UBC October 2025 - Liverpool: From the Docks to Penny Lane

As I was saying, the only things I associated Liverpool with were soccer, the Beatles, and another British city badly damaged during WWII.

What we found was a beautifully renovated Albert Dock area. It used to be a major cargo transfer point during the height of the British Empire’s maritime trade but was heavily damaged by bombing during the war. 

Today it’s the British version of San Francisco’s Pier 39, if you will; complete with a Ferris wheel, restaurants, shops, and The Beatles Story Museum.

And to get straight to the point: Yes, it was much better than the ABBA Experience in Stockholm! 

Every visitor gets their own headphones and a handheld device to play audio and video at each station.

You learn about the band’s life before their glory days. I had no idea that both John Lennon and Paul McCartney lost their mothers as teenagers. You hear how they met and started performing, visit a replica of the Cavern Club with a stage and chairs, and wander into the psychedelic Eleanor Rigby and Strawberry Fields room, complete with its distinct yellow submarine.

It’s really well done. I enjoyed it a lot.

Later, we walked along the waterfront where we met the guys’ bronze statues. Throughout the city you keep encountering Beatles memorabilia; murals, statues, and of course, the Cavern Quarter. 

Colorful Magical Mystery Tour vans shuttle Beatles fans around town, perhaps to the Hard Days Night Hotel or the Cavern Restaurant.

I’m not sure if those tour buses make the long and winding road to Penny Lane; it doesn’t seem like there’s room for a large coach to stop there. Our rental car just about fit! I always thought Paul McCartney grew up there, but he didn’t. It was basically his bus stop. Close enough!

What else is there to say about Liverpool? We were only there for about 24 hours, but we liked it better than Manchester. For starters, Liverpool actually has park benches and trash cans. Small things, but they make a city feel more welcoming.

It was also easier to find a pedestrian-friendly area with plenty of dining options. On Bold Street, you’ll find cuisines from all over: Asian, American, Brazilian, British, French, Greek, Indian, Italian, Middle Eastern, and yes, I listed them in alphabetical order.

Then there was an establishment that made us laugh out loud. It advertised Oktoberfest, the Bavarian beer festival, and its menu was a wild potpourri of so-called “alpine dishes.” They serve cheese fondue made from “original Swiss cheeses” plus English Cheddar. To make things worse, you can add bratwurst. Who does that? It’s a cheese dish, sausages have no business meddling (or melting) in it! To top it off, their “authentic Bavarian beers” included at least one from the Czech Republic. Well, I suppose it’s all fair as long as people are having a good time.

We didn’t stick around to find out how much beer or fun the tourists were having, but Liverpool definitely struck the right chord with us.

Which city left you feeling the same?