Looking for the best things to do in Liverpool? My husband and I went to visit the historic city of Liverpool. We intended to experience what the city has to offer and learn its history and culture. Of course, we didn’t miss the chance to explore anything and everything about the Beatles.
So let me share with you some of the key places and things to do in Liverpool so you can enjoy what this vibrant and historical city has to offer. I also wrote another article about Ways How to Get from London to Liverpool, I encourage you to read it to help you plan for your visit.
Best Things to Do in Liverpool (UK) That You Shouldn’t Miss
1. Royal Albert Dock
📍Address: Millman Rd, London E6 5NE, United Kingdom
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: City and Beatles Tour with Hop-On Hop-Off Ticket
🌟 Ratings: 4.8 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Premier Inn Liverpool City Centre (Albert Dock) hotel
The Royal Albert Dock was a vital port during Victorian time. Opened in 1846, it was designed by a dock engineer and architect, Jesse Hartley. It has the top-of-the-line technology of its golden time. Fireproof and secure warehouses and hydraulic cranes were some of its key features.
Liverpool was a major maritime hub for the British empire and 40% of the world trade came to pass through this port. Over the years, it became a key holding place most especially during the World wars. Nowadays, the Royal Albert dock is one of the key places to visit in Merseyside filled with museums and cafés. The Royal Albert Dock became one of the centrepieces of UNESCO World Heritage Status.
2. International Slavery Museum
📍Address: Liverpool L3 4AQ, United Kingdom
🌟 Ratings: 4.5 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Leonardo Hotel Liverpool – Formerly Jurys Inn
The International Slavery Museum is located at the Royal Albert Dock. Opened in 2007 on Slavery Remembrance Day in commemoration of the bicentenary of the abolition of the British slave trade.
The museum depicts the horrible transatlantic slave trade and its legacies. The museum has three main galleries: Life in West Africa, Enslavement and the Middle Passage, and Legacy. The museum has vast collections in its exhibition such as the Transatlantic Slavery collection, Racist memorabilia, Diaspora collection and the Modern Slavery collection.
This museum is definitely one of the best things to do in Liverpool for any age, to remember and learn the horrible stories of the past, to prevent them from happening again.
3. Tate Liverpool
📍Address: Mann Island Buildings, Mann Island, Liverpool L3 1BP, United Kingdom
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: Private Experience See the Best w/ a Local
🌟 Ratings: 5 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Premier Inn Liverpool City Centre (Albert Dock) hotel
Tate Liverpool is an extension of the Tate museums and is labelled as the “Tate of the North”. The Tate museum is the home of British contemporary and modern arts since 1897. Henry Tate donated his collection of British 19th-century art collection and that ignited the Tate Museum as we know it today.
The Tate Liverpool opened its door in 1988 located in the Royal Albert Dock. It is the perfect setting due to its history and building architecture, yet the interior was transformed into a more modern finish best suited for the contemporary and modern arts it holds.
4. Merseyside Maritime Museum
📍Address: Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool L3 4AQ, United Kingdom
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: Private Experience See the Best w/ a Local
🌟 Ratings: 5 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Premier Inn Liverpool City Centre (Albert Dock) hotel
The Merseyside Maritime Museum is another museum located at the Royal Albert Dock. The museum holds various maritime art and other maritime exhibits and collection that depicts the vivid history of Liverpool as a maritime city. The entrance to the Maritime museum is free.
It also holds a great exhibit about the Titanic and its relation to Liverpool as its registered port city, even if the Titanic sailed from Southampton to New York. The Merseyside Maritime museum also holds a vast collection of maritime archives centres that can be used for research purposes.
5. Museum of Liverpool
📍Address: Pier Head, Mann Island, Liverpool L3 1DG, United Kingdom
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: The Beatles and Cavern Quarter Walking Tour
🌟 Ratings: 4.6 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Heeton Concept Hotel City Centre Liverpool
The Museum of Liverpool opened in July 2011 and holds exhibits that tell the story, history, culture and creativity of the people of Liverpool and Merseyside. It was a replacement for the old Museum of Liverpool Life that was opened in 1993.
