Liverpool, UK –I traveled to England to learn about the Beatles and although it’s been more than 50 years since John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr performed together, their music is still loved universally and Beatlemania remains strong in Liverpool and London. It is estimated that Beatle tourism brings in 500 million in revenue a year to the city of Liverpool. These are the places and historic sites I visited and fans of the Fab Four can also visit if they chose to do so:
The Hard Days Night Hotel in Liverpool was the only hotel I wanted to stay at. The popular Beatles themed hotel is centrally located and within a short walking distance to most attractions in town. https://www.hardTdaysnighthotel.com/?cid=gplaces-hard-days-night-liverpool
When I visit a new city I always try to join a local walking tour. The Beatles Famous Walking Tour was a two hour walking tour around Liverpool that included visits to historic sights such as The Cavern Club where the Beatles first got their start, the Eleanor Rigby Statue and the Beatles statue at Albert Dock. Rob my guide was not only knowledgeable about the Beatles but shared stories of Liverpool’s history and offered suggestions of places around the city to visit and explore. https://www.viator.com/tours/Liverpool/The-Beatles-Famous-Walking-Tour-Of-Liverpool-Fully-Guided/d940-314426P2
Instead of taking the Magical Mystery Bus Tours to visit Beatle’s sights in Liverpool as most travelers do, I chose The Mad Day Out Beatles Taxi Tour. Guide and owner Ian is an expert in Beatles history and has wonderful stories to share. The tour covers all the historic Beatle’s sights around Liverpool, including Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields and the childhood homes of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. The taxi tour allowed me to have more time at the places we visited and I didn’t have to deal with a crowded bus tour . https://mad-dayouttaxitours.co.uk/
The two museums I visited in Liverpool were the Beatles Museum, located around the corner from the Hard Days Night Hotel and the Cavern Club, the museum features more than 1000 photos and artifacts from the Beatles early days in Liverpool and Hamburg, Germany. Most are from the collection of Roag Best the brother of former Beatle’s drummer Pete Best. https://liverpoolbeatlesmuseum.com/
The other museum is the Beatles Story. An interactive award winning museum located on the Albert Dock. https://www.beatlesstory.com/
In London I booked a walking tour of the Beatle’s former London haunts with London Beatles Walks. Led by guide and author Richard Porter, who has been giving Beatles walking tours of London for more than 30 years. The tour includes the former sight of Apple Records where the Beatles gave their last rooftop performance. Paul McCartney’s London offices, the London Palladium where Beatlemania began and Abbey Road Studios. https://beatlesinlondon.com/
It’s estimated that 1000 people a day still try to recreate the famous album cover photo from the Beatle’s final album Abbey Road. It was a Sunday afternoon when I arrived at the iconic crosswalk to try and create my own photo opp. There was much traffic and even groups of people trying to take their photo with drones. Try to go early and during a weekday.