10 Brilliant Activities For Elderly People In Merseyside

If you have a loved one living in a care home in Merseyside, the local area has some brilliant attractions for days out that would make great activities for elderly people, their children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren.

From Liverpool city centre to the Wirral and beyond, there’s a fantastic choice of activities in Merseyside for multigenerational families that make great days out. And there’s no need to worry about what will be keeping your loved one entertained outside of your visits, as there are plenty of community engagement activities in our care homes, while Age UK has details on activities for seniors across Merseyside, including social groups and day trips.

Read on to find the activities we recommend for elderly people in Liverpool and the surrounding area, within easy reach of our Formby Manor Care Home. 

What Are The Best Activities For Seniors In Merseyside?

From attractions celebrating the legacy of The Beatles to football stadium tours and local National Trust properties, here’s our round-up of the best activities for elderly people and their families in Liverpool and the wider Merseyside region.

1. Discover The Beatles Story

Liverpool is home to a whole host of attractions dedicated to The Beatles, with The Beatles Story at the Royal Albert Dock one of the most comprehensive. 

This immersive museum takes you on a journey from the band members’ childhoods through to their time in Hamburg, at Liverpool’s very own Cavern Club, and through their different creative phases. Step inside a yellow submarine, journey to India, and see recreations of the recording studios at Abbey Road, and the all-white room where John Lennon recorded the video for Imagine.

A visit to The Beatles Story is one of the best activities for seniors in Merseyside with memories of the 1960s, as well as younger family members who are just discovering the Fab Four for themselves, perhaps thanks to the recent Get Back documentary. 

2. Go On A Stadium Tour

Whether your loved one is a red or a blue, a stadium tour is a brilliant treat for football fans – tickets would make a great gift for a big birthday.

At Anfield, you can see the home and away team’s dressing rooms, the press room, and stunning views across the pitch and the city beyond from the Main Stand. You’ll also get the chance to see the club’s six European cups, as well as entry to The Liverpool FC Story, the club’s museum. 

Over at Goodison Park, you’ll get the chance to walk in the footsteps of your Everton heroes, see their dressing rooms, pose for photos in the post-match interview seat, and walk down the Player’s Tunnel to the sound of the Z Cars theme tune. Activities in Merseyside don’t get much more iconic than this.

3. See Rare Red Squirrels

Close to Formby beach, just a 10-minute drive from our Merseyside care home, you’ll find a nature reserve owned by the National Trust, that’s one of the few remaining refuges for red squirrels in the UK. 

There’s disabled parking on site and an accessible route, from where you can see rare red squirrels running through the trees and collecting supplies ready for the autumn and winter months. 

The Formby Red Squirrel Walk makes an ideal activity for elderly people and little ones alike, especially if there are big animal lovers in your family. Afterwards, enjoy a walk along Formby beach for a day in the great outdoors.

4. Roll Up For The Magical Mystery Tour

Did you know you can actually go on your very own Magical Mystery Tour around Beatles sites in Liverpool? Departing from the Royal Albert Dock, the rainbow-coloured, psychedelic-patterned coach will take you on a two-hour trip past the houses where Paul, John, George, and Ringo lived as children, down Penny Lane (past the barbershop and the shelter in the middle of the roundabout, of course), and past the iconic red gates of Strawberry Fields. The tour is one of the ultimate activities in Merseyside for music lovers of all ages.

The tour will finish up at the world-famous Cavern Club, where the Fab Four’s journey began. See exhibits from the worlds of Merseybeat and rock’n’roll, from the likes of Queen, The Rolling Stones, Cilla Black, and more as you share memories and enjoy a drink. 

5. Enjoy A Matinee

Liverpool is home to some fantastic arts venues, including the Liverpool Empire Theatre, which first opened in 1925 and is the largest two-tier auditorium in the UK. The theatre is a stunning example of classic architecture, so tickets to see a show would make a great gift idea for an elderly relative. If you’re looking for inspiration for indoor activities for seniors, you can’t go wrong with a matinee. 

