Is Liverpool Worth Visiting in 2024?
Heading to England and wondering if Liverpool is worth a visit? You’re in the right place. I’ve been to Liverpool a few times, once solo and once with kids and can give you a good idea of what the highlights of Liverpool are, so you can get an idea if Liverpool is worth a visit for you.
Liverpool is the 4th largest city in England, with a population of 500,000 in the city area. It’s quite a large city, but many of the attractions are within walking distance downtown. You will need to use public transit or Uber in order to get to some of the attractions.
So, is Liverpool worth visiting? I would say yes, Liverpool is worth a visit, for the following reasons:
- The Beatles landmarks. It’s not like you can find them anywhere else
- The fascinating port history, as Liverpool was a major hub of international migration (Titanic memorial and Maritime Museum)
- There’s a lot of interesting history about England/Liverpool; beautiful architecture on the Pier Head and in the city centre
- Liverpool is close to other touristy cities and towns nearby you may also be wanting to see, such as Blackpool, and also Chester, Manchester or Dublin which is a short flight
Like any other city, there are some things to keep in mind when visiting Liverpool. So let’s jump in!
Is Liverpool Worth Visiting? Things to Do in Liverpool
Here are the best things to do in Liverpool
1. Spend an afternoon in Woolton
Woolton is an affuent suburb just southeast of Liverpool. There are a lot of Beatles landmarks, restaurants, shops and even the Liverpool Cheese Company. There are tours that go to to Woolton from the centre of Liverpool – otherwise, you can make your way out here through public transit.
Things to look for in Woolton include:
- The church where John Lennon met Paul McCartney
- John Lennon’s childhood home
- Strawberry Fields, where John Lennon spent time during his childhood. The site is currently open for visiting – you can have lunch there and relax in the gardens.
- The Liverpool Cheese Company.
This tour will take you to the childhood homes of all of the Beatles members, and other important Beatles landmarks from their songs
2. Strawberry Fields
Strawberry Fields was a children’s care home, and John Lennon spent quite a bit of time during his childhood here. This is the place that inspired the Beatles song Strawberry Fields Forever.
For the longest time, Strawberry Field was closed – gated to the public. But did you know that now you can visit there, have lunch and enjoy the same gardens that John Lennon reflected in as a child?
This is a popular activity, so be sure to buy tickets in advance.
Book a skip the line tour to Strawberry Fields here.
3. Visit the Titanic Memorial
The Titanic Memorial in Liverpool is dedicated to the heroes of the engine room on the RMS Titanic that sank in 1912. Later on, it also began to include all engine room fatalities that happened during the World Wars.
If you’re interested in history, it is worth a visit there to reflect.
You can find the Titanic Memorial at the Pier Head, right on the water. Its close to other tourist attractions in Liverpool, such as Royal Albert Dock (mentioned below.)
Pro Tip: If you want to learn more about the Titanic and the history, visit the Merseyside Maritime Museum (also sometimes called the Titanic Museum.) Admission is free, and you can find the museum on Royal Albert Dock, just a 5-minute walk from the memorial.
4. Spend the afternoon at Royal Albert Dock
There’s a lot to do around Royal Albert Dock, whether you’re in Liverpool with kids or on your own. In addition to a view of the Irish sea, Royal Albert Dock is home to museums and some great restaurants (Rosa’s Thai Liverpool, and Maray Albert Dock.)
There’s also a carousel on the harbour for kids to ride.
Royal Albert Dock very close to the Titanic Memorial, just a 10 minute walk. (So I’d recommend doing them both in an outing.)
Take a boat ride in the Merseyside River and see Liverpool landmarks from the boat, just 12 minute walk from Royal Albert Dock
5. International Slavery Museum
The International Slavery Museum is located inside of the Maritime Museum building. This museum is particularly important for Liverpool, because it focuses on the transatlantic slave trade which Liverpool was a major player.
Like the Titanic Museum, entry to the International Slavery Museum is free of charge.
6. Mathew Street
Mathew Street is a nice place to stroll through, for Beatles fans especially – but even if you don’t like the Beatles, its a historic street with cobbled stones and old buildings. Its very picturesque to walk through.
On Mathew street you can find the Cavern Club, where the Beatles performed their first show.
There are also lots of cafés, other pubs and souvenir stores where you can find Beatles or Liverpool souvenirs.
How to Get to Mathew Street
Mathew street is an 11 minute walk, 2 minute car drive or a 7-minute train ride from the Liverpool city centre. Get on the train at Liverpool Lime street low, and get off at Liverpool James street. From there, the famous Mathews street is just a 5-minute walk!
7. Go to Penny Lane for a photo and fish and chips
This is primarily a thing to do for Beatles fans – go to Penny Lane to get the mandatory photo that inspired the famous song.
You can get to Penny Lane by taking a 7-min train ride from the city centre to the Mossley Hill station.
From there, you can walk to Penny Lane in about 15 minutes. You’ll pass many restaurants along the way (in case the fish and chips doesn’t interest you.)
8. Check out the Pier Head
Taking a walk along the Pier Head shows you some historic buildings, such as the Royal Live Building (pictured below) as well as the famous Beatles statue, which was just installed in the last few years.
You can walk to the Pier Head in about 10 minutes from the Royal Albert Dock.
9. Visit Speke Hall
If you love history and old buildings, then you’ll love Speke Hall. It is a Victorian Tudor house; one of the last mansions of its kind.
You can tour the mansion and learn about history. Take a tour of the house, relax in the gardens outside, and grab a bite to eat in their café.
Speke Hall is owned by the National Trust, so you can book your visit through them.
