The Tab’s Guide to Liverpool in the summer

Stay in Liverpool and enjoy this boss city for all its worth in the summer sun. Whether you’re visiting the Beatles museum or trying something off the beaten track, you can guarantee it’ll be more fun than visiting your Auntie in the Cotswolds with her limited broadband and unhealthy obsession with novelty tea-cosies. Here’s a definitive list of the best things to try out on the Merseyside this summer:

Take a ferry across the Mersey and get off at the other side

Yeah, we all hop on a ferry across the Mersey with our parents at some point in our three years of uni. But have you ever stopped taking windswept photos and actually stepped onto the other side of the river? Probably not. Go and meet the woolies. Birkenhead has galleries, tramways, an urban farm and a priory. Listen out for the ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’ song on the ferry as well – shout out to my relative Gerry from Gerry and the Pacemakers who sang it (Shameless bragging).

Liverpool International Music Festival 2016

4 days of free music in Sefton park – LIMF is probably one of the highlights of summer 2016, from the  21st – 24th July. Acts playing include SIGMA, Lianne la Havas, The Wombats, Wretch 32, Maverick Sabre and Ms Dynamite as well as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra opening the festival on the Friday night. If you’ve still got dollar in your wallet you can pay to see House Nation X CIRCUS at Sefton Park Palm House as well.

LIMF 2015

Visit the free museums

Liverpool has the most free museums in the UK outside of London and they’re free. Did you get that? Free. If you fancy looking at Napoleon crossing the alps or a bust of Alexander the Great, head to the Walker Art Gallery (Tell the boys there’s lots of pre-ralphadite naked ladies and neo-classical breasts). Fancy admiring some stuffed birds and live snakes? The World Museum is for you. Head to the Tate down by the docks if you’re into considering if life is worth anything while contemplating a painted pinecone on a plate.

Take a trip to Crosby or Formby and lap up the sand, sea (and sex?)

Actually, sex on the beach is probably illegal (cue someone blaming the EU). But regardless, if one thing sums up a British summer, it’s a quasi-death experience in near freezing wind conditions on a beach, because no one in Britain has yet cottoned onto the fact that just because it’s sunny doesn’t mean its warm by the sea. Jump on a Northern Line train and head to Crosby to see some Anthony Gormley art, or Formby for red squirrels and a nature reserve.

Formby beach

Go on a proper Scouse Pub Crawl

Is there anything more stereotypical Brits-in-the-sun than an organised en masse migration between alcohol-selling establishments? (Well, baldness, sunburn and bellies, but still). There is a world outside of the Brookie, you know. Try the Peter Kavanagh  in the Georgian Quarter for a 1920s drinking experience, The Caledonia near South Campus for jazz nights,  The Pilgrim down its cobbled street for raspberry and cherrie vodka slushies at £2.50 a glass, or Ye Hole In The Wall which will give you bragging rights for having drunk in the oldest pub in Liverpool.

At Peter Kavanaghs

Liverpool Biannual 2016

There’s going to be newly commissioned contemporary art from around the world being displayed across public spaces, galleries and online as the Biannual kick starts its 14 weeks of artistic endeavours around the theme of Liverpool’s past, present and future. Look out for installations that celebrate Chinatown and Ancient Greece as well as glimpses into what artists think Liverpool might look like in 20, 30 or even 50 years in the future. Imagine how cool your Instagram will look smattered with artworks – you’ll be so chic.

Take bae for a Lark Lane date

Bold Street is so last year. Take your date to Lark Lane for a turkish / greek / tapas / chinese / thai / caribbean / italian / indian or even just pure meat (hello, Meat Factory) meal date. Or drink away your relationship woes at Keith’s Wine Bar or The Albert. You could even walk back to Smithdown and take a detour to Carnatic to reminisce about your first date, when you both got pissed at the Raz and banged so loudly in McNair that the boy below had to play One Direction really loudly to distract himself from the noise.

Celebrate at Liverpool Pride

Pride hits Liverpool on the 30th-31st July, with the theme ‘Liverpool Icons’, so expect some spectacular outfits in and around St Johns gardens, including the late Cilla Black. Pride is a great way to celebrate queer identities and be recognised across the country. Liverpool has a large and friendly LGBT+ community and whether your LGBT+ or not, it’s all about getting together to celebrate achievements of LGBT+ people and pushing for further rights.

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Do some Vintage Shopping

Liverpool’s top vintage shops include Soho’s, Pop Boutique and Resurrection but this summer there’s also going to be Vintage on the Dock at the Albert Docks. Taking place on 9th-10th July, you can head down for a vintage marketplace, street food traders in vintage vans, classic cars on display and dance teachers helping you learn the Lindy Hop. If there’s a time to reuse and recycle, it’s this summer.

Watch an independent film at FACT

You remember when Shia LaBeouf visited Liverpool? That was at FACT. It’s not all weird art instillations – you can also catch some films there. This summer, they’re showing a plethora of film genres including the 2015 Sundance shorts, RSC Hamlet live, and Kung Fu Panda 3. Variety at it’s best. Plus, from the 19th June, they’re showing THE LION KING. Enough said.

Visit Grand Central Hall

Where? What? Grand Central hall is the massive church-like building you see on the bus into town on Renshaw Street and its full of exotic shops selling clothes, furniture, bric-a-brac and jewellery. The bohemian bazaar of the city, its weird and wonderful world is worth a visit and the entrance is a profile picture background in the making.

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Have breakfast somewhere else apart from The Tavern

Yeah, a Tavern breakfast is great. Really great. But there are so many more places in Liverpool to brunch at. Bold Street Coffee does a mean french toast with bacon and maple syrup, Moose & Moonshine have an american-inspired menu that’s out of this world, and East Avenue Bakehouse can offer you a continental style brunch platter. Step out of the student box and try some new places to breakfast, god damn it, you’re only here for three years.

Pancakes at Leaf