Hi,

Coming back to the UK for a couple of weeks in July with my Finnish gf and we’ve got 4 days spare. I’d like to show her somewhere nice and also scout places where we could live, as i’m being made redundant.

Any recommendations on places to stay/things to do in Liverpool or Harrogate?

Cheers,
HR

You could start off with somewhere nice like Harrogate then go to Liverpool? 🙂

I’d get the horrible one out of the way first 😆

Harrogates sleepy. It’s got a good tourist vibe during the season but it’s when they all go home I think the place comes alive. Locals are very freindly, access to the NYMoors and Dales is exceptional and it really is a nice place to live/be. Lots of hotels, some £££ some not. Nice places to eat include Mirrabels (book before you go) and steer clear of Jamies.

No idea about Liverpool.

Up round Phillamonic in L.pool has good bars pubs Restaurants. Lark Lane Sefton Park good place. Hire a city bike ride by Pier Head up to Otterspool on seafront. Catch train to West Kirby check tides and walk to Hilbre Island. Sorry neighbours, avoid north Liverpool unless big football fans.

Liverpool is absolutely brilliant for a visit. All the hotels are full every weekend. Best night out in UK anywhere outside London. Great shopping & restaurants. Lark lane as mentioned above is brilliant. But I would say that as I grew up around there.

Ignore the stupid comments from people who read the Mail and have never been here, everyone who visits are amazed with how good it is. Nothing like the outdated stereotypes.

Most of South Liverpool is a great place to live too.

Loddrik, my brother visited Liverpool last year and loved it. It’s also close to Manc airport, so we can drive straight there.

We’ll check out Lark Lane and Philharmonic too. Thank you for the tips so far, keep ’em coming please 😀

The Anthony Gormley installation ‘Another place’ (bronze figures on the beach looking toward the horizon) is exceptional IMHO, worth seeing if you can fit it in.
It would be a 15 min or so train ride on the northern line up to Waterloo or Blundellsands.

*Disclaimer, been over 8 years since I lived there but I think this is accurate!

Second lark lane. Keith’s wine bar (took my now wife there at end of first date!) for some nice non pricey grub and, unsurprisingly, wine – though its been a while since I’ve been there. Loads of other restaurants there also.

If she’s missing Finland then you can call the Scandinavian seamans church and book a nice sauna! They might also have bunks if you’re struggling for hotels.

Hope street has some nice restaurants (60 hope st, London carriage works) and I’ve enjoyed a stay at the hope street hotel – well I proposed there! Liverpool is slightly unique in that it has two cathedrals – a catholic one known locally as Paddy’s Wigwam and the gothic Anglican one linked by Hope street.

The Tate gallery at the docks is good to go round.

Lastly, if she is interested in the Beatles or just wants to make her parents jealous then you could take her to penny lane. Again, there are some good restaurants and places to eat – penny lane wine bar and the Tavern Company (has some best breakfast award).

Blimey, I should get a job at the Liverpool tourist board!

Tavern Company great for breakfast not much cop for evening. Thai few doors down is great has cmedy valueof Thai waitress with scouse accent. Tapas bar near by I good though never managed to get Iinside after4 attattempts as so busy.

Is it a choice of living in either Liverpool or Harrogate 😯

Harrogate is nice, but expensive to live. Bettys is the obvious place to go to in Harrogate, Fountains Abbey not far up the road. Fewston Resv for a short walk or Brimham Rocks (SP)

Helps if you own a Ferrari or Aston if you live in Harrogate too 😆

Think of Liverpool as modern with old victorian buildings, cheap housing, great vibe, a big river , cheap public transport, freindly people, easy access to wales and big hills,lots of free museumns, lots of good clubs, good police force and i live near by.

Harogate living in the past, a has been tourist resort.

We could go anywhere tbh. She’s got lots of choice in the UK jobswise whilst i’m quite a specialist.

I’m not pretending that we could afford anywhere in Harrogate, but i’d really like to show her that there are nice places in the North! I usually take her to Hull, Whitby, Scarborough, Teeside etc. to see my family and friends. 😀

Ignore – I obviously didn’t read in enough detail

http://www.turkishbathsharrogate.co.uk/Pages/home.aspx

As someone who lives here I’d go so far as to say harrogate is a lovely place to go if you just want to go somewhere, plenty of nice eateries and bars etc but not so much to do if you’re that way inclined, as mentioned lots of places in the rough area that are also nice and have more stuff to visit such as York, also plenty of abbeys & castles etc in easy (1hr or so) driving but, in town it’s more mill round, sit on the grass and watch the world go by if you’re not wanting to shop (I can’t comment on the quality of that as I view shopping in the same way as going to the loo or breathing) or drive (though train to York makes for a nice day of things to see/do)

Liverpool has a lot more to do but my limited experience tells me it’s not so nice to just wander round.

I think I’d rather just relax in Harrogate and fill my time with wine and a book, if I were looking for a “fun filled” weekend of things to do I’d be going to Liverpool.

Chester.

Bettys is the obvious place to go to in Harrogate

Not if you live here it’s not. I have been a sum total of about three times in my 47 years on this planet (all spent in Harrogate and neighbouring Knaresborough). Overpriced rubbish if you ask me – the Fat Rascals that everyone raves about are dried-up rocks of nothingness.

I agree with The Brain above – Harrogate is lovely in a ‘not that much to do, but still plenty to keep you happy’ sort of way. Nice bars (both traditional pubs like The Coach & Horses or The Old Bell Tavern or modern ones like Banyan and The Pit), great open spaces in The Stray and the Valley Gardens with nice walking to be had locally (Knaresborough Round, Nidd Gorge) as well as much more a short drive away in the Dales, Wolds and Moors. 35 minutes by train to York for more culture or 30 minutes to Leeds if you prefer a bit more nightlife. We also have some great places to eat in town (Deano’s Graze & Grill, The Tannin Level, Orchid etc) and more choice in surrounding villages (Tiger Inn in Coneythorpe, Guy Fawkes Inn in Scotton). 1.5 hrs drive to Whitby, Scarborough & Filey, 4 hours by train (now direct) to London.

Harrogate is lovely in a ‘not that much to do, but still plenty to keep you happy’ sort of way.

That was my thoughts, good place to base yourselves for an evening eating and wandering, but perhaps with a day in York which has more to do/see.