 1900s. Ironic considering many present-day Englanders opposition of immigration into the country today.

The museum also pays tribute to two of the most famous passenger vessel tragedies in world history:  Titanic and Lusitania. Titanic was registered to Liverpool, home base for the White Star Line company which owned and operated it. Lusitania was likewise registered to Liverpool by White Star’s rival Cunard Line and took its maiden voyage out of Liverpool.

In addition to the museums, cafés and shoppes cover Royal Albert Dock and the nearby area.

The Museum of Liverpool

Just up the dock a few hundred feet along the River Mersey towards the Titanic Memorial Liverpool, the Museum of Liverpool was opened in 2011. The Museum of Liverpool glorifies Liverpool’s unique geography, culture and history using displays associated with Liverpool’s famous port and people.

This museum will captivate you with the city’s compelling story from the Ice Age to today. The museum reveals the life and legacies of forgotten heroes and innovative pioneers through multiple displays of costumes, decorative art and historic objects embodying city’s social and urban history together with oral testimonies, archaeological findings and photos.

Entry is free.

Marvel at the Magnificent Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral

This cathedral stands out from the rest for its unique circular design and a tall, lantern-like top distinguishing it from any other cathedral in Britain. Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral is Britain’s largest Catholic cathedral open to the public regardless of religious affiliation. Guests are invited to attend mass or other events throughout the year.

The cathedral interior features a light show resulting from filtered glass used in construction of the “lantern” roof.

The cathedral is also home to the Lutyens Crypt containing the remains of Sir Edwin Lutyens, whose grandiose designe for an elaborate church to surpass St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome during the 1930s

Walker Art Gallery

Even before entering, the gallery’s magnificent architecture delights visitors. With origins dating back to 1877, the building was refurbished in 1999 and is considered one of Europe’s finest art galleries.

Although the building is 130 years old, the gallery’s most important works have been on display in Liverpool in England for more than 200 years. An extensive collection of works by French, Italian and Flemish artists – Rubens, Rembrandt and Turner – from the 14th century to the present day are on display.

History at St George’s Hall

Five hundred feet from the Walker Art Gallery, St George’s Hall stands as a majestic symbol of neoclassical architecture as impressive today as when it was finished in 1854. The original purpose of this building was to be as a law court and concert hall. Though no longer serving its purpose as a court, it remains in use for concerts and serves as one of the most prestigious venues for weddings in Liverpool.

Inside, you’ll be swept off your feet by the Minton tiled floor. The courtroom has been refurbished, tour the robing room and prison cells, and of course the great hall with one of the world’s largest organs.

The British Music Experience

Liverpool’s contributions to popular music go beyond The Beatles to include Elvis Costello, 80s soundtrack mavens Echo and the Bunnymen and cult favorites Flock of Seagulls. The British Music Experience in Liverpool widens out beyond the city limits, interpreting the influence of British music from 1945 to the present day.

That’s a MASSIVE story including the Stones, the Who, Zeppelin, Ozzy, Elton, Queen, Bowie, the Spice Girls, Adele and on, and on, and on. Galleries, interactive zones, audio visual experiences and hologram performances are paired with costumes, instruments, hand-written lyrics and ephemera.

Adventure At Knowsley Safari

This 550-acre safari drive features more than 700 animals making for a family-friendly excursion on the eastern edge of the city. Visitors drive through different zones getting close up with the animals – much closer than you’d experience safely in the wild. The lion enclosure highlights the experience in this surreal park on the edge of a major city.

Knowsley Safari also has amusement rides and kid-friendly play zones to occupy the little ones.

Where to stay in Liverpool in England

Whether you’re looking for high-end luxury or budget accommodations, traveling with your family or on a romantic getaway, one of Liverpool’s scores of hotels will be perfect for you. Use the map below to search by price and location.