Freedom is now on the horizon and at DB Tours Liverpool we can’t wait until we’re back in our fantastic city, seeing smiling faces and waxing lyrical about our heritage and our breath-taking landmarks.
From Monday 8 March until Monday 21 June, lockdown will begin to ease and with so much to do and see, we thought now was the perfect time to set out our own personalised ‘roadmap’ - giving you the perfect insight into what’s open and when...with our own guide David Barlow pin-pointing some of his own favourite things to do in the city, whether that be with friends, family or even solo!
Things to do from March 8 onwards with friends and family!
Monday March 8 sees the return of two people from different households being allowed to meet for recreation and after months locked inside, now is the perfect time to dust off the walking boots and catch up over a brisk stroll and a freshly ground coffee.
Liverpool boasts stunning beaches and no matter where you live in the North West, a trip along the coast is a must. Whether it’s a lengthy walk through the coastal pinewoods and extensive sand dunes at Formby Beach, a walk to rub shoulders with Antony Gormley’s iron men on Crosby Beach or a fun-filled wind-swept trip to the iconic Southport promenade, beach season has now well and truly arrived!
If sand and sea isn’t for you however, we’re also spoilt for choice when it comes to award-winning parks in our home town. Combining quaint tea rooms, botanical gardens, historical estates, boating lakes and long walks; Croxteth Hall, Speke Hall, Sefton Park and Calderstones Park are four of our favourites that you can visit whatever the weather and with less than 10 miles separating the four, why not visit them all in one day when the sun is shining?
The best outdoors spaces to enjoy a drink (or 10) and independent areas to visit from April 12 onwards
So you’ve got your steps in during March and now you want to kick back and enjoy a well-earned drink, meal and shop from mid-April onwards, when restaurants and pub gardens are given the green light to serve customers outdoors and all non-essential shops are allowed to reopen.
Thankfully whatever your vibe, Liverpool has an abundance of outdoor spaces to enjoy a nice cold beer and having visited them all myself over the years, we feel like our top picks can’t be missed…
1. The Baltic - The beating heart of the city, the Baltic area of the city has enough pubs, eateries and outdoor venues to spend a lifetime in! The Baltic Market founded by the boys at Independent Liverpool is renowned for its food vendors and live music so this is a must on your trip to the city...the frozen cocktails aren’t bad either! Punch Tarney’s, Hippie Chic, The Peaky Blinders Bar and Yellow Submarine also make up the ideal ‘Baltic bar crawl’
2. The Waterfront - Nothing screams summer like a cocktail on the waterfront overlooking Liverpool’s three graces. With a smattering of rooftop bars located either side of the Strand, Liberte, Oh Me Oh My and Matou are three fantastic locations to enjoy a drink, a meal and a boogie - with the aforementioned Liberte home to some of Liverpool’s best DJ’s who are hosting weekly events throughout the summer.
3. Seel Street / Duke Street - Adjacent to one another, Seel Street and Duke Street have long been favourites of ours and the recent edition of PINS Social Club in 2019 only intensified that, with a spacious rooftop area ideal for soaking up the rays with friends and if you’re competitive, there’s also a host of games including shuffleboard available to hire behind the bar. 54 Liverpool’s garden, the Kazimier Gardens and Five rooftop (on top of Epic Apart Hotel / Mason’s) are also available to book from April 12, but be quick as space is filling up fast at all three.
A round-up of the city without a mention of Bold Street would also just be downright wrong! For decades known as the home of the independents, the street is ‘foodie’s heaven’ with plenty of hidden gems creating an eclectic mix of Mexican, Chinese, English, Italian, American, Tapas and so much more.
What to do in May? - The return of indoor dining, socially distanced events and overnight stays
Arguably the biggest step back towards normality, May 17 will see groups of 30 allowed to meet outdoors, large events coming to the city at half capacity and the re-opening of hotels, hostels and B&Bs in the Liverpool City Region.
We’ve all missed live music and the buzz of waking up knowing that it’s ‘gig / festival day’ and Knowsley Social located on the outskirts of the city is bringing some of the country's best comedians, DJs and musicians together under one socially distanced roof for the party to end all parties.
From Bongo’s Bingo to defected DJ Sam Divine, Liverpool Disco Festival and the Hot Water Comedy Club headed up by Paul Smith, this innovative and never seen before entertainment attraction will begin on May 20 and will run straight through to June 13 - with tickets already selling fast.
If live music isn’t your cup of tea though and culture is, May also sees the long-awaited return of museums, theatres and cinemas and from the Epstein to the Everyman, the Tate, the Museum of Liverpool and the Merseyside Maritime Museum - there’s something for all interests and ages to enjoy and learn from.
Sunday May 23rd will also be a notable date in the diary for fans of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool FC, with the Reds welcoming Crystal Palace to Anfield for the final action of the 2020/21 season. With a reduced capacity expected, those not lucky enough to secure tickets will still be able to head down to the ground to soak up the atmosphere, buy a scarf and book onto a stadium tour.
Freedom at last...Roll on June 21st
With life back to normal and everything now re-open (even nightclubs!) June 21st really will be a momentous and historical day that’ll go down in the history books as the day that Liverpool returned to its brilliant best.
With restaurants filled to the brim, the waterfront bouncing, hugs a plenty in Liverpool ONE when bumping into old friends and Matthew Street’s buskers playing our favourite Beatles songs from dusk until dawn, it’s impossible to pin-point just one thing to do or see, with the world again our oyster after 18 months spent watching Netflix in our living rooms.
Our own day will consist of a trip down to the historic Grade II listed Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, followed by visits to our two Cathedrals (which share either side of Hope Street) and a tour of Liverpool Town Hall, plus so much more...so if this interests you and you’d like to see what the best city in the world has to offer you - contact me at david-barlow@live.co.uk or give me a ring on 07563 901 216.