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Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

Companionship careMerseyside

Days out in Merseyside for an older parent

Nine places in Merseyside that make a good day out for an older parent, from Walker Art Gallery to Southport. For each one: what its own access information confirms, what it costs, how long to allow, and the carers nearby who drive and could take them.

Researched by PrimeCarers from each place’s own website and access information  ·  Updated October 2026

Walker Art Gallery. Photo: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0

Nine days out across five towns

The best places to take an older parent in Merseyside

Seven of them are free to visit or to walk around. The access information for one describes a step-free route, and one confirms an accessible toilet. Where a place does not publish its access, we say so.

Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

Photo: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Gallery · Liverpool

Walker Art Gallery

The Walker Art Gallery on William Brown Street in Liverpool holds one of the largest art collections in England outside London, from medieval paintings to Pre-Raphaelite works and modern art. Entry is free and there is a café.

There is a wheelchair accessible toilet on the ground floor and a lift to the first floor, so a carer can plan a gentle visit to a few favourite rooms.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Liverpool

Merseyside Maritime Museum, Liverpool

Photo: Trevor Harris, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Museum · Liverpool

Merseyside Maritime Museum

The Merseyside Maritime Museum at the Royal Albert Dock tells the story of Liverpool's port, emigration, the Titanic and the Lusitania, and houses the International Slavery Museum on its upper floor. Entry is free.

There are lifts to all floors, accessible toilets on every floor, Blue Badge spaces close by on the dock and three wheelchairs to borrow.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Free

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Liverpool

Mersey Ferries River Explorer Cruise, Liverpool

Photo: Tim Dutton from Wirral, England, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Boat trip · Liverpool

Mersey Ferries River Explorer Cruise

Mersey Ferries run the River Explorer Cruise from Pier Head in Liverpool across the Mersey to Seacombe and Woodside, with commentary on the city's waterfront and history. The round trip takes about 50 minutes.

The main decks are fully accessible for wheelchairs and scooters, there is an accessible toilet on the main deck and all the terminals are accessible.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Paid entry

What their access information confirms

  • Accessible toilet

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Liverpool

Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool

Photo: calflier001, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cathedral · Liverpool

Liverpool Cathedral

Liverpool Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Britain, built in red sandstone between 1904 and 1978 to a design by Giles Gilbert Scott. Visitors can see the vast nave and stained glass, and there is a café and a tower with views over the city.

The car park has disabled bays, there is a lift with an automatic door into the cathedral and an accessible drop-off point near the main entrance.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Blue Badge parking

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Liverpool

Another Place, Crosby Beach, Crosby

Photo: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Coast · Crosby

Another Place, Crosby Beach

Another Place is Antony Gormley's installation of 100 cast iron figures spread along nearly two miles of Crosby Beach, all looking out to sea. From the promenade and coastal path there are views across to the Wirral and North Wales.

It is free and the figures near the promenade can be seen without walking far onto the sand, so a carer can plan a short stroll and a sit on a bench.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Crosby

Speke Hall, Speke

Photo: Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Historic house · Speke

Speke Hall

Speke Hall is a Tudor timber-framed manor house by the Mersey near Liverpool Airport, run by the National Trust, with Victorian interiors, a priest hole and a great hall. There are gardens, woodland walks and a tea room in the stables.

There are mobility parking spaces, a level entrance to the house with a wheelchair accessible ground floor, manual wheelchairs to book and level paths in most of the formal garden.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Paid entry

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Speke

Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight

Photo: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Gallery · Port Sunlight

Lady Lever Art Gallery

The Lady Lever Art Gallery was built by William Lever in his model village of Port Sunlight on the Wirral, and holds his collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, furniture, Wedgwood and Chinese porcelain. Entry is free and there is a café.

There is a lift to the basement café, an accessible toilet and two Blue Badge spaces near the entrance, with plenty of free parking around the gallery.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Port Sunlight

Sefton Park Palm House, Liverpool

Photo: Ben James, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Garden · Liverpool

Sefton Park Palm House

The Palm House is a Victorian glasshouse in Sefton Park, Liverpool, filled with palms and plants from around the world and ringed by statues of explorers and gardeners. Entry is free, and the park around it has a lake and wide paths.

The Palm House and its grounds are fully accessible all year, so it is a warm, dry place for a gentle visit whatever the weather.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Entry is free

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Liverpool

Southport, Southport

Photo: Jeff Buck, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Market town · Southport

Southport

Southport is a Victorian seaside town known for Lord Street, a long boulevard of shops under glass and iron canopies, and for its gardens and promenade. The town has cafés, the Atkinson arts centre and seafront lakes and gardens.

