10 Date Ideas for Couples in Liverpool

Famously sitting on the River Mersey, Liverpool celebrates its industrial history with great civic pride. Two centuries ago, Royal Albert Dock was the buzzing centre of the global textile trade in an era that saw the influx of many thousands of sailors and dockers from across the world, contributing to the city’s cosmopolitan vibe. Today the warehouses and cotton exchanges have been transformed into vibrant venues for art, music and romantic waterfront dining – and of course, music plays a major part in the city’s psyche, alongside its world-famous “cheeky chappie” sense of humour.

Planning a romantic tryst in Liverpool and looking for good date ideas? Book a city-centre hotel getaway and then read on to find out how to plan a memorable date in this vibrant, charismatic and warm-hearted city of music, nightlife and maritime heritage. 

In a city synonymous with music since the explosion of Merseybeat in the late 1950s, live-music venue the Cavern Club is where it all began. The legendary cellar bar famously introduced The Beatles to the world in 1961 – and today it’s still party central, with an inspiring schedule of open-mic nights for new talent, Beatles tribute bands and some very famous names (Arctic Monkeys, Oasis, Adele, Sir Paul McCartney himself). Music memorabilia adorns the walls of its vaulted bar. It’s noisy and jumping with music fans so if you’re on a first date, head into the Cavern Live Lounge for more intimate acoustic performances. The fun continues outside too: take couples’ selfies with the statue of John Lennon leaning on a wall outside the club, and check out the Wall of Fame celebrating artists who’ve played there.

10 Mathew Street, L2 6RE. Open Sun-Wed 11am-midnight, Thur 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 11am-2am. Tickets start at £10.

One date idea definitely unique to Liverpool is the Magical Mystery Tour of significant places in the young lives of The Beatles, who grew up in Liverpool and changed the world of pop music forever in the 1960s. Climb aboard a suitably psychedelic bus to be transported on an informative two-hour tour – complete with typically razor-sharp Liverpudlian repartee – of the former homes and schools of the Fab Four, as well as spots that inspired some of their best-loved tracks. Your Beatles pilgrimage ends with free entry into the world-famous Cavern Club.

Available winter Mon-Thur 11am-2pm, Fri-Sun 10am-2pm; summer daily 10am-4pm. Prices start at £19.95; buy tickets online. Tours start at Anchor Courtyard, Albert Dock, L3 4AS and finish at the Cavern Club.

One of the top romantic spots in Liverpool is the jumping waterfront at Royal Albert Dock. Here you can declare your love for one another in front of avant-garde art in Tate Liverpool, and take a loving shot for your socials at the brightly painted, whimsical installation “Liverpool Mountain”. Indulge your inner Jack and Rose at the “Titanic and Liverpool: The Untold Story” permanent exhibition in the Maritime Museum, or witness man’s inhumanity to his fellow man at the hard-hitting International Slavery Museum.

Culture taken care off, now it’s time to meander hand-in-hand around the brick-red former warehouses, perhaps stopping off for ice cream, cocktails or a sharing plate or two in the plentiful dockside eateries. At sunset, nip across Keel Wharf Bridge to hitch a ride on the Wheel of Liverpool Ferris wheel as lights began to twinkle over the River Mersey.

It’s time to go green! For a date that won’t break the bank, treat your partner to all the sights of Liverpool – the Waterfront, the elegant houses of the Georgian Quarter and the hipster boutiques and cafés of the Baltic Triangle, just for starters. Do it with a clear conscience and rent a salmon-pink, carbon-neutral e-bike to zip along cycle lanes and quiet backstreets. All you need to do is download the Voi app, find your nearest e-bikes and you’re off.

Alternatively, book guided cycle rides to whizz around city-centre landmarks like the Royal Liver Building and the Walker Art Gallery, or join Beatles-themed two-wheel tours taking in Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields.

Voi e-bike day passes start at £7 per day.

Wait for a balmy day and surprise your beloved with a picnic in the park… and Sefton Park is simply the loveliest of all Liverpool’s leafy corners. Have a wander to the Fairy Glen waterfalls, peer into the folly that is Old Nick’s Caves or go boating on the lake – but whatever you do, do not miss the Palm House, an exquisite Victorian-era glass-domed confection liberally planted with rare palms and delicate orchids. You may well catch an evening concert there too; what could be more romantic than listening to Mozart by flickering candlelight? 

