Best Parks and Gardens in Liverpool

Even though Liverpool is a port city with lots of industry, the original city designers knew the value of green space.

That’s why the city has so many parks and gardens.

Like these:

Festival Gardens is the site of The International Garden Festival on the banks of the Mersey south of the city. It’s a lovely place to spend time but is a little way out of town along Riverside Drive. It gets very busy in summer and is an excellent place to hang out.

It is now well-maintained and has lots of green space as well as ornamental gardens and places to stroll and enjoy the sunshine.

Stanley Park is north of the city by Goodison Park. It’s a short distance from our Marybone student village but is another park well worth the journey. It’s 111 acres of green open space with a fishing lake, the Isla Gladstone Conservatory, children’s playground, rose gardens and paths that run throughout.

Stanley Park may be the neutral zone between Liverpool and Everton football clubs but it’s so much more than that!

Everton Park is a little distance from town but is well worth the trip. Everton Brow gives you an amazing view of Liverpool, the Mersey and the docks. Turn around and you can see Welsh mountains on a clear day.

The park is a decent size with a nature garden, two lakes, children’s playground, Prince Rupert’s Tower and an area for bikes, scooters and skateboards.

Sefton Park is an impressive listed park spread over 235 acres. It’s a mix of green space, woodland, boating lake, Palm House and grotto. It’s a short walk southeast of the Baltic, ideal if you’re staying in our Grenville Street student accommodation.

With more space than you need, it’s an excellent place to sit back, read a book or watch the world go by.

Speke and Garston Coastal Reserve is another journey from our Liverpool student accommodation but is well worth the trip. It’s a large green space covering 70 acres of green land and nature reserve.

It covers the area between Garston Docks and Liverpool John Lennon Airport and is where you can walk, cycle, sail or just hang out with friends.

St James Mount and Gardens is closer to the city and walkable from our student halls in the Baltic. It’s home to a cathedral, grade I listed gardens, a stone arch and lots more. It’s also where you’ll find lots of green space to while away the day.

St James Mount and Gardens is accessible from Upper Duke Street, a short walk east from the Baltic.

Calderstones Park is southeast of the city along Calderstones Road but is well worth the trip. It’s 94 acres of lush green land, The Reader Café, Ice Cream Parlour, Linda McCartney children’s playground, miniature railway and other attractions.

You don’t have to spend money though, the park itself is completely free to use.

Croxheath County Park is a way out east by the M57 but is over 500 acres of green and pleasant land. It’s a country park with woodland, pasture, ponds, gardens and things to see and do.

Paths crisscross the park and you’ll find lots of families spending summer days here as well as students playing football or just hanging out.

Rimrose Valley Country Park is just north of the city, convenient for our Marybone student accommodation. It’s along the A568 and worth the journey as it’s also by the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. There are green spaces, woods, gardens, a nature reserve and ponds to wander around and admire.

This is another park convenient for families but you’ll find plenty of students making the trip here on sunnier days.

Newsham Park is just east of the city and a short walk from the Knowledge Quarter. It’s 121 acres of green parkland that includes the Grade II listed Newsham House and Seamen's Orphan Institution, two large lakes, children’s playground and plenty of open space.

This park is accessible from Sheil Road and is an amazing place to spend an afternoon!

Those are just a few of the more popular parks in Liverpool. There are lots of smaller parks dotted around the city and more can be found further outside the city centre.

Each provides a relaxing place to spend time, enjoy some summer sun or hang out with friends without having to spend money.

What more do you need when the sun is shining?