Prenton RUFC Campsite

There’s more to Liverpool than Eurovision and The Beatles, you know? The dock area is home to several top-class institutions, including the Merseyside Maritime Museum, with displays on the Titanic; the International Slavery Museum, with moving exhibits covering the history of the slave trade; and Tate Liverpool, with its collection of contemporary art. For a day at the seaside, head to Leasowe Beach (15 minutes’ drive), a sandy stretch backed by vegetation-covered dunes. Part of the North Wirral Coastal Park, the area is popular for picnicking and birdwatching, or you can walk to the Leasowe Lighthouse for far-reaching views from the lamp room at the top. Pop across the border to Wales and visit Rhyl (one hour), where the SeaQuarium includes nine different habitats – among them, a tropical reef and rockpools with starfish and crabs. Seal Cove is a state-of-the-art exhibit that gives you an underwater view of the harbour seals as they splash and swim in the pool.