The Museum of Liverpool sits at the beautiful Liverpool waterfront and has a modern-styled building. The museum was noted as the largest newly built museum in the UK for the last 100 years.
6. The Beatles Story
📍Address: Britannia Vaults, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool L3 4AD, United Kingdom
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: The Beatles Story Ticket
🌟 Ratings: 4.6 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Holiday Inn Express Liverpool – Royal Albert Dock, an IHG Hotel
The Beatles Story is the world’s largest permanent exhibition of everything and anything of the Fab 4 of Liverpool, The Beatles. It is one of the best things to do in Liverpool and it’s the mecca of Beatles fans!
My husband and I went here and we absolutely loved every corner that tells the story of how the four young lads from Liverpool started out on their great musical adventure. Different memorabilia, posters, records and some iconic items related to Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Star and George Harrison.
While you are in Liverpool, you can also visit the famous Beatles landmarks dotted around the city such as Penny Lane, Strawberry Field, Eleanor Rigby’s grave and the Cavern club.
7. Liverpool Cathedral
📍Address: Church of England Cathedral of the Diocese of Liverpool, Cathedral Gate, St James Rd, Liverpool L1 7AZ, United Kingdom
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: Liverpool Views, brews, football & History Tour
🌟 Ratings: 5 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Hope Street Hotel
The Liverpool Cathedral is one of the tallest structures in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Liverpool. Constructed from 1904 to 1978 and designed by the renowned British architect Giles Gilbert Scott.
He also designed the iconic British K6 red telephone box that can be seen across the UK, The Commonwealth, Crown territories and Crown Dependencies.
It is an Anglican cathedral (Church of England) and one of the two cathedrals in the city. The Liverpool cathedral is also noted as the longest cathedral in the world, with a total external length of 189 metres. If you love visiting churches, this is one of the best places to visit in Liverpool.
8. Liverpool Football Clubs
For all the sports fanatics, a visit to Liverpool won’t be complete without paying a visit to the legendary football clubs in Liverpool. There are currently 50 affiliated and sanctioned leagues listed on the Liverpool Football Association (LFA), which has been the governing body of the city’s football games for over 120 years.
At the moment, there are two (2) known football clubs in the Premier League that called Liverpool their home grounds. They are the Liverpool Football Club and the Everton Football Club.
Liverpool Football Club
📍Address: Anfield, Liverpool L4 0TH, United Kingdom
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: Liverpool Football Club Museum and Stadium Tour
🌟 Ratings: 4.8 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: The Arc Hotel
The Liverpool Football Club was founded in 1892 and its home ground is located in Anfield Football Stadium. They are colloquially known as “The Reds” and the club’s anthem is “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, you can see this written in their logo.
Everton Football Club
📍Address: Goodison Park Stadium, Goodison Rd, Liverpool L4 4EL, United Kingdom
🌟 Ratings: 4.5 / 5
The Everton Football Club was founded in 1878 and its home ground is located in Goodison Park Football Stadium. They are colloquially known as “The Blues” and “Evertonians”.
Surely for football enthusiasts, a football stadium tour would be one of the best things to do in Liverpool.
9. Sefton Park
📍Address: Sefton Park, Liverpool L17, United Kingdom
🌟 Ratings: 4.7 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Sefton Villas B & B
Sefton Park is one of the main parks in Liverpool. It is a 235-acre of land and a Grade 1 historical park in the city. It has a beautiful landscape with different notable features like the man-made lakes, The Palm House, The Shaftesbury Memorial, Obelisk and other memorials of key people from Liverpool during the Victorian era.