In the city centre, you’ll also find the Liverpool Playhouse and Everyman Theatres, where you can see a wide range of music, drama, and comedy – there’s something for everyone.

6. Take A Ferry Across The Mersey

Immortalised in the 1965 song by Gerry and the Pacemakers, the ferry across the Mersey is a must if you’re visiting the Merseyside area. 

Take a boat from Liverpool’s Pier Head to Birkenhead or vice versa, or enjoy a round trip cruise, as you learn about the history of the city and see its iconic sights from the water, including the Liver Building and the regenerated Royal Albert Dock.

7. Visit Speke Hall

National Trust properties are always a good option when you’re looking for activities for seniors, wherever you are in the country, and Speke Hall is one of Merseyside’s best.

This Tudor house is located on the outskirts of Liverpool city centre, and it has some beautiful features including original William Morris wallpaper, a gorgeous collection of carved oak furniture, and traditional Victorian decor – try to spot the priest hole on your walk around the house.

There’s also a stunning rose garden, meadows filled with wildflowers (visit in the spring for breathtaking bluebells), and woodland walks around the property with views across the River Mersey. Take a picnic and spend the day enjoying the scenery, picking up some local history, and making new memories.

8. Step Inside Lennon And McCartney’s Childhood Homes

From Speke Hall, and providing you have a pre-booked ticket, you can hop on a minibus that will take you to the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. You’ll have the opportunity to step inside as part of an informative guided tour and walk in their childhood footsteps.

See McCartney’s living room at 20 Forthlin Road where the iconic songwriting duo penned many of their early hits, and step inside 251 Menlove Avenue, the home of John’s Aunt Mimi, decorated in the style of the late 1950s/early 1960s, transporting you back to the past.

If your loved one in a care home is a big Beatles fan, this has to be on your list of suitable activities for seniors when you’re planning your next day out. 

9. Explore The Village Of Port Sunlight

The village of Port Sunlight was originally built in the 19th century to house the workers of the Lever Brothers soap factory (now Unilever), where Sunlight Soap was produced. Today, Port Sunlight is a picture postcard village with beautiful gardens and parkland, its own art gallery, and a museum exploring the site’s history. 

There’s a link to The Beatles in most parts of Liverpool, and Port Sunlight is no exception, as the site of the band’s first gig with Ringo Starr as drummer. What’s more, fans of Peaky Blinders may recognise some of the house fronts, as they were used in the hit TV series. 

A visit to Port Sunlight has made our list of top activities for seniors in Merseyside as it’s a fascinating day out for all the family, young and old. You’ll find the village located in between Birkenhead and Ellesmere Port.

10. Enjoy A Day At The Seaside

Activities for elderly people don’t get much more wholesome than a day at the seaside with a comfortable chair, a picnic, and the chance to dip your toes in the sea. Merseyside has some gorgeous seaside spots, including Formby itself, which is the ideal spot if you’re visiting one of our care home residents for just a couple of hours. With miles of sand and impressive sand dunes, make sure you wrap up against the wind.

Just south of Formby, you’ll find Crosby beach, another stunning stretch of sand, which is home to Antony Gormley’s haunting Another Place sculptures.

Further north of Formby, Southport is a classic Victorian seaside town, with a traditional pier, model village, and a funfair for big kids and little ones alike.

Last but not least, we recommend a day trip to New Brighton, where you’ll find gorgeous views across Liverpool, the historic Fort Perch, and Perch lighthouse. 

Formby Manor Care Home In Merseyside

Located in the heart of Formby, with 76 beds and stylish, modern facilities, Formby Manor Care Home is at the centre of the local community. All of our care home bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms, there’s a lovely patio area, first floor terrace, and premium facilities including a hairdresser and nail salon.

Our Formby Manor Care Home in Merseyside offers residential, nursing, respite, and dementia care, and all of our staff have undergone training as part of the Oomph! wellbeing programme to enable them to deliver activities to support residents’ physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

Contact us today to arrange a visit to Formby Manor, or if you have any questions about the care services we offer.