5 Best Family Things to Do in Liverpool

Your kids might roll their eyes when you suggest visiting a museum, that is, until they see just how many hands-on displays and interactive exhibits there are here. Liverpool’s World Museum is city staple for school trips and family weekends out.

Since 1853, this museum’s vast collection of spooky mummies, awesome dinosaur skeletons and eerie armour have made kids go wide-eyed with wonder. And that’s before they see the incredible planetarium, which has special learning areas to get children excited about the natural world.

Croxteth Hall, with its stunning marble columns, elegant architecture and beautiful grounds, is a stately manor house about a 20-minute drive from central Liverpool. It's situated on 500 acres of lush, tree-stippled grounds, now a nature reserve.

The lavish interior of this 16th-century house and its adjacent Victorian walled garden are a fascinating exploration, but the kids will adore the  outdoor play area and miniature railway, where they can blow off steam ready for the journey home. Check the online calendar of events before you come for makers' markets, park runs and special events.

When you’re in the city centre, it can be easy to forget that Liverpool is on the coast. This doesn’t just mean the docks, but also a number of sandy beaches.

On a warm sunny day, head to Crosby Beach. The wide sands aren’t only soft and unblemished, they host one of Liverpool’s most eye-catching art exhibits: Another Place by Anthony Gormley. One hundred cast-iron statues speckle the beach, looking out into the sea. Some are half buried in sand, others partially submerged in water, particularly at high tide. Both kids and parents are sure to be intrigued by this surreal spectacle. It’s easily reached by train, and be sure to bring your camera to capture the scene.

To see the city from a different point of view, take a trip to the Wheel of Liverpool. As it carries you up, up and above the city, the streets will fall away and you’ll see the dramatic sprawl, the sea to the west and the silvery ribbon of the Mersey.

The Wheel of Liverpool, an enormous, futuristic Ferris wheel, isn’t some white-knuckle theme park ride. Rather, the 42 spacious viewing capsules gently rise, slowly gaining height to offer the best views of the city before returning to the ground. Nevertheless, your kids are bound to get a kick out of the epic views from the summit.

The Albert Docks is a huge attraction in Liverpool and while you’re out there the children will definitely work up an appetite. Luckily Gusto is right there for you to relax and refuel.

Laid out like a traditional Italian ristorante, with a huge, warmly lit interior and retro, black and white film star posters across the walls, Gusto is a great place to bring the kids for some authentic Italian cooking. Adults can enjoy succulent steaks while kids can come up with their own pizzas.