Lord Street runs under glass and iron canopies with cafés along the way, so a carer can plan a gentle stroll with regular stops.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Free

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Southport

Regular groups and events in Merseyside

Something to go back to every week or every year, from our research into what older people enjoy doing in Merseyside.

  • Gardening · SouthportSouthport Flower ShowA four day show held in Victoria Park each August, first staged in 1924 and now run as a charity, with show gardens, floral marquees and trade stands. A carer can book tickets in advance, go on a quieter weekday and plan the route between marquees around seating and refreshment stops.Details
  • Photography · SouthportSouthport Photographic SocietyA large local society meeting on Monday evenings from September to April at Emmanuel Church on Cambridge Road, with talks, competitions and outdoor trips in the summer months. A carer can handle the evening lift there and back and help the person prepare prints or digital entries for the competitions.Details
  • Reading · SouthportAdult reading groups in Sefton LibrariesSefton's libraries, including Southport, Crosby, Formby and Netherton, run free monthly reading groups for adults and welcome new members. A carer can ring the branch to check dates, collect the set book in large print or audio if needed, and stay nearby during the session.Details
  • Sports · LiverpoolWalking football with Everton in the CommunityLow impact walking football sessions run by Everton's community charity, including inclusive sessions for people living with long term conditions. A carer can arrange the transport, bring indoor trainers and water, and watch from the side so the person plays independently.Details

Hobbies and carers who share them in Merseyside

At a glance

The nine places side by side

What each place’s own access information confirms. “Ask” means it does not say, not that it is missing.

PlaceTimeCostStep-freeToiletCafé
Walker Art GalleryLiverpoolan hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Merseyside Maritime MuseumLiverpoolhalf a dayFreeAskAskAsk
Mersey Ferries River Explorer CruiseLiverpoolan hour or twoPaid entryAskYesAsk
Liverpool CathedralLiverpoolan hour or twoFreeYesAskAsk
Another Place, Crosby BeachCrosbyan hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Speke HallSpekehalf a dayPaid entryAskAskAsk
Lady Lever Art GalleryPort Sunlightan hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Sefton Park Palm HouseLiverpoolan hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
SouthportSouthporthalf a dayFreeAskAskAsk

Where the places are in Merseyside

The county’s boundary, numbered as on this page, with the main towns for reference.

Newton le WillowsKirkbyHalewoodHoylakeFormbyBootleRainford123456789
  1. 1Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
  2. 2Merseyside Maritime Museum, Liverpool
  3. 3Mersey Ferries River Explorer Cruise, Liverpool
  4. 4Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool
  5. 5Another Place, Crosby Beach, Crosby
  6. 6Speke Hall, Speke
  7. 7Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight
  8. 8Sefton Park Palm House, Liverpool
  9. 9Southport, Southport

What it costs

What a day out with a carer costs in Merseyside

Carers in Merseyside charge £19 to £20 an hour through PrimeCarers, typically £19, with our fee included. A four-hour outing is about £76 for the carer’s time. Entry, food and parking are extra, and travel costs are only payable if you agree them with the carer in advance, in writing. The cost of home care in Merseyside has the full figures.

Photographs on this page are from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each one.

Questions

Questions families ask about days out in Merseyside

Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool, Mersey Ferries River Explorer Cruise in Liverpool, Liverpool Cathedral in Liverpool, Another Place, Crosby Beach in Crosby, Speke Hall in Speke, Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight, Sefton Park Palm House in Liverpool and Southport in Southport. Each has its own section on this page with what its access information confirms, the cost and how long to allow.

The access information for Liverpool Cathedral describes a step-free route. Mersey Ferries River Explorer Cruise has an accessible toilet. Access changes, so ring ahead about anything your parent depends on.

Walker Art Gallery, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Liverpool Cathedral, Another Place, Crosby Beach, Lady Lever Art Gallery, Sefton Park Palm House and Southport. Parking is often charged even where entry is free.

Yes. A companion carer can drive your parent there, walk at their pace, help with the toilet and meals, and bring them home. 38 of the carers with a rate near Merseyside drive. Visits are booked by the hour, typically £19 an hour here with our fee included. Companionship care in Merseyside shows who is available.

Often. Many attractions let a carer or companion in free, or at a reduced price, with a disabled visitor, and some ask for proof such as a letter or a benefit award. It varies, so check each place’s access or prices page before you go.

Where the nearest carers live

From the profiles of the carers based within about 45 minutes of Merseyside

Where the nearest carers live. A carer close to home can manage a longer day out.

Companionship care in the counties around Merseyside

Days out in the areas around Merseyside

Companionship care by town in Merseyside

Each town page shows the carers who list it as home, with their rates and reviews.

Find a carer who could take them out in Merseyside

See carers near Merseyside who drive, with their photos, interests, rates and reviews. Talking to them is free and nothing is booked until you say so.

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