My favourite feature of Sefton Park is the Palm House, which is a grade II listed building in the city due to its historical and architectural design which opened in 1896. It was primarily intended to house exotic plants from all over the world. However, during the Blitz in 1941, it was damaged and was rehabilitated over the years.
It is now one of the iconic structures in the park and the city of Liverpool. An interesting note is that the bandstand in the park is said to be the inspiration for the Beatles’ song, Sgt. Pepper Lonely Heart’s club band. It is also free to visit!
10. Liverpool Chinatown
📍Address: 48 Nelson St, Liverpool L1 5DN, United Kingdom
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: Private City Highlights Walking Tour
🌟 Ratings: 5 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Arthouse Hotel
The Liverpool Chinatown is the largest Chinatown in the UK and Europe. The first Chinese immigrants arrived in Liverpool in 1834 due to the employment of many Chinese seafarers by Alfred and Holt Company after establishing the Blue Funnel Shipping Line that traded between Shanghai, Hong Kong and Liverpool. They primarily traded silk, tea and cotton which was a popular commodity during the Victorian times.
From then on, Chinese immigrants found new settlements near the ports of Liverpool and began a new bustling community that became an integral part of the city. You can find various oriental shops, cafés and restaurants and other commercial establishments in Liverpool Chinatown.
11. St. George’s Quarter
📍Address: William Brown St, Liverpool L3 8EN
St. George’s Quarter is located right in front of Liverpool Lime Street train station. You will find the St. George’s Hall Liverpool, Central Library, Walker Art Gallery and the World Museum.
During our visit to Liverpool, my husband and I went to visit the World Museum. It is free to visit the museum.
The World Museum exhibits a vast collection of antiquities from the Egyptian, Roman, Greek and Anglo – Saxon eras. They also showcase different artefacts from various cultures, natural history and physical sciences.
12. Williamson Tunnels Heritage Centre
📍Address: The Old Stableyard, Williamson Tunnels Heritage Centre, Smithdown Ln, Liverpool L7 3EE
🌟 Ratings: 4.5 / 5
One of the interesting things to do in Liverpool is to visit the Williamson Tunnels Heritage Centre. The tunnels are located in Edge Hill, Liverpool. It was built in 1810 – 1840 under the instructions of Joseph Williamson.
The vast tunnels are still standing now, however, the purpose why it was built was still unknown. Some historians believed that these tunnels were a project of Williamson to give employment to the working class of Liverpool.
13. British Music Experience
📍Address: British Music Experience, Cunard Building, Liverpool L3 1DS
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: British Music Experience Ticket
🌟 Ratings: 4.6 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Crowne Plaza Liverpool City Centre, an IHG Hotel
The British Music Experience is an interactive and engaging museum located inside the famous Cunard Building. The museum has a vast collection of anything and everything related to British music scenes regardless of their genre.
You can find various memorabilia, posters, Gibson Interactive studio and the Dance the decades where you can experience the popular dance moves. So, if you are a music lover, you should add this one to your best things to do in Liverpool list.
14. Memorial to Heroes of the Marine Engine Room (Titanic Memorial Liverpool)
📍Address: The Liverpool Waterfront, St Nicholas Pl, Canada Blvd, Liverpool L3 1QW
🌟 Ratings: 4.4 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Crowne Plaza Liverpool City Centre, an IHG Hotel
The Titanic Memorial Liverpool is also known as the Memorial to Heroes of the Marine Engine room. It is a 48-feet tall granite monument designed by Sir William Goscombe John R.A. a Welsch sculptor. It was erected to remember the fallen heroes of the Marine Engine room of the Titanic. The monument was unveiled in 1916.
Even if the monument made no reference to the ill-fated ship, Titanic. The Memorial to Heroes of the Marine Engine Room has become a memorial for all the sunken ships after it was built.
