Liverpool Beatles Tour

Be sure to get to Liverpool by early afternoon, so you can join one of the organized tours that end around 3. DO NOT EVEN THINK OF SELF-GUIDING!!! Be sure to start at the Beatles Experience, a wonderful museum at the Albert Dock. You will want to spend at least an hour there, probably two. You will see some great memorabilia, as well as original art by Stu Sutcliffe, and the famous John Lennon 'Imagine' piano. Then go outside to catch a tour. The great sites are scattered all over Liverpool. You will start with the famous Cavern district, where nearby is located a 'Lonely People' statue depicting Eleanor Rigby. Other sites are the places where all four Beatles were born and grew up, noteworthy music halls, Brian Epstein's house, schools, and of course Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane. And yes, at Penny Lane there is a shelter in the roundabout, the fire station, the barber, and the bank. Only spend one night .

Quick Tips:

To get to Dublin, you must take the ferry boat. This four hour trip leaves at 8:00 AM. The cost is about 30 pounds. What an adventure - the local English and Irish folks start drinking Guiness as soon as they board. After some time, the laughing, dancing, and gambling begins. And after all this, you arrive in downtown Dublin, as opposed to the boonies where the airport is.

Best Way To Get Around:

Very conveniently located at the Albert Dock. A little noisy (every young person for miles parties in the area), but very reasonable and nice. As usual, a nice free breakfast in the morning. You can walk to many sights.

If you wish to be beaten up, go to downtown Liverpool (around the famous Jacaranda) on Friday night. You will immediately notice that the bouncers at the bars all have black eyes, and then if you listen you can hear the Irish screaming at the English across the street, and vice versa. Then the bottles start flying. My friend and I boogied right on out of there, and crept to safer ground.

What a neat surprise! This annex of the famous London gallery was free, and contained a great exhibit of the collage work of Peter Blake. This is the man who did the Sgt. Pepper cover, among other things. Also, there were many collages created by celebrities, including Sir Paul himself. There are several floors of work presented, but not all are free, for whatever reason. There is a nice little tearoom next door as well.

This tiny gallery specializes in the art of John Lennon - for real! Many limited edition prints and drawings are contained here, for a royal price. Admission is free. This place is right next to the Cavern Club, and close by is the sculpture paying homage to "All the Lonely People," which is on a bench on the street. Maybe a mile walk to the northeast from the Albert Dock amid some interesting sights.

You haven't lived until you have ridden a boat full of English and Irish folks getting drunk on Guinness at 8:30 AM. This is a most amusing way of getting to Dublin from Liverpool. The price is right (30 pounds or so during the summer for foot traffic), and the four hour trip takes you into the center of Dublin. There is plenty of gambling (blackjack), drinking and dancing on board, and a neat Duty Free shop.

Get to the ferry dock, maybe a half mile north of the Albert Dock, and get there by 7:30 to avoid the lines.