Anyone who knows me well knows I have a deep intense love for the Beatles. I’ve been a die hard fan since I was 3 years old, and I know every song. I also know a ridiculous amount of Beatles history. From a young age I was interested in getting to know the story of these four legendary men. During my search for knowledge, I learned of their origin: Liverpool, England, and thus the dream of going to Liverpool was born. This dream was finally fulfilled last autumn when I took my first trip to the UK. I had one incredible day in Liverpool, and ever since, I’ve been dreaming of going back! I got to see the most important places from the days before anyone knew the names of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. So if you’re planning on taking an unforgettable dive into the past, I have you covered with all the things to see to have a truly magical mysterious tour.
Sky of blue and sea of green…
For anyone who isn’t aware of Liverpool’s history past the Beatles, Liverpool was a port city, a pretty important one it seems because the Titanic stopped there on it’s maiden voyage. The Port of Liverpool is a pretty popular place, mostly because its the home of Royal Albert dock. While Royal Albert dock does have some Beatle related attractions, it’s pretty important to Liverpool on its own. This is also where you will meet for most bus tours if you choose to go on one.
It took me years to write, won’t you take a look…
As a rule of thumb, I don’t like museums, they’re just not an activity I enjoy, but the Beatles Story located in Royal Albert dock is different, not only because it compiles relics of my favorite band, but also because this museum is truly an experience! The whole museum is a series of sets that help you get immersed in the story. You travel through a setup of the Cavern Club, the studio, the plane to America, the Yellow Submarine, and so many more! The whole museum is also synced with an audio guide that’s provided at the entrance. You will easily spend a couple hours here because there’s just so much to see. Even after being here a couple hours, I was still bummed that the tour was over. I could have probably spent many more hours here, but there was more on my itinerary!
All we are saying is…
The Give Peace a Chance memorial is not too far from the Beatles Story. This is a quick stop on your Beatles tour as its a statue just off Albert Dock next to the ferris wheel. This memorial is for John and his dedication to world peace. As you’ll see walking around Liverpool, John is definitely their golden boy.
Standing in the dock…
If you keep traveling up the docks, you’ll come across one of the biggest Beatle’s photo opportunities in Liverpool, the Beatles statue. If you’re familiar with the picture that is usually associated with their Live at the BBC album, depicting them walking past brick buildings while Paul holds a camera, the statue was modeled after that. I don’t think you will ever get this statue to yourself, so be patient and eventually you’ll get a turn to take your photo. This is one of your quicker stops, so don’t plan on allotting a ton of time for this. I would say its worth seeing though because its a pretty cool statue.
You and I have memories…
One of the lesser known attractions in Liverpool, the Liverpool Beatles Museum, actually has a really close tie to the Beatles. The proprietor of the museum is Roag Best, the younger brother of Pete Best, the Beatle’s former drummer. Roag also has another tie to the band beyond his brother. Roag’s father was Neil Aspinall, who was a friend of the band and eventually became the Beatle’s road manager. Because of these strong ties to the band, Roag acquired quite a bit of Beatle’s memorabilia, which he decided to put on display in his museum. This is a very different museum from the Beatles Story, its a more traditional, but its definitely not boring! Roag’s collection is extensive, spanning multiple floors of the building, and everything is authentic to the band or a piece of their past. This is another stop you’ll want to allot a couple hours for.
All the lonely people…
‘Eleanor Rigby dies in the church and was buried along with her name.’ While Paul claims he just came up with the name Eleanor Rigby, she was a real person, and really was buried at the church along with her name, St. Peter’s church to be exact. The cemetery where the real Eleanor was buried is in the same church yard that Paul met John at a Quarrymen gig in the late 50s. Coincidence? I doubt it, but who knows.
And the band begins to play…
The most notable start for the Beatles (then Quarrymen) was in a dingy little cavernous basement club, the Cavern Club. The Beatles played hundreds of shows here, back when they still wore all leather and slicked their hair like Elvis. Many other Liverpool bands also got their start here, like Gerry and the Pacemakers. Unfortunately, after the Beatles fell apart, the original Cavern was demolished so an underground rail system could be put in (it never was). That being said, a club by the same name does exist, and was built on the exact spot the old one used to occupy. The club echos the original, and is always packed with Beatle loving tourists. There are bands that play everyday at the Cavern, some playing Beatles music, some playing different music. If you are interested in seeing a Beatle’s tribute band, you can check the Cavern’s website for tickets and the act schedule. https://www.cavernclub.com/whats-on/
In the town where I was born…
All of the Beatle Childhood homes are miraculously still standing. There are six in total because both George and Ringo moved mid childhood. Ringo spent only the first few years of his life in one home, then moved to another about a block away around the time his parents separated. These homes are the closest to the downtown area, in the Dingle neighborhood. Ringo sings about both of these homes in his song Liverpool 8, the lyrics being ‘said goodbye to Madryn street’ and ‘said goodbye to Admiral Grove. 9 Madryn street was his first home, and 10 Admiral Grove is his second, and where he spent the majority of his childhood. George grew up Northeast from Ringo, at 12 Arnold Grove, and spent quite a few yers here. His second, and more recognizable childhood home is at 25 Upton Green, close to Lennon airport. It’s said that the Quarrymen used to practice some in this house thanks to George’s supportive parents. Next is Paul’s childhood home at 20 Forthlin Road, which is owned by the National Trust. This home is where the songwriting partnership of Lennon/McCartney was born. Last, but certainly not least, is John’s childhood home, also owned by the National Trust. John was raised by his Aunt Mimi (the older sister of his mother), and her husband George at a home called Mendips, located at 251 Menlove Ave. In the early days of the Beatles, John’s wife Cynthia and baby son Julian also lived in this home with Mimi. Mendips was owned by Mimi until the mid 60’s when she moved to a home that John purchased for her. Unfortunatly, many of these locations are closed to the public, with three exceptions. John and Paul’s childhood homes are available by scheduled tour through the National Trust, and George’s home on Upton Green is now a 3 bedroom airbnb! Unsurprisingly, the Harrison home airbnb is quite costly, but it is an experience of a lifetime! Imagine being able to say that you’ve stayed in George Harrison’s childhood bedroom! I hope someday I will also have the privilege of being able to claim that statement, but that’s a dream for later.
