People might mock how even a rumored connection to Founding Father George Washington gives historic cred to sites across the country, even centuries after his heyday. Well, if someplace has a connection to the Beatles, it holds the same kind of cachet — though with a rock ‘n’ roll twist. Read on for places with ties to the Fab Four and an eternal place in fans’ hearts.
Beverly Hills, California
Sir Paul McCartney was serenaded in mid-June during a concert at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey by iconic American singers Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi just days before his 80th birthday. Calling McCartney still “a baby,” Ringo Starr upped the ante on July 7 in his own traditional “Peace and Love” birthday celebration to mark his 82nd. The star-studded ceremony was held at the site of the iconic sculpture “Peace and Love” in Beverly Gardens Park in Beverly Hills, California. Donated by Starr back in 2019, the stainless-steel statue — a nod to his trademark peace sign and wish for the world — is a favorite selfie spot for fans.
Related: Famous Places to Revisit the 1960s in America and Beyond
Cleveland
It’s no surprise that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland has devoted a lot of exhibition space, programming, and special events to the Beatles. In March, the “Get Back to Let It Be” exhibit opened, inviting fans to virtually step inside the Beatle’s “January 1969 rehearsals, studio sessions, and legendary Apple Corps. rooftop concert.” The display features handwritten lyrics, clothing worn by the musicians, and musical instruments. For those with an academic interest, the hall also notes that its free online education platform, Rock Hall EDU, further explores the band’s story with a new collection inspired by “Let It Be.”
Liverpool, England
Fans of the Beatles know the storied band’s beginnings in Liverpool. No doubt entire trips could be filled by dedicated fans committed to exploring the English city, tracing their idols’ every step. The National Trust has capitalized on the interest with a tour called “The Beatles’ Childhood Homes,” available by reservation only. It’s billed as enthusiasts' “only opportunity to see inside the places where the Beatles met, composed, and rehearsed many of their earliest songs.
Liverpool, England
This basement Liverpool hotspot played hundreds of times in the early years was pivotal to the band’s success. It was the place where their eventual manager Brian Epstein first saw them. Though it’s gone through changes and relocations over the years, the Cavern Club’s ties to the Fab Four remain and the still-active music venue is, no surprise, promoting several Beatles-themed events and tours, including Liverpool’s “International Beatleweek Festival,” set to take over the city starting Aug. 24.
Liverpool, England
As the saying goes, write what you know ... which led to this classic Beatles song dedicated to Penny Lane, a street near Lennon’s boyhood home that was also the area of a popular bus terminal, where John Lennon and Paul McCartney met to take a bus into town. The 1967 hit rocketed the otherwise workaday area into another hotspot for fan photos.
Liverpool, England
Billed as being “a 1-minute walk from The Cavern Club,” this Liverpool hotel filled with Beatles-inspired artwork just might be the spot for Beatles fans to get some “golden slumbers.” Earning 4.5 out of 5 stars from nearly 2,000 Google reviews, the hotel offers Ultimate Beatles and Magical Mystery packages.
Liverpool, England
Called “the world's largest permanent exhibition purely devoted to telling the story of the lives and times of the Beatles,” this book-ahead Liverpool museum is an immersive experience complete with replicas of pivotal places and moments in the band’s history. A sign of its popularity might be the fact that its audio tours are available in 12 languages.
Germany
The Beatles hit the road — and played numerous clubs in Hamburg in then-West Germany, during the band’s earliest days (1960-62). It was a time when they sharpened their performances, began gaining an enthusiastic following and started recording. Though those early clubs are gone but plaques commemorate pivotal Beatles sites with special recognition created through Beatles-Platz Square, a plaza paved to look like a vinyl record and featuring statues of the musicians.
London
The Beatles’ ties to London rival those to Liverpool, so — again — a fan could make countless stops in the English capital. And it’s a rare fan who’d pass up the chance to recreate the iconic “Abbey Road” album cover, featuring the band members crossing the previously unheralded London street. Today, “the studios that became a legend” welcome fans to pay homage to both the recording studio where so much Beatles music was made and that historic “zebra” crosswalk memorialized on that 1969 release. And you can leave your mark by signing the studio’s famed graffiti wall, a place where artists have been commissioned to work, as well.
London
Original manuscripts, song lyrics, and all sorts of Beatles-related ephemera are part of the collections of The British Library in London, an academic institution that has a respect for all avenues of history. Most recently, a collection of materials from Paul McCartney’s archive were displayed in the Entrance Hall, and its website remains a treasure trove for research, filled with references such as “How the Beatles Changed Britain.”
New York
It was Feb. 7, 1964, when “Beatlemania” officially kicked off in America. That’s the day the beloved mop-tops arrived in the USA, landing at New York’s Kennedy Airport from London Heathrow, for a whirlwind visit that was filled with historic firsts. Some 3,000 fans greeted the foursome as the lads first set foot on American soil. The moment was commemorated on its 50th anniversary, in 2014, with a plaque and ceremony at JFK, one attended by dignitaries from both the U.S. and the U.K.
New York
From that heady landing, “the Beatles were then whisked away to The Plaza Hotel (Fifth Avenue at Central Park South) in Manhattan,” Daytrippin’ magazine recalled in 2017. At least 50 police officers were needed to monitor the frenzy outside the stately establishment, the report noted. “The Beatles were taken to the Presidential Suites on the 12th floor (rooms 1209 through 1216). With the chaotic scene and mass pandemonium created by the fans in front of the hotel, The Plaza management was shocked to learn that the reservations made for these ‘English businessmen’ were actually the Beatles.” The mayhem proved a deal-breaker; The Plaza never welcomed the band back, so The Warwick Hotel became its New York hotel on return visits to the city.
New York
The band’s iconic appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” followed that Sunday evening, Feb. 9, with the Beatles making its live American television debut on the variety program. With an audience of screaming fans in the CBS-TV Studio 50 — and an estimated 73 million TV viewers — the trio’s three-song performance changed history. (In a side note, the studio at 1697-99 Broadway in Manhattan was renamed after Sullivan in 1967 and retains his name to this day, serving as the longtime home of David Letterman’s show and now Stephen Colbert’s).
Washington
The first concert by the Beatles in the U.S. happened Feb. 11, 1964 — two days after the Sullivan appearance — at the Coliseum, an arena often used for sports events in Washington. A 35-minute set on a modified “boxing ring” set-up (with the ropes removed) marked the group’s initial live U.S. show, one for which, Ultimate Classic Rock reports, tickets ranged from $2 to $4. (After remaining vacant for years, the site was redeveloped as a mixed-use complex today anchored by REI, the outdoor gear/clothing company). The following night, the band was back in New York, offering up a pair of Feb. 12 concerts at iconic Carnegie Hall.
San Francisco
The Beatles played their last official show some three years later, Aug. 29, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, wrapping up what Rolling Stone called a “doomed 1966 tour.” As SF Gate further details, “1966 was a transitional year for the Beatles. Having grown weary of a never-ending whirlwind of hotels, press commitments, and screaming crowds, the band reached a breaking point that eventually led them to make a radical decision that would forever change their career: They were going to stop performing live.”
New York
The historic luxury building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side became the New York home of post-Beatles John Lennon and his wife, artist/musician Yoko Ono. They moved into a sweeping co-op overlooking Central Park in 1973 and welcomed their son, Sean, in 1975. The Dakota, sadly, served as a chilling backdrop to an attack that led to Lennon’s Dec. 8, 1980, death, the musician gunned down by “fan” Mark David Chapman right outside its entrance.
New York
Though no funeral was held, widow Yoko Ono reportedly scattered John Lennon’s ashes in Central Park soon after his December 1980 death. Some five years later, a memorial was dedicated to the late musician. As shared by the official website of Central Park Conservancy, the sprawling oasis in the heart of Manhattan, “Strawberry Fields is a memorial to the British rock musician and peace activist John Lennon (1940–1980). The memorial consists of a 5-acre landscape near the West 72nd Street entrance and includes the Imagine mosaic, where many come to pay tribute to Lennon.” Its name, as any Beatles fan knows, is a tribute to the 1967 Beatles song, “Strawberry Fields Forever.”
Chicago
This Chicago ice cream and candy shop, around since 1921, has quite the pedigree. As the city’s ABC News affiliate reports, the shop has hosted everyone from gangster Al Capone to rock idol Mick Jagger, who reportedly requested “the Beatles booth” when he stopped by. The reference? The Fab Four visited in 1965, with a little collection of memorabilia commemorating the event. As ABC shared, “The Beatles came by after their Comiskey Park concert. (The owner) recalls his conversation with his mom: ‘She said, “Hey, some English guys are here from Sox Park.” I said, ‘Ma, there's no English baseball team.’ And she said, ‘No, dummy. It’s the Beatles.’”
Walnut Ridge, Arkansas
There’s an art-filled park dedicated to the Beatles in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, and it’s not as random as one might imagine. The centerpiece is a sculpture called “The British Invasion of the Rock ’n Roll Highway,” which commemorates the band’s September 1964 visit to the town. As the park’s site notes, “The Beatles landed in a small plane at the Walnut Ridge Airport on their way to a weekend vacation to a dude ranch in southern Missouri.” The sculpture by local artist Danny West features life-size silhouettes of the Fab Four with an Abbey Road backdrop. The work — and area — is said to include more than 30 hidden references to the band and its music. To this day, the town hosts a Beatles at the Ridge Festival every September, with this year’s event set for Sept. 17.
Virginia Beach, Virginia
If you’re a Beatles fanatic vacationing in Virginia Beach, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself at the Abbey Road Pub & Restaurant, where the influence of the band is hard to miss. There are the exterior murals including the Yellow Submarine (which recently received a facelift), Beatles-themed interior decor which features an endless array of photographs and memorabilia, Beatles-themed merchandise shop ... oh, and Beatles-themed food and entertainment (think live music or trivia nights) on offer “eight days a week.” The Beatles Breakfast, where you can savor everything from the “Let It Be Brunch” to “Eleanor Rigby’s Revolutionary Omelets,” is a weekend tradition of particular note.
Denver
Visitors have been staying at The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa in downtown Denver since 1892, and this elegant destination counts the Beatles among its guests. Intrigued? Well, you can live like stars by booking ... wait for it ... the Beatles Suite: “The Beatles stayed in this retro suite during their 1964 World Tour at Red Rocks Amphitheater. Recline in the living room while listening to tunes from a custom Beatles jukebox and admiring vintage photos of the iconic band. The framed records above the king bed make this suite the ultimate destination for Beatles enthusiasts. Unwind in the midcentury modern bathroom with an oversized marble vanity and Jacuzzi tub.”
Los Angeles
Love “The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl”? The band’s first official live recording, released in 1977, was compiled from a trio of 1964-65 concerts at the iconic Southern California venue. The famed Los Angeles amphitheater opened in 1922 and has also hosted everyone from Billie Holiday to Adele, the Los Angeles Philharmonic to the Doors. As the on-site museum remains closed (due to the pandemic), experience the venue that the Beatles rocked by heading to a