Getting to Speke Hall is a bit tricky. You’ll need to take the train to Liverpool South Parkway or Hunts Cross train stations. From there, it is a 3 km (2 mile) walk.
10. Take a day trip to Chester
Chester is fascinating. It was originally settled by the Romans, so it has . It has the most photographed clock in the world. Just go to Chester. I highly recommend it.
From Liverpool, Chester is a 40-minute drive, or a 45-minute train ride. The train leaves many times a day from Liverpool Lime Street Station and can be booked online.
11. Take a stroll through Sefton Park
Sefton park is a large park with a huge pond that you can make a loop around. If you want to get out and enjoy some nature, this is a great place to do that in Liverpool.
There’s also a large greenhouse to visit at Sefton Park, called Sefton Park Palm House (pictured below, right.)
Its a beautiful Victorian glasshouse with over 200 plants that are native to 5 different continents around the world.
12. Do some shopping in the city centre
Further inwards from the harbour, towards the city centre, there is a lot of good shopping.
You’ll find a lot of souvenir stores, budget stores, baby and children stores, video game stores, and high-end designer stores.
Some of the best shopping centres Liverpool are the Metquater Liverpool, and the Clayton Square Shopping Centre.
13. Take a day trip
Liverpool has some fantastic daytrip options, so its worth knowing what else is in the area (or within a 1-2 hour train or car ride) before you plan your trip.
There are many beautiful coastal cities and towns that are within an hour from Liverpool – Blackpool, and also Llandudno in Wales.
When I was in Liverpool, we visited a Roman town called Chester which is very quaint and worth a visit.
While you’re in Liverpool, I would consider visiting the gorgeous north of Wales on a sightseeing tour.
Good to Know: Liverpool also has an airport, so you can use it to easily get to other northern cities you might want to see, such as Dublin, London, etc.
Places to Stay in Liverpool
I highlighted some places to stay near Woolton and Royal Albert Docks above, but if you want to stay somewhere more central; perhaps closer to city centre and near the train station, then here are some other great options for your family.
- Budget: Travelodge Liverpool Docks. Located less than 10 minutes away by car from Matthews street, Royal Albert Dock, Titanic memorial and Sefton Park, this lodge is high-quality for affordable price.
- Mid-range: Liverpool Inn Hotel. Only a 2-minute walk from the train station, and also within walking distance to Royal Albert Dock.
- Luxury: Crowne Plaza Liverpool City Centre. Here, you get the best of both worlds – only 1.3 kms to Royal Albert Dock, but so close to the city centre that you can see beautiful historic landmarks from the window. The Crowne Plaza comes with a swimming pool, hot tub, fitness centre, and a delicious buffet breakfast.
Fun Fact: People in Liverpool are colloquially called “Scoucers.” Their accent is called a ‘scouce’ accent. The name scoucer comes from a local dish, which consists of beef or lamb with veggies.
Where to Eat Local Dishes in Liverpool
Liverpool is home to some fantastic restaurants. Here are some of the best places to try the famous local dish, scouse, and other traditional English food.
- Ma Boyle’s Alehouse and Eatery, just a stone’s throw from the Pier Head
- Smugglers Cove, at the Royal Albert Dock
- The Cavern Restaurant on Mathew’s Street (yes, the one where the Beatles played their first song!)
Liverpool FAQ
Here are the most commonly asked questions about visiting Liverpool
How long to spend in Liverpool?
To see everything in Liverpool, you will need about three days. If you don’t have that long, then you could spend 1-2 days and simply prioritize the things to do that are most important to you. You will want to spend at least half a day at Royal Albert Dock, as there’s a lot to see there. And then there are so many Beatles landmarks around the city, which assuming thats of interest to you, you’ll need another half to full day to see the main ones (Mathews Street, Cavern Club, Strawberry Fields, John Lennon’s childhood home, Penny Lane, etc.)
What’s the best way to get around Liverpool?
The downtown core of Liverpool is pretty walkable, especially from the city centre to the Royal Albert Dock. But the train is also very easy and convenient to use. You can use it to get around the city, and to other cities around England too. The main train station in Liverpool is called the Liverpool Lime Street Station.
Is Liverpool safe to walk at night?
Liverpool has somewhat of a reputation for neighbourhoods that are unsafe. As a tourist, you will be in the downtown area (near Royal Albert Dock and the Pier Head) and these are safe places to stay, and you should be fine walking at night. As in any other large city, exercise caution: keep valuables hidden, and know the emergency number (999.)
When is the best time of year to visit Liverpool?
The best time of year to visit Liverpool would be the late spring and the summertime. In July, the average temperature in Liverpool is a high of 20°C (68°F) and a low of 13°C (55.4°F.) By autumn, the weather in Liverpool is still pretty warm, and there are fewer crowds. Winter isn’t the best time to visit, as it can be quite chilly, with average winter temperatures falling around 4°C (39°F.)
Is Liverpool Worth Visiting? Final Thoughts
So, still wondering if Liverpool is worth visiting? In my opinion, Liverpool is definitely worth visiting. Not all tourists make it up to Northern England, but if they do, there are so many gems up here.
Liverpool is a culturally and historically significant city in the UK that is a great place to visit whether you live in the UK, or are visiting.
Is Liverpool Worth Visiting?: Conclusion
Is Liverpool worth visiting? Absolutely. It’s an important coastal city in the UK with a lot of history.
The Beatles tour, architecture, historic buildings, shopping and cuisine and day trip options all make Liverpool worth a visit during UK itinerary. In order to have enough time to see everything, I would spend at least 3 days there.
Add Liverpool to your itinerary while you’re visiting England – you won’t regret it! In my opinion, its the coolest city in Northern England.