Family trip to Liverpool

[sandinthewaves]

I doubt we will be going abroad this year, so we are planning some city breaks. Kids are teenagers and we live in rural SW.

Hoping to go to Liverpool, I know we want to go up to the Gormley statues at Crosby beach, see all the sights etc.

Can you give me your recommendations for restaurants, hotels, quirky cool places, walking tours etc?

We will probably go by car as it's quicker and cheaper, so we may want to stay somewhere with parking. It would be good to wander out for dinner rather than having to drive every evening (and forgo a glass of wine with supper!)

Kids are into vintage, student vibe places, casual restaurants.

Probably aiming for three or four nights.

Thanks

The two cathedrals are worth visiting and only a short walk from each other. You should make the ferry crossing (Gerry Marsden RIP) and the area around Tate Liverpool is interesting.

Hotel prices can be hefty in Liverpool so I would book early where you can. The Crowne Plaza has parking, it’s near the waterfront, Albert Dock etc but only about 10-15mins easy walk to shops and restaurants. If you like tapas (assuming it’s still there) try Bacaro, or Mei Mei for Chinese food.

Stay at Royal Albert Dock. There's a Premier Inn or a Holiday Inn but bet there are loads of Air BnBs nearby. It's a stunning city centre location.

The Dock has The Beatles Story Exhibition and the Tate and the Museums of Liverpool are nearby as well as the iconic Three Graces. Many great independent restaurants and bars too. Liverpool One and the city centre are a short walk away.

Easy access to Merseyrail at James Street for onward travel to the coast, if you needed it.

We did this a couple of years ago to see the Terracotta Warriors exhibition. We stayed in serviced apartments (Staycity, I think?) which were quite central and worked better for us than a hotel - some nice trendy bars/restaurants and places for brunch/lunch nearby too.

Albert Dock is lovely and the two museums there are very good - maritime and slavery - think there’s another one too but we didn’t go there. And the World Museum where the Warriors were looked v good too though we didn’t do much of it.

The shopping was great too if that’s your thing. And there was a terrifying big wheel on the Albert Dock!!

If you like Chinese food Luban is amazing and for tapas you have to go to Lunya. Crosby beach gets really busy on a nice day, it also has quick sand and mud banks so make sure you have wellies plus plastic bags in the car, the Good Catch chippy is fabulous and only a 5 minute drive from the beach. The Titanic Hotel gets great reviews and I think has parking, but there are Premier Inns too. Lark Lane near Sefton Park is good too.

Or try the Baltic Triangle area for street food.

The Williamson tunnels are quirky and fun, World Museum - brilliant Egyptian section, but also an aquarium and a planetarium (you usually have to book for this).

If you want quirky shops they try the hippie hole in the old railway station. Also, go into Chinatown for food. The burnt out church is nearby and often has pop up events.

The Cat Cafe is great - but usually booked up well in advance.

Sefton Park is lovely.

The Philharmonic pub is worth a visit for the toilets alone. We also love the food there and in Grilla and the the Old Blind School - both on Hardman Street.

Agree with pp that both cathedrals are fab. The Albert Docks are very touristy, but we still love them.

Abit further ot, but go through the tunnels and visit Bidston - lovely walks and a little city farm. If you like PreRaphelites and Arts and Crafts then Port Sunlight is a must.

I miss Liverpool!

Thanks so much, all these are great.

Do you think three or four days will be enough?

I was thinking of doing this too, thanks for all the suggestions.

World Museum!!!! I loved it, the Egyptian section is great, the ethnographic sections are amazing and very senstively displayed and then they have the huge collection of taxidermy and having pondered what to do with it they have created what is basically a dead zoo, which is possibly the best bit.

If you go the Slavery Museum first it does kind of spoil everything inform your visit go and see a big historic house 'were these slave owners again?', visit industrial place 'and the goods being imported were being made by? Yep, slaves again'

Lady Lever Art Gallery has a beautiful collection of Pre Raphaelite art which who may or may not think teenager appropriate depending on your teens - it's collected for one wealthy industrialist rather than for a museum so it is all very male gaze Victorian porn. DH and I disgraced ourselves in front of a school group by bursting into giggles at a statue whose hand may have been hiding her modesty but we thought was doing something else entirely

We stayed by the Docks in a cheap Ibis where there was parking but after that everything was easy walking distance or v easy by metro. If you google the Anthony Gormley there are clear instructions how to get there on the website.

