Stuck for ideas for a lad’s weekend away? A trip to the Aintree Grand National is out-of-this world, and the football in Liverpool is not bad either.
We’re all in horse racing mode this week but meetings like Punchestown and Aintree are still coming down the tracks. Punchestown is fantastic, and very handy for us in Ireland, but if you’re looking for an excuse to get away, Aintree is simply brilliant.
The Festival runs for three days, from April 4-6 but the big day is the last day, Grand National day. The biggest horse race in the world, in recent years it has become a really high-class contest as 40 of the very best steeplechasers tackle the four-and-a-half mile course.
But even if you aren’t a Tote account holder or a Racing Post subscriber, you should definitely make this trip at least once in your life. Apart from the thrill of attending one of the biggest sporting events in the world, the atmosphere in the city that weekend is electric.
Liverpool is an absolutely brilliant place to go to any weekend but on Grand National weekend it is off the charts. The city’s famed nightlife is even more epic and as a compact city the party takes over the entire centre of town.
Thomas Cook have packages that include four-star accommodation in the city centre, breakfast, tickets to the race on Grand National day and transfer to and from the course at just €249 per person.
And if you want to extend your weekend then there is always Anfield on the Sunday. Home of Liverpool FC, it is one of football’s great grounds. With Brendan Rodgers’ side on an upward curve, why not catch them playing West Ham on April 7.
Packages including accommodation, tickets and transfers to the game cost only €209 and if you have had a great Grand National, this would be the icing on the cake for a great weekend away. Plus you get to spend an extra night enjoying all the fun of Liverpool’s nightlife.
To find out more on football trips, as well as F1, darts, tennis, golf and pretty much every sporting event you can think of, just check out the Thomas Cook website.
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