The long and winding road led me to your door…
John and Paul lived very close to each other, so close that John would walk to Paul’s home to play, since John’s aunt didn’t approve of him playing music. When I was at Strawberry Fields, one of the workers there gave me a special little insight. She told me that there was a foot path that started just across the street from Mendips and would lead to Paul’s neighborhood. She said that this is the exact trail that John would take to get to the McCartney home. I don’t know if I can put into words what it’s like to walk this trail, following the footsteps of one of music’s greatest legends. The path through the trees is so quiet and peaceful. It follows a residential garden wall and also passes the edge of a golf course. This is a decent walk, so if you have trouble walking for long distances, I would advise against this trail. It may take a little longer than public transport, but its so worth it!
Let me take you down…
One of my favorite places during this day trip was Strawberry Field. Yes, it really is a real place. John wrote this song as an ode to his childhood days when he would often visit Strawberry Field when it was a Salvation Army orphanage, which was right by his childhood home. Strawberry Field today is much smaller than it used to be and no longer stretches to John’s childhood home, but the land that’s left is blooming with Beatle-esqe energy. When you first enter the property you’re met with a small modern building, which holds the store, cafe, and museum. You won’t want to skip the museum because this is where John’s Imagine piano is on display. After the museum you find your way outside. As you stroll through the gardens, you can listen to an audio tour that’s provided at the front desk. The gardens have a Sgt. Pepper’s themed band stand, multiple nods to the song, and the original red gates. The gates that you see at the front when you walk in aren’t original. The original gates had to be relocated because of theft attempts, so now they’re protected by the garden walls. Strawberry Field is a quiet little gem and absolutely deserves to be on any Beatle fans itinerary.
Beneath the blue suburban skies…
Like John, Paul wrote Penny Lane as a nod to his childhood. You can see the barber, the roundabout, and a statue of John Lennon, which I thought was peculiar since Paul wrote and sang Penny Lane. While the street itself is a Beatle’s landmark, the most popular spot is the street sign. You know you’re close if you see a mural of young John and Paul. Like most English street signs, this sign is mounted on a wall, but this one is behind a case, because if I remember correctly, after the sign was stolen multiple times, the city decided to protect it. Like the statue on the docks, this stop is mostly a photo opportunity, but still so iconic.
Biding my time, drinking her wine…
Right across the way from the Cavern club is the Grapes. This is a little pub on Matthew street that has a little bit of Beatle’s history. In the early days, the boys would visit this bar quite often after playing shows at the Cavern, as did some of the other Cavern bands at the time. Today the pub is still going strong and offers live entertainment daily. If you’d like to enjoy a drink in the Beatle’s favorite Matthew Street hangout, the Grapes opens at noon 8 days a week, and is open into the wee hours of the night.
Its a jumping little record…
The Jacaranda is another location that the Beatle’s played in the early days, yet it is much less known. Back in the day, Jacaranda was a music venue and eventually a record label. Today, the music lives on at Jacaranda with live bands that play on the main and lower level, but the record history lives on on the upper floor. If you walk through the bar and venture up the stairs, you’ll find a cute little record store. As a record collector myself, I couldn’t pass up a visit to Jacaranda to peruse through the bins. Here’s a little tip, if you’re using your phone to map and maps tells you that the Jacaranda is in the middle of a courtyard or something, its wrong. I cannot tell you how long I walked around this one block of buildings confused. Finally a couple nice Liverpudlians helped me find the way. Turns out I was close, but it was absolutely not in the building maps said it was. To avoid the frustration I experienced, just look up the address and punch that into maps instead. If it helps, the building is on a street corner.
Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song…
We’re going to talk a little more about Pete Best for a second. In the basement of the Best family home in Liverpool, Pete’s mother Mona created a hangout space for her son and his musical friends, which she called the Casbah Club. The Beatle’s played frequently at the Casbah, and even helped Mona decorate it. Paul has said “we looked upon it as our personal club”. The Casbah is open for tours and to this day is still owned by the Best family. Actually, the home is now an airbnb run by Pete and Roag Best and family. All of the suites are named after the boys and their former band mates.
This list is pretty long and you really need two or three days to see everything, but if you only have one day like I did, you can pick and choose which seems most interesting to you. I’ve heard many in the past say that Liverpool is dirty and dingy, but that was Liverpool of the past. The city has now fully embraced the Beatles tourist industry and is in tip top shape. I think about Liverpool often and hope to go back soon. This trip for me really was a dream come true, and I hope that your Liverpool adventure will be the same!
Happy Travels!
Pursuit of Happy Travel 
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