15. Cavern Quarter
📍Address: Liverpool, UK
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: The Beatles and Cavern Quarter Walking Tour
🌟 Ratings: 4.6 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Boutique 56
The Cavern Quarter is a neighbourhood in Liverpool that was made famous due to its historical significance to the career and life of the Beatles. The heart of the Cavern Quarter is the Cavern Club where the Beatles started their music gigs as young lads.
If you walked around the Cavern Quarter, you can find other great places to visit and things to do in Liverpool such as the Liverpool Beatles Museum, The statue of Eleanor Rigby, The Statue of John Lenon and Cillia Black and The Liverpool Wall of Fame.
I hope that inspired you to plan and visit the historical and vibrant city of Liverpool. If you are interested in travelling around the UK, I wrote a 2-week Itinerary around the United Kingdom, you can also include a visit to Liverpool for a day trip from Manchester.
Map of Liverpool, UK
HOW TO USE THIS MAP TO BOOK YOUR RESERVATIONS:
CLICK the YELLOW MARKER OR THE DROP DOWN MENU next to the title to see the various things to do and point of interest in this guide and CHOOSE your desired preview of the map, whether HOTELS & RENTALS, EXPERIENCES, RESTAURANTS OR OTHERS. Feel free to use the filters, number of guests, and your preferred dates. You can see more information about the different attractions (the GREEN MARKERS) when you click the icons, as well as finding your perfect accommodation that will suit your budget and location. You could also book your guided tours and restaurants using the map.
🚑 Should I buy travel insurance for my UK trip?
YES – If you’re traveling to the UK, securing travel insurance with comprehensive medical coverage is essential for your peace of mind; I recommend Safety Wing Travel Insurance, which is renowned for its reliability. (READ MORE)
💧 Can I drink tap water in the UK?
YES – You can confidently drink tap water in the UK—just run it for a bit first—and use a Hydro Flask travel bottle, it is a great eco-friendly companion to keep you hydrated while touring the UK attractions.
🚗 Is it safe to rent a car in the UK?
YES – Renting a car in the UK is one of the best ways to see the country. I recommend Discover Cars, to check for the best car rental deals that suit your budget. See my UK driving tips here.
📲 Will my phone work in the UK?
POSSIBLY. Always check with your home mobile provider. If it won’t work or is too expensive, I recommend using Airlo E-Sim for data packages to stay connected online.
🔌 What adapter should I use in the UK?
TYPE G – In the UK, you’ll need a type G plug travel adapter with three rectangular pins arranged in a triangle to power your devices, and the electrical system runs on a 230V supply voltage at 50Hz. (READ MORE)
✈️ What is the best site to buy UK flights?
For finding affordable UK flights, I recommend using Skyscanner. You can always compare the prices that suit your budget.
🛏️ What is the best way to book accommodations in the UK?
My go-to for UK accommodations is Booking.com. I recommend to always check hotel reviews on TripAdvisor.
💷 What currency do I need for my UK trip?
Sterling Pounds – I suggest getting a Wise Travel Card for your hassle-free forex and contactless spending while in the UK. (READ MORE)
🧳 What do I pack for the UK trip?
Depending on the season – You can check my article about the best time to visit the UK.
🛂 Do I need a visa for the UK?
Likely Not – US, Canada, AU, NZ, and EU passport holders do not need a visit visa to the UK. If ever you need one, read more on how to apply for a UK visit visa. Visit iVisa.com to help you with your visa travel documentation needs.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ryazan Tristram
Travel Writer & PhotographerRyazan has a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism and Hotel Management. She also has more than 10 years of work experience gained from working in the hotel and travel sectors in Asia and Europe. Her work has been featured and published in BBC, Huffington Post, Reader’s Digest, Discovery Channel, World Travel Guide, MSN, CNBC, GMA, Daily Mail UK, Lonely Planet, and many more. She is currently living in the UK as a dual citizen (British-Filipina). Join her in travelling around the UK, Europe, and beyond with a mission to promote sustainable tourism and share travel guides, travel tips, foodies, history, and culture.
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