Liverpool Beatles Trail

The Liverpool Beatles Trail in Merseyside, England, links the places where the band formed, played and lived before global fame in the 1960s. The Beatles Story at the Royal Albert Dock is the main museum, tracing the band from Hamburg to Abbey Road with reconstructed streets, a replica Cavern Club and a Yellow Submarine room, and an adult ticket costs around £18. Mathew Street in the city centre holds the rebuilt Cavern Club, where the band performed about 292 times, and the Cavern Wall of Fame lists acts that played there. The National Trust runs timed tours of 20 Forthlin Road, Paul McCartney's childhood home, and 251 Menlove Avenue, John Lennon's home with his aunt Mimi, both reached by minibus from the city or Speke. Strawberry Field, a former Salvation Army children's home on Beaconsfield Road, now has a visitor centre and cafe, and the Penny Lane street sign remains a popular photograph. Other stops include the statue of the band at Pier Head, the Magical Mystery Tour bus, which leaves from Albert Dock, and the Hard Day's Night Hotel. A full day covers the core sights, while fans can spend two days with the museums. The Royal Albert Dock also houses Tate Liverpool, the Merseyside Maritime Museum and restaurants, making it a natural base. Crowds peak at weekends, in summer and during International Beatleweek in August. National Trust tours must be booked well ahead, since places are limited. Black cab tours led by local drivers give a flexible alternative. Weather in Liverpool is changeable, so a waterproof is useful on the walking sections.