The Mersey Tunnel tour is very interesting
Williamson Tunnels
climb the Anglican Cathedral Tower for great views, also St John’s Beacon ( go up in a lift for this one)
The Baltic Triangle
If you have a good day weather wise, get the ferry across to Woodside, walk along the from to New Brighton for the old Fort and beach, you can get the train back
open top bus tour
spoilt for choice for musuems and art galleries
check out the Albert Dock - musuems, galleries,
LiverpoolWatersports

I think you’d enjoy lark lane one evening. The main areas in the city centre are the docks, Liverpool one for shopping, the cathedral end and the bit by the train station with St. George’s hall and the big library.
There’s plenty of Beatles stuff if that’s what you’re interested in (magical mystery tour)
I’d recommend going to the top of the Anglican cathedral, you can also go to the top of the radio city tower that’s in the city centre.
Definitely do the ferry if it’s your first time there. Sefton park is nice and the palm house worth a visit. Bold street has nice coffee shops and there’s the bombed out church at the top end.
If you get a clear day the sunset is gorgeous over Crosby beach.

We have been to Liverpool as a family a number of times and have enjoyed staying at the Novotel. It has a car park pretty much next door and a small swimming pool in the basement. It is right in the centre of the city.

If you dont mind a climb, try the Liver Building tour. Also ropeworks if you fancy having a go at climbing.

I lived just off Lark Lane when I was a student. It was great

Quirky shops and independent restaurants with a student bohemian vibe try bold street . Verybuzzy atmosphere .right In city centre . With bombed out church at top

Not mentioned for an afternoon out of the city but Speke hall is a fab building to go and see , about 20 mins out of centre

Cathedrals and that area
Philharmonic pub for the toilets !
Bombed out church for pop ups
If weather is nice me oh my has a roof terrace ( bottom of water street by Albert dock )
Siren and chapters in Baltic quarter are worth a visit - really good food and brownies students vibe Sunday breakfast / brunch in siren , later afternoon evening in chapters

Try a visit up panoramic - west tower , great views 360 on a good clear day you can see all over Liverpool , food ££ but see if they do afternoon tea

@sandinthewaves

Thanks so much, all these are great.

Do you think three or four days will be enough?

Yeah, I think that's a good time period for a city break.

Lots to do in the city centre.

Outside that: Crosby beach/New Brighton are worth a visit, particularly in nice weather. Beatles city tour is nice. Anfield stadium tour really good. Lark Lane for pubs/restaurants. Sefton Park is really nice just next to there.

Key is getting the weather, otherwise you'll want to be indoors most of the time. Also, hoping everything is actually open and still trading after Covid.

We've also been to Liverpool a few times as a family (kids are younger) and have stayed in youth hostels and air bnb. We found travel fairly expensive ie we stayed near princes park last time so need a bus into town and I think it was over a tenner for 2a 3ch.

Bold street for casual food, street food sorta vibe.

We did a free walking tour which was nice. Albert Dock nice to wander around. World museum is good, it's not the NHM London but it's still worth a trip! Your kids would be too old to run through the fountains near radio city tower. Last time we were there it was sunny (August 2019) and we chilled on the roof terrace at Liverpool 1 shopping centre and the kids played on a slide they had installed instead of stairs and played table tennis (this was a summer advertising promotion but they seem to have something every summer.)

We go for football and travel as foot passengers on the ferry.

You could easily make this a week.

Another recommendation for a trip over to the Wirral (or you could stay there close to a Merseyrail station - good cheap train service to Liverpool). As well as Bidston mentioned earlier there are walks along the whole of the “top end” along the coast, and if it’s a nice day and the tide is out you can walk out on the sand from West Kirby to the Hilbre Islands to see the seals. Chester is also easy to get to by train, with its quirky shops and city wall walk.

Back on the other side of the Mersey you could extend your trip to Crosby and go to Formby beach and see the red squirrels. In the city, have a look at the museum websites. They are free and your teens may be interested in some of the displays.

liberteliverpool.com/winter-village/

Another place with a rooftop terrace by the docks. There are little pods you can book.

If they are into football Anfield and Goodison are not far from the city centre and do tours.

There is so much to do and discover. You could spend a week there and still not do everything.
My fav place to have a drink or meal is Smugglers Cove in the Albert dock (especially if you're a rum drinker!)
Bold street is great for the bohemian quirky vibe.
Got to go for a drink in the cavern on Mathew Street!
The museums are great and I also love the Picton reading room.
A ferry across the Mersey is great but you could also drive or get the train over to the Wirral to visit the beaches over there. There's a lovely walk out to Hilbre Island (where you can see Seals) from West Kirby if that's your thing. And some lovely bars and restaurants there too.
I love Liverpool!

I second the Novotel , right in the city centre , nice bar , decent breakfast and pool is a plus. I have stayed there for £25 a night before. Only Fools & Horses bar is nice and quirky .

Oh The Liner hotel is nice too .

As you will have a car, I'd recommend Port Sunlight on your last day, followed by a trip to the Unilever factory shop in Bromborough to fill the boot with bargainous food and homecare items!