Liverpool locals - recommendations please

[queenoftheglee]

Inspired by a recent thread about Manchester I wondered if any Mumsnetters local to Liverpool would share their knowledge with me?
We are visiting the city this weekend as a group of 2 children aged 8-10 and 4 adults. We will have a day together in the city, although we have done the obvious attractions before (titanic museum, world museum, docks, cavern club etc) before. We will then need a family friendly place to eat in the evening - no specific diets to consider.
The following day some of the group have an activity planned in the morning so I will then be looking for something nice to do with my Mum for a couple of hours. She has mentioned shopping, but I wondered if there were any little markets or independent places as these would interest her more than the big chain stores.
We will then have a few hours together as a group in the afternoon.
All of the group are active and have visited the city before.
Can anybody give me any pointers or suggestions for things that we shouldn't miss during our brief stay. Our budget isn't massive, so bonus points if recommendations are good value too. Thanks

Crosby beach is about a15 minute train journey (Central to Waterloo), have you seen the Iron Men?

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crosby_Beach

There's a decent play area, and if you're in the mood for a walk up to the top of the beach, easy hunting for sea glass. The sparrows are very friendly and enjoy leftover ice creams.

Firstly, book your meals - the River of Light festival has brought thousands this week already and our restaurants are (brilliantly) overrun, with 2 hour queues.
Baltic Market (5 minutes from the Albert Dock) has really funky antiques/ retro goodies, great cafés and restaurants.
Bisque-it at 54 St James Street (again in the Baltic) are doing Halloween Pottery Painting.

For the whole group - Crosby Beach, for a bracing walk and the Antony Gormley ‘Another Place’ sculptures. (Wrap up warm, though.)

For you and your mother - as an alternative to shopping, how about Sefton Park Palm House? (But perhaps it’s shut at this time of year - not sure.)

Plus both cathedrals (even if you’ve visited them before).

Not a local, just fond of the city!

Bold Street and the Albert Dock have the independent type shops. The Casa Italia on Stanley Street is very family friendly, I think most people just queue up outside.

Eating and drinking out ideas please.
We are visiting our student daughter who lives in wavertree which is miles from city centre so costs arm and leg in taxi fares late at night.
Would anybody be kind enough to suggest area closer by that may have choice of a few pubs and somewhere decent to eat that's not going to cost me £25- £30 in taxi home.

Got a visit planned
So will follow with interest

Lark Lane, Allerton Road areas nice for food and drink. If you have car would recommend 10 streets social on the Dock Road for brunch or lunch also do Sunday roast. Look and see if there are any night buses to Wavertree. Mersey travel website will help

@Gman1

Eating and drinking out ideas please. We are visiting our student daughter who lives in wavertree which is miles from city centre so costs arm and leg in taxi fares late at night. Would anybody be kind enough to suggest area closer by that may have choice of a few pubs and somewhere decent to eat that's not going to cost me £25- £30 in taxi home.

Is she the Smithdown Road end of Wavertree or the Picton/Childwall? Smithdown Road has some nice restaurants and bars, close to the big Asda.

Wavertree is less than £10 in a private cab from town. Or the bus is a few £. Smithdown has a few good pubs and restaurant choices.