The weather’s nice and you want to get outside before the clouds blow back in. So, save some time by picking from one of our great outdoor activities in and around Liverpool to make the most of the weather and enjoy some fresh air. And don’t worry if the weather turns; just jump over to our list of rainy day activities and carry on the fun.
Relax at a Beer Garden
Soak up the sun with a Liverpool Gin or craft beer. You also can enjoy the night air with a whiskey nightcap at Mackenzies. Dine al fresco with tapas at the pen-factory, or have a cocktail and burger at Free State Kitchen. OhMeOhMy has beautiful views, and Kazimier Garden offers heaters and shelter so you won’t mind being outdoors all year round. The Botanical (Gin) Garden is a beautiful location, but it’s closed during the winter, so put it on your wishlist for the spring. With such a wide range of beer gardens, you’re spoilt for choice.
Best beer gardens in Liverpool: Mackenzies | Pen-Factory | Free State Kitchen | Kazimier Garden | OhMeOhMy | The Botanical Garden
See the City in a New Light While a Walking Tour
Liverpool’s the perfect size to see by foot with so many different styles of street art and architecture dotted around that you might otherwise miss. This is not to mention all the hidden history to be found, with many a scary tales to be told along the way. Shiverpool is a fantastic place to go to for a ghost hunt. Alternatively, Treasure Hunts Company offer fun, self-lead walking adventures to help explore the city.
Where to ghost hunt in Liverpool: Shiverpool
Where to treasure hunt in Liverpool: Treasure Hunts Company
Breathe The Fresh Air at Parks and Greenspaces
What better way to enjoy the outdoors than to pack a picnic, invite family and friends, and catch up in Liverpool’s many open green spaces and parks. Before you head out, be sure to check our event list for upcoming outdoor events and festivals. Take a shopping break in Chavasse Park (on top of Liverpool One), or enjoy a book in front of the Central Library in St Johns Garden. If you’re after an even bigger open expanse, Sefton Park offers great live music and festivals. Rupert Lane Recreation ground has amazing views for photos. Festival Gardens and Otterspool Prom are great areas to walk, run, and play (for both dogs and humans).
Best green spaces and parks in Liverpool: Chavasse Park, St Johns Garden, Sefton Park, Festival Gardens, Otterspool Prom, Rupert Lane Recreation ground
Be Adventurous With Watersports
Sure, you could simply go to the beach to jump and paddle in the Mersey estuary, but there’s plenty more to do around the canals, lakes, rivers, and docks of Liverpool. Whether you want to join a boat club, or check out a new sport, there’s so much to try, including wakeboarding, kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding, and sailing/windsurfing, just to name a few.
Where to go for water-sports in Liverpool: Crosby Marina, | Liverpool Yacht Club, | Liverpool’s Watersports Center | Collingwood Dock
Relax on the Beach
Who doesn’t love a day by the beach when the sun is shining? With sand dunes and art (The Iron Men at Crosby beach), punctuated with a seaside prom over the water, there are plenty of reasons to walk, sunbathe, and picnic along the coast.
Where to visit a beach in Liverpool: Another Place by Antony Gormley on Crosby Beach | New Brighton Beach | Formby Beach
Crawl to All the Pubs
Create your own pub crawl or follow the CAMRA guide to Liverpool pubs. Another easy way is to follow the train line! The Northern Line pub crawl runs all the way from Liverpool to Southport. Alternatively, The Cains Brewery village offers a nice, contained location, with tons of choice. If you find yourself near Hope Street, walk between the two cathedrals and enjoy the many choices to stop for a drink. Whichever pub crawl you choose, they’ll always finish the same: too many pubs and not enough time.
Where to pub crawl in Liverpool: Northern Line pub crawl | Cains Brewery Village | Hope Street
Visit Animals at a Sanctuary or Reserve
For the wildlife and animal lovers out there, there are great places to support the local habitats and enjoy a day out in Liverpool. See the friendly, endangered red squirrels at Squirrel Park. Spot native birds at Martin Meer and Lunt meadows bird reserves. And you can even spend a day walking dogs to help support the Freshfield Animal Rescue Centre.
Where to see wildlife in Liverpool: Squirrel Park | Martin Meer Reserve | Lunt meadows bird reserve | Freshfield animal rescue
View Stately Homes and Gardens
No matter your ancestry, you can spend the day enjoying and fantasizing at Liverpool’s most splendid family homes. The former country estate and ancestral home of the Molyneux family ( the Earls of Sefton), Croxteth Hall is now managed by the Liverpool Council and open to the public. You can also visit the ancestral home of the Stanley family (the Earls of Derby), at Knowsley Hall. Speke Hall and Rufford Old Hall, both protected by the National Trust, are both worth a visit, too.
Where to visit stately homes in Liverpool: Croxteth Hall | Speke Hall | Rufford Old Hall | Knowsley Hall
Try Some New Sports
Get the blood pumping with some outdoor sports. Whether climbing high, abseiling down or keeping two wheels on the ground, there is a lot of fun and excitement available in Liverpool. You can take a Segway through the city, shoot with a bow and arrow, ape around at Otterspool Adventure Park, and even abseil from the cathedral!
Where to go on an adventure in Liverpool: Otterspool Adventure Park, Radio City Tower, Liverpool Cathedral, Segway Experience, Spartacus Combat Archery
Up in The Air
See Liverpool from the sky, whether from a helicopter, microlight, or in a small prop plane. Whether by taking lessons, or as a passenger, you can enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Liverpool without having to book a flight at John Lennon Airport!
Where to go flying in Liverpool: Helicopter | Microlight | Flying Lessons
Have a Day at the Races
Liverpool is famous for the Grand National but you don’t have wait all year for a flutter — there are race days throughout the year.
Where to find racing in Liverpool: Aintree Race Course | Belle Vue Dog Track (near Manchester)
Cycling Around the City
Getting around Liverpool by bicycle has become more and more popular in the past few years. If you don’t own a bicycle, why not join a cycling tour, or sign up with a city bike programme and give it a test ride.
Where to go cycling in Liverpool: Liverpool Cycle Tours Ltd | Liverpool CityBike
Mersey Ferry
Enjoy the Mersey Ferry tour and, yes, get the iconic song stuck in your head. This used to be part of the public transport across the Mersey but now it only offers a few trips at peak time. With great views and information about the city, jump on this brightly coloured boat and enjoy the ride.
Where to float across the Mersey in Liverpool: Mersey Ferry
Be a Tourist in Your Own City
Rediscover Liverpool and learn why tourist increasingly flock to the city by tagging along on a city tour. You might fall in love with this place all over again. It’s also a way to spend time with friends visiting from out of town!
Where to take a visitors tour in Liverpool: City Explorer Liverpool | City Sights Liverpool
Shop Fresh at Outdoor Markets
Liverpool knows the importance of farmers markets and local produce, with locals supporting independent businesses in the city for a very long time. Find out where your closest location is and what day the market will be open with the list below.
Where and when to visit a farmers market (double check opening times before attending):
Woolton Village – Second Saturday of the month
University Square – Second Thursday of the month
Garthdale Road, off Allerton Road – Third Saturday of the month
Lark Lane – Fourth Saturday of the month
Speke Road – First Saturday in July, August, and September
No Excuses!
And there we have it. With so much to do in Liverpool, there’s never an excuse to be bored! And if the weather does turn, just check out our complete list of things to do in Liverpool when it’s raining!
Featured image credit: of Croxteth Hall gardens by @scousescene (Instagram)