L17. Open 24/7. Admission free. Take bus 82A from Liverpool ONE bus station.

One of the most bewitching spots for a picnic on a sunny day or a brisk winter walk à deux is to be found on Crosby Beach, half an hour north of central Liverpool. This once-deserted stretch of sand is now home to a 100-strong series of life-size figures called “Another Place” by sculptor Antony Gormley, who created the fabled “Angel of the North” in 1998. The entrancing, moss-covered installations – made from iron casts of his own body – stand bleak against the sea and sky, scattered over two miles (3.2 km), morphing in mood with the weather, and slowly submerging and reappearing according to the ebb or flow of the tide. 

Mariners Road, Blundellsands, L23 6SX. Open 24/7. Admission free. Take the train from Liverpool Lime Street to Blundellsands and Crosby railway station; the beach is five minutes’ walk. 

Looking for somewhere hip to hang out over lunch? Haste ye to Duke Street, Liverpool’s oh-so-cool, industrial-chic food emporium featuring six inspiring and very diverse cuisines, the award-winning Barnacle brasserie serving Modern British food, and an assortment of coffee, beer, cocktail and organic wine concessions. You’ll always find something that appeals among the tempting Asian poke bowls, spicy Mexican tacos and Latin American-inspired street food. Or how about the decadent Eggs Benedict and a chilled Bellini cocktail for a leisurely weekend brunch? 

Thanks to its seafaring past, Liverpool’s dining scene is eclectic to say the least. You can eat very well for very little in the noodle shops of Chinatown or at the globally inspired street food stalls of Baltic Market – but where to go when you want to make a grand romantic gesture? The Florist is a clever date night idea, both for its gorgeously OTT flowery décor and its adventurous menu celebrating the best of British produce with a Mediterranean flavour to its preparation.

The handsome, colonnaded marble-and-wood dining room at Seaforth bistro features a soaring glass ceiling, while its menus reflect Liverpool’s long association with faraway lands with exotic twists to traditional British staples including salmon and beef – and not forgetting “Scouse”, a delicious local concoction of lamb served three ways.

The Florist Bar and Restaurant: Hardman Street, L1 9AX. Open Mon-Thur, Sun 10am-10pm, Fri-Sat 10am-midnight.

Seaforth: Municipal Building, Dale Street, L2 2DH. Mon-Fri 7am-10am (Sat-Sun 7am-11am), noon-5pm, 6pm-10pm. Reservations only.

So you’ve bought the ring and you’re staying in the stylish Pullman Liverpool, with romantic views over the city’s iconic Royal Albert Dock. What’s your next move

Follow in the 1964 footsteps of beat group Gerry and the Pacemakers, and hop aboard the Mersey ferry. Your proposal will have a backdrop of spectacular Liverpool Waterfront architecture including the iconic Three Graces, comprising the statuesque Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building – all constructed in the early 20th century when the city was at the height of its maritime and trading power. The sleek shape of the fascinating Museum of Liverpool is another waterfront landmark, along with the exquisitely restored Royal Albert Dock, spindly Radio City Tower and the granite Titanic Memorial Liverpool among many others.

Pier Head, George Parade, L3 1DP. Tickets start at £12. Cruises winter Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat-Sun 10am-3pm; summer Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm.

You’ve seen the other-worldly silhouette of Radio City Tower (aka St John’s Beacon) from the river. Now zoom 400 ft (120 m) up this much-loved brutalist-era tower to the circular viewing gallery for 360-degree panoramas from wrap-around windows over Liverpool’s two cathedrals to the Royal Albert Docks and across the Mersey to the Wirral Peninsula. On clearer days, you’ll also have Blackpool Tower, the Lake District and the peaks of Eryri National Park (formerly Snowdonia) in your sights as you declare your love.

St Johns Beacon, 1 Houghton Street, L1 1RL. Mon-Fri 11am-5:30pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm. Admission £7.50.

World-famous maritime heritage, a creative and eco-friendly dining scene, music mania and lots of outdoor action… So now you know why lovers love Liverpool!