Best of England Tour - side trip to Liverpool?

Liverpool is OK, but in my opinion, not a top level destination.

I took the Best of England a few years ago and no we did not stop in Liverpool. To be honest I'd bet there would be too much traffic to try and get into Liverpool for a side trip. Any side trips or unannounced stops are going to be not too far off the route between Conwy and Keswick.

The itinerary has changed a little since I took it as I see they do Bodnant Gardens the morning you leave Conwy on the way to Keswick so that means even less time available.

IF Liverpool is important to you, I'd add days on either before or after and go there by train from London.

This is a wonderful tour! I hope you also plan to arrive in Bath a day early. I always find so much to see there!

Thanks so much for the input. No, Liverpool is not a must. We will plan to be in Bath early- a day or two. Would like to visit Bristol. Considering staying there a night or two before Bath. Any comments? Have you been to Bristol? Rick just mentioned and recommended it in his most recent monthly email.
We are very much looking forward to this trip. We did the Best of Italy last Spring, our first RS tour and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I've not done Bristol, just have never been drawn to it.

Another convenient location on the way to Bath is Salisbury which is good for 2 nights in my opinion. The Best of England tour does not do Stonehenge if that is of interest although it does do Avebury (which because of the drills our BOE guide conducted I DO remember is 16 times larger than Stonehenge, lolol! Gosh, I loved Tom!).

I like to do 2 nights in Salisbury staying at a B&B right near the Salisbury Cathedral. It's within walking distance of the train station as well. There is a local bus that makes a loop out to the stones all day long, coming back by Old Sarum (where the first settlement was) and then returning to Salisbury. There is the Cathedral with the Magna Carta, an excellent local musuem, a wonderful area around the cathedral called the Close, an excellent local museum, several old houses on the Close you can visit, Evensong at the Cathedral and a smaller medieval church in the center of Salisbury called St Thomas that has a very unusual Doom Painting.

https://www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/salisbury/things-to-do/st-thomas-church-p2188333

Salisbury to Bath is about an hour on the train.

I'm glad you are going to Bath early. You'll do the Roman Baths on your tour but there is also an excellent restored Georgian era home called #1 Royal Crescent, the Holburne Museum, plus a number of other sights to fill your time.

Thanks. We’ll check it out.

I agree with Pam’s suggestions. I am going on the BOEng trip in May, also...May 10 start date. I went on the Villages of South England last May which ends in Bath. I decided to continue on from Bath this year. I would do Stonehenge but it was part of the trip last year. Even though the BOE goes to Wells, I am staying my first night in England in Wells so I can go to Evensong...I am a music person. Maybe I will see you if you are going at the same time.

I had a great time in Liverpool (went by myself, not as part of an RS tour or any other tour). If it interests you, definitely see it before or after your tour.

If you want details of how I spent my time there (I had four nights and did not run out of things to do), here's my trip report - just skip the sections not relevant to you: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/uk-trip-report-glasgow-manchester-liverpool-in-september-2016

Carole

Thanks for your input. We are doing the tour that starts May 17. We are still deciding where to stay and what to see on our extra days. We arrive in London May 13 and plan to see Hamilton on the 14th, so will have the 15th and 16th before the tour begins. Have a great trip!

Harold
Thanks for your reply. Definitely want to see Liverpool, but may have to wait for another time.