<p>I am likely going to be in London later this fall and thought I’d take a train up to Liverpool and do a Beatles-themed tour (because, really, why else would I go to Liverpool). </p>
<p>Here’s my “problem”: I’m a reasonably serious Beatles fan (esp McCartney & Harrison) and already know a lot of the history, etc. so I want a guide who can expose me to stuff I wouldn’t know. </p>
<p>Normally I’d go to TripAdvisor, but my problem in evaluating the reviews on TripAdvisor is that I don’t know if the person is a casual fan, or a serious fan like me. A casual fan might absolutely love a tour in which he learns that Ringo’s real name is Richard Starkey and that George was the youngest Beatle, and rate such a tour as 5 stars – but that level wouldn’t be enough for me. I would be looking to go a lot deeper, historically and musically. </p>
<p>I’m just afraid I’m going to wind up on some tourist bus that some Liverpudlian painted in psychedelic colors and slapped a “Magical Mystery Tour” sticker on, and then I’ll be disappointed when there’s no depth! NTTAWWT such tours but it’s not what I’m looking for.</p>
<p>I took a Beatles tour in Liverpool in June and loved it. But it was probably not as in depth as you would like . But the tour guide grew up across the street from Ringo and was still good friends with him (she’s the godmother to one of his kids) and she took us to his old house (which is probably being torn down) as well as to Paul’s old house and John’s old house. Also, went to a Beatles Museum. I’ll bet you could find a private tour if you google it. Tripadvisor may still be worth looking at . You might be able to tell something from the reviews… Liverpool is a nice city, nicer than I expected. Have fun!
<a href=“http://www.beatlestours.co.uk/”>http://www.beatlestours.co.uk/</a></p>
<p>I know you have to go through the National Trust to actually get inside Mendips and 20 Forthlin Road (Lennon and McCartney homes respectively). So far, TripAdvisor just isn’t feeling helpful because everyone is gushing over everything and like I said, a tour that really interests a casual fan is going to be too superficial for what I’m looking for. </p>
<p>I mean, I read Allan Pollack’s “Notes on …” series where he deconstructs their canon musically, I can tell you what song George played on the top of a Liverpool bus for John and Paul to audition for the band (“Raunchy”) – I just don’t think TripAdvisor reviews are going to help much. But thank you! </p>
<p>Pizzagirl, when I look for stuff like that, I add “serious fans” to the search terms.
IMO, since you have never been to Liverpool, just being able to see all of these places in a matter of a few hours could be worth the tour price. Have fun! </p>
<p>Yes, I have always loved the Beatles and just being able to stand in front of their homes brought tears to my eyes… I had chills on more than one occasion. Seeing Penny Lane with the song playing in the background. Corny, yes, but still cool. As you said, Pizzagirl, you can get inside the homes if you go through the National Trust. Yoko sometimes gets a bad rap but she is the one who donated Aunt Mimi’s house to the National Trust so it would be preserved. Since you are looking for specific things, maybe you could email some tour companies or private guides and explain what you’re looking for and maybe they can personalize something for you. Good luck.</p>
<p>We went many years ago, H was also a serious fan. We walked around on our own to get the feel, sniff the air, look at the young guys etc. you really get the feel if what it must have felt like growing up. We walked in the neighborhood. No tour recommendations here , good luck.</p>
<p>This thread has brought back memories. I went to Liverpool with my older sister. She and some of her friends saw the Beatles on September 14th, 1964 in Pittsburgh. The 50th anniversary of that is coming up . . </p>
<p>Ha ha - My mother was pg with me when the Beatles came to America; they came to her city and she stood outside the hotel, 6 mos preg with me, with all of the young teenyboppers trying to get a glimpse of them on a balcony.</p>
<p>You are younger than me. My sister was 13 when she saw the Beatles. I was a few years younger so couldn’t go But because I had an older sister, I was into the Beatles from the beginning. I wish I still had my old bobble head dolls!</p>
<p>We took one of the tours last year for my wife, a serious Beatles fan like yourself. She already knew almost everything the guide told us, but she still loved taking the bus around and seeing all the locations herself, even if we couldn’t go inside them.</p>
<p>Exactly. I knew some of the stuff already too but it was still very interesting. I was on a bus tour but there were lots of private taxis touring that we saw at every stop so that is another option.</p>
<p>I did the bus tour years ago and really enjoyed it, but I’m not a superfan. I do believe there are private taxi tours - pricier to be sure, but you could probably ask for a very knowledgeable guide. The Beatles Museum there is fun also.</p>
<p>In London, the fellow who does the Beatles tours for London Walks is very well informed and might be worth contacting if you’re going to be in that area on your trip. He’s called Richard Porter.</p>
<p>Ah - I didn’t think of doing one in London - interesting idea! There’s your Abbey Road crosswalk, which surprisingly isn’t a huge thing on my must-see list. </p>
<p>“We took one of the tours last year for my wife, a serious Beatles fan like yourself. She already knew almost everything the guide told us, but she still loved taking the bus around and seeing all the locations herself, even if we couldn’t go inside them.”</p>
<p>Do you remember the tour, so I can research and get a sense of whether it’s too “junior” (for lack of a better term) for me? </p>
<p>I have been to the Beatles Museum in Liverpool, but it was about 15 years ago. I remember Liverpool being kind of crazy with little boys running around the streets throwing rocks at busses! Would love to do a tour some day. Both of my kids, especially the younger one, inherited my Beatlemania. Drives my husband crazy! </p>
<p>(@Pizzagirl I was born in early 1964 and my mom told me some teenage girls came knocking on the door offering to babysit 1 or 2-month-old me so they could make money to go to the Beatles concert. My mom declined.)</p>
<p>I will check with my wife on the name of the tour company when she gets home. We did the Beatle Museum as well, and to be honest she was a bit disappointed - relatively few artifacts, it is mostly an “experience” place where they were just telling her things she already knew without showing her that much of interest.</p>
<p>@LBowie,The Beatles Story (museum) opened in 1990 according to Wikipedia so you must have been one of the early visitors so that’s cool. I really enjoyed it but seeing the houses, Penny Lane,etc. was the highlight of the tour… I 'm actually a little surprised my parents let my sister go to the Beatles concert , since she was only 13 at the time. But young girls were crazy about the Beatles from the very beginning! </p>
<p>It was the Magical Mystery Tour that we took. She also wanted to note that she did actually enjoy the Beatles Museum, but would probably not do it again if we were to revisit Liverpool. I suppose the inference is that she would do the bus tour again, but I’m not going to ask.</p>
<p>We saw the Magical Mystery Tour buses all over. They looked great. We did a bus tour called In the Steps of the Beatles (booked through our Celebrity cruise ship) but can’t remember the name of the company. Pizzagirl, if these kinds of bus tours don’t appeal to you , you will need to pay more for a customized tour with a private guide that should be able to take you wherever you want to go.</p>
<p>Haven’t done London Walks’ Beatles walk, but have done quite a few of their other walks, including a pub walk,
and some of their wonderful daytrips, both in1986 and 2003. They are absolutely top notch, with very knowledgeable guides. And prices are very reasonable.
Highly recommend that anyone going to London check them out! <a href=“http://www.walks.com/”>http://www.walks.com/</a></p>
<p>Agree w poster above that LondonWalks’ Beatles expert might be able to give you name(s) of the most
knowledgeable guides in Liverpool.</p>