15 Unmissable Things To Do In Liverpool At Night
Liverpool is a city that, while it shows its staid cultural face during the day, comes to life after dark with a whole new ambiance that will leave you reeling. If you're not a football fan, you'll be pleased to know that both daytime and nighttime activities in Liverpool are not restricted to going to watch Liverpool FC under the spotlights of the stadium on Anfield Road. There are a lot more interesting and fun things to do in Liverpool than that. The Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Tate Liverpool, Radio City Tower, and the Walker Art Gallery are just a few of the fabulous things you can get up to during the day. You can even take one of the many city tours to see it all.
As Liverpool is such a large city you might want to choose one area in particular for each of your nights out while there or you'll spend more time getting from A to B than enjoying yourself. Some of the best places where there are lots of things to do in Liverpool at night are the Royal Albert Dock, the Baltic Triangle, the Cavern Quarter, and the Georgian Quarter.
Going out at night in Liverpool with your suitcase in tow will be frowned on everywhere you go. You certainly won't be able to bop the night away at Bongo's Bingo if you're carrying your bags. Start to develop your scouser street cred by leaving your cases at a Bounce luggage storage facility in Liverpool where they'll be stored securely. Once you're bagless, you'll have your hands free ready to wave them in the air when you've filled your bingo card and need to shout or to putt that amazing shot at Ghetto Golf.
Top Things To Do At Night In Liverpool And Where To Do Them
Royal Albert Dock
Even if you've been to the Royal Albert Dock during the daytime to visit the Tate Liverpool or have a browse around the Britannia Vaults to check out the Beatles Story, go back again at night and you'll see it in a completely different light.
The Albert Dock is a unique location on Liverpool's UNESCO World Heritage waterfront that's been elevated from disused warehouses to be one of the best spots in the city for cultural activities and entertainment. In the Albert Dock, there's everything you need for a great night out from classy restaurants to lively bars, but the best way to start your night out is on the water and a stone's throw from the Merseyside Maritime Museum.
Best Things To Do At Night In Royal Albert Dock Liverpool
Albert Dock Dinner Cruise
Board the Floating Grace for a gentle sail around the Albert Dock and you'll be surprised at just how extensive the dock area is. As the boat navigates its way through the eight different dock areas you'll be served a tasty two-course meal. Dinner cruises on the Floating Grace depart the quay in Albert Dock at 7:30 pm and last for around two hours.
Smugglers Cove
The Smugglers Cove is a must if you're in Albert Dock at night. This amazing pirate-themed bar and restaurant will instantly transport you back to the days when the docks were a hangout for smugglers and up-to-no-good characters. Rum is the top tipple here and the bar stocks over 150 different kinds you can drink straight or blended in a flashy cocktail. On the restaurant menu are classic British dishes like scotch eggs, sausage and mash, and fish and chips. If you just go for drinks, make sure to have some of their homemade pork scratchings.
The Baltic Triangle
The Baltic Triangle is a neighborhood of Liverpool with a real Bohemian atmosphere. Think mural-painted walls, vintage stores, and first-class live music venues. If you love eclectic activities, you'll love the Baltic Triangle. It's definitely different. Most of the action is happening in the Cains Brewery Village, a retail and leisure centre on Stanhope Street, so put that name at the top of your places to go list.
Best Things To Do At Night In Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle
Baltic Market
If you want to know where to get the best street food in Liverpool, you're about to find out. The Baltic Market is housed in the Cains Brewer Village. It's a food market crammed full of exciting independent eateries and bars so forget shopping, this market is all about eating, drinking, and socializing. The Baltic Market opens every afternoon at five and closes around ten-thirty to eleven in the evening from Wednesday through to Friday. Saturday nights are the liveliest as there's live music and DJs.
Bongo's Bingo
Bongo's Bingo is also in the Cains Brewery Village and is a weird, but very entertaining combination of disco and bingo. Take a table here and one minute you'll be crossing off numbers on your bingo card and the next you'll be dancing on the table to nineties pop music or raving in the aisles. There are all sorts of live entertainment options too, so be prepared for a wild and unusual evening.
Ghetto Golf
As far as crazy golf courses go, Ghetto Golf in the Cains Brewery Village is at the top of the seriously crazy list. This 18-hole course is full of luminous, psychedelic graffiti and yes, the holes are just as twisted as the artwork on the walls. When you go to play a late-night game here you can purchase a very economical entrance package that entitles you to a round of golf, a drink, and a meal at their on-site food truck. To avoid being disappointed, book your tee time on the official website before you go.
The Georgian Quarter
As first impressions go, the Georgian Quarter may seem like a quieter, more laid-back area of the city. Looks can be very deceiving. In the Georgian Quarter, it's all happening on Hope Street which is a street stretching between Liverpool Cathedral and the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. Here you'll find a selection of unique theatres, bars and restaurants as well as the home of Liverpool's philharmonic orchestra.
