How many days to spend in Liverpool (and what to do?)

[MintMocha]

I was thinking of going on a city break to Liverpool at some point in the next little while.

I found a cheapish hotel in Albert docks area. I'd take the train up (Lime street station?) so wouldn't have a car there - everything I do has to be public transport/walking. I'd arrive early-afternoon I expect and probably leave late afternoon on the day I leave.

I was thinking maybe a day in Chester as the local train/metro thing seems to go there.

But how many more days in Liverpool, and what would you do with those days? It's just me alone, no children, nobody else to go for meals with etc, but only me to please!

I like museums, culture, sightseeing generally, landscapes, history.
I was thinking of maritime museum, Beatles museum, Tate?, cathedrals, bit of shopping/wandering, maybe ferry boat/trip. Will check out any classical music etc possibiilities as well. Any other suggestions, or ideas of how long I might spend doing this?

Thoughts of good places to eat when I'm on my own? Some restaurants are OK to eat at alone even in the evenings, other days I expect I'd end up getting a sandwich or deliveroo to the hotel in the evening and maybe eat out at lunch. Evenings generally can be a bit hard to fill when you're travelling on your own.
thanks

any thoughts from people who live/visit there?

Or I could choose Newcastle or somewhere else perhaps. Belfast on the list but maybe not til the summer.

I’d say 4 nights at least. Especially if you’re having a day in Chester (which I would recommend).
Lots to see in the Albert Dock area. Definitely Tate. Only go to the Beatles museum if you’d really find it interesting.
Look up Port Sunlight- you may be interested to visit there too.
The Philharmonic Hall is worth checking out for concerts and is in between the 2 cathedrals.
If you like WW2 history then Western Approaches is good.
A train to Blundellsands & Crosby will give you a walk by the sea and the Anthony Gormley statues.
Can’t recommend any specific restaurants as haven’t been out for dinner in town for years, but generally Wagamama is a really easy place to eat out on your own.
Hope you have a fab time.

There's also the Walker Gallery and the World museum.

I'd feel comfortable eating at most places on Bold St in the evening, especially through the week. I really like Maray, Mowgli, and Rudy's. And drinks in Berry and Rye or Present Company.

Ooh, and the palm house at Sefton Park is easy to get to on the bus.

Thank you! It sounds like there could be loads to do. If I time it right and avoid Saturdays, I think 4 nights might be affordable.

Is most of it fairly walkable? (apart from the bus to Sefton Park?)

Is the ferry and/or a boat trip worth doing? (would wait to see about the weather)

Ferry to Woodside (Birkenhead) then 2-3 min walk to Hamilton Square to get the train to Port Sunlight, have a wander round and visit the Lady Lever Art Gallery. There’s also a small museum on the history of the village and Lever Brothers (now Unilever).
Back on the train up to Chester.
From Chester the train will take you back to Liverpool.

Agree re visiting Bold Street and find out what’s on at the local theatres, the Everyman has some great original drama.

Central Liverpool is fairly compact so easily walkable.

If you book the Albert Dock accommodation you want to get off at James Street not Lime Street.

Bold St for cool indie food places, Liverpool 1 for the usual high street shops. Tate Gallery, maritime museum, museum of Liverpool (all free). Sefton Park isn't amazing IMO. Woodside ferry is good (leaves near Albert Dock).

I live in Chester, it's very pretty with rows, river Dee groves area is nice so worth a visit if you have time..only 40 mins from James St station too.

You'll have a great time. The people of Liverpool are the friendliest ever! Have fun!

@AvocadoPlant

Ferry to Woodside (Birkenhead) then 2-3 min walk to Hamilton Square to get the train to Port Sunlight, have a wander round and visit the Lady Lever Art Gallery. There’s also a small museum on the history of the village and Lever Brothers (now Unilever). Back on the train up to Chester. From Chester the train will take you back to Liverpool.

Agree re visiting Bold Street and find out what’s on at the local theatres, the Everyman has some great original drama.

That sounds like a great day out. I want to do that now! Every trip to Liverpool now involves visiting relatives and taking little ones to Croxteth Park

You could get the train up to Southport - that would be a nice day out with a lovely afternoon tea at the Westminster Tea Rooms. There is also a fabulous "punk" afternoon tea at a place called the Baltic Social in Liverpool. Liverpool Phil concerts are usually on Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons. You could get a train to Aigburth and visit Lark Lane, which is very Bohemian and just opposite the gates to Sefton Park. There is also the Pinewoods at Formby, not far from Freshfield station and Formby village is quite nice to wander round.
If you do go to Blundellsands, then there are some lovely places to eat, definitely on your own, on College Road - nice coffee shops and a lovely little cafe called Mustard.

I agree with lots of the suggestions here.
Port Sunlight has walking tours too - I think you have to book. The cafe in the Walker gallery has nice food and cakes.
Ferry across the Mersey.
Look for the Superlambananas in Liverpool - there’s one in police uniform in the foyer of Police HQ. And nearby Liverpool’s John Lewis has the best scones!
FACT cinema in Liverpool for a film and it has a nice bar. Both cathedrals (either ends of Hope St) are worth a visit and the same street has McCartney & Lennon’s school (now LIPA) and the lovely Art Deco Philarmonic Hall, and Everyman Theatre too.
Chester’s Storyhouse has library, bar, theatre & films. There are walking tours of Chester too - good to understand more if its history.
Have fun - it’s a lovely part of the world.

The Anglican Cathedral. It's absolutely spectacular and I cannot believe no-one has mentioned it yet!

Ah sorry, tryingtohelp did

Don't miss climbing up the bell tower in the Anglican Cathedral (there's a lift for part of the way then some steps). The views of the bells are amazing and of course the view from the top.

Then at the Catholic Cathedral definitely pay to go into the Lutyen's crypt. It's a fascinating exhibition of the history of the cathedral plus the original crypt with beautiful chapel giving an insight into how it was originally going to look. It's amazing.

Food wise - there are some decent restaurants on Albert Dock which is lovely at night but also nice to hang out with a beer in the sunshine during the day. Bold st is great for international food. If you like Chinese food, check out Lu Bans for some high end Asian fusion food.

Almost Famous for burgers, I’m sure there’s a graffiti tour of all the street art. I bunk off and eat solo in term time as often as I can - have a look at duke street market and the GPO food hall for service by app. Walker art gallery is good. Williamson tunnels!

Football stadium tours if this is your thing? It’s a very walkable city. Live on the edge and could walk into town in an hour and probably cover one end to the other in maybe 30 minutes. Loads to see and do, I’m a blow-in and love it here and hope you’ll have a great time

Yes to lots of the above but also get a train to Crosby Beach to see the Anthony Gormley statues. Just check the tide times first

Another saying don't go to The Beatles museum unless you're really into The Beatles.

It's a good museum but it takes pretty much a full day to go around with the audio guide. There is A LOT of detail. I just couldn't get excited about a pen that John Lennon used to a sign a contract once, let alone stand there and listen to someone talk about it for half an hour. My back and my feet were sore by the end of it from all the standing around.

Just remember that you need to pre-book some museums so get on line to avoid disappointment.

Sorry I see Crosby Beach has already been mentioned. Instead I shall recommend visiting the Hardmans House - a National Trust property, a fascinating photography studio. It is right by the cathedrals so easy to do all at the same time.

There is a bar on Hope Street called The Casa which is very interesting if you like social/political history. It was opened by two sacked Liverpool dockers after the dispute in the '90s and the walls are covered in amazing photographs of local men who went to fight in the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. There is also a community theatre at the back of the pub. You'll probably find that locals will chat to you, it seems a friendly city.

This is all great, thank you!

Sounds like I could spend a whole week there, though that's not really practical. Was thinking Sunday afternoon to Thursday afternoon.

I think I'll have to make some kind of itinerary though, as it sounds like there are tons of museums that are interesting, but I'm not sure how many I can take in in one day - on the other hand if they are close together, it is sensible to do them the same day. Plus if some of them need booking online, that might take a little planning too.

Good to know that the Beatles museum is not all that. I do like them, but in a fairly mild way, though it might be an interesting hour or so, but I don't think I could spend all day there! And the tiny details and artifacts would not mean much to me in the way they might to an intense fan. I doubt I'd do the full audio tour etc, though maybe it doesn't mean much if you just go for a quick look (I've also not checked the prices for all these museums, which might preclude doing several for shorter times in favour of one or two for longer).

Looking forward to thinking about it now. I don't travel that much as I'm on my own, and I was thinking over lockdown how I don't actually know that much about other big cities in the UK; I've done shorter day trips to lots of smaller cities, historic sites, etc ,but not so much actual city breaks, and I decided maybe I'd rectify that!