Best Things To Do At Night In Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter
The Philharmonic Pub
The Philharmonic Pub is not the home of the Liverpool philharmonic orchestra, at least not when they're playing a concert. This pub on Hope Street is one of a kind and renowned for being the most ornate pub in the UK. Think palace-style décor and you'll be on the right track. Rather than one main room, this Victorian-era drinking hole has lots of small, individual rooms so is great for an intimate night out.
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
The Liverpool Philharmonic Hall is the home of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and there are usually classical concerts held there around once a week. Even if you're not a fan of classical music, it's worth checking out what's on while you're in Liverpool as the hall also hosts concerts by top pop and rock artists as well as dance and comedy performances.
Shiverpool
Shiverpool is a ghost tour company that operates in the Georgian Quarter so if you want a night out in Liverpool that will make your hair stand on end, this is the one to go for. You can totally spook yourself out on any of several different tours of the area which are usually led by a guide in period costume.
Take the Hope Street ghost walk and not only will you learn about the spectres that haunt it, you'll go down into the creepy cathedral necropolis and through St James cemetery. If you prefer to be more entertained than freaked out, go on the Shiverpool ghost bus tour which has certain comedic elements thrown in to lighten the mood.
The Cavern Quarter
If you're not a Beatles fan then the Cavern Quarter might well be one part of Liverpool you'll want to skip going to at night. It’s definitely not where to stay in Liverpool if just the sound of their music makes you cringe as you’ll hear it on just about every street corner.
Anything and everything in the Cavern Quarter is pretty much dedicated to the Fab Four so for some it's seventh heaven and for others a place to avoid especially when the annual International Beatleweek Festival is on.
Best Things To Do At Night In Liverpool's Cavern Quarter
Cavern Club
The Cavern Club is the iconic venue where the Beatles started their career. You don't need to keep this for a nighttime activity as the club opens at 11:30 am, and once you're inside under those brick arches you won't have any idea what time of the day or night it is anyway. The Cavern Club hosts live music from the moment they open until they close which is midnight on weekdays and two in the morning at weekends. There is a small charge for admission to the club.
Cavern Pub
If you can't get into the Cavern Club because it's at maximum capacity, you can still enjoy a similar atmosphere at the Cavern Pub on Mathew Street. The Cavern Pub operates on the same basis as the Cavern Club, but there's no entry fee. Live music is continuous throughout the day and night and usually consists of classic rock and pop covers.
Liverpool Gin Distillery
Liverpool is renowned for its gin and one of the best places to try it, and see how it's made, is the Liverpool Gin Distillery. The Liverpool Gin Distillery is a four-story-high building on Castle Street in the Cavern Quarter, just a two-minute walk from Liverpool One, that's part pub and part distillery. Here, as well as getting to see gin being made in a copper still and sampling it, you can participate in gin cocktail and mixing classes.
Other Things To Do In Liverpool At Night
St Luke's Church
St Luke's Church or as it's more often known, the Bombed Out Church is an entertainment venue on Liverpool's Leece Street. For years the church was nothing more than a roofless shell. Now after serious restoration, it may still be roofless, but there's a lot going on there. Understandably, most events are held there during the warmer months and include everything from film showings to theatrical performances, concerts, and comedy nights.
FACT Cinema
FACT, the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology, is a museum on Wood Street in Liverpool. Unless there's a special exhibition then the museum closes at night, but the four screen cinema it houses doesn't. You won't get to see the latest releases here as the films shown are either art-related or non-mainstream, although many are big film festival award winners, so well worth checking out.
The Slaughterhouse
The Slaughterhouse is a comedy night venue in the basement of the Slaughterhouse pub on the city's Fenwick Street and is one of the top comedy clubs in Liverpool. Operated by Laughterhouse Comedy, the Slaughterhouse hosts stand-up comedians on Friday night and Saturday night only. There are always three top comedians and a compere at each show. Shows start at 8 pm and pre-booking a table is a good idea as it’s a popular night out. If the Slaughterhouse is fully booked, the Hot Water Comedy Club is a good alternative.
Panoramic 34
When you want a special night out in Liverpool that ticks all the boxes head to Panoramic 34. Panoramic 34 is a restaurant on the 34th floor of the city's tallest building, the West Tower on Brook Street. The views of Liverpool and the River Mersey from Panoramic 34 are incredible and even better if you time your dinner for sunset. While it's not the cheapest of places to eat in Liverpool, you're guaranteed a truly memorable meal.
Conclusion
Liverpool is, without a doubt, a city for football and music lovers, but there's so much more to it than the Beatles and Liverpool FC. George Harrison's first guitar or drumkits belonging to Ringo Starr are not the best attractions Liverpool has to offer. One visit to attractions like Tate Liverpool, Sefton Park, and the Liverpool Cathedral will show you that.
Yes, the Cavern Club has a rich history and a great atmosphere, but there are plenty of other places in Liverpool where you can get great beer, good food, and listen to live music too. If you're not sure where to start head for the Baltic Triangle or the Royal Albert Dock and you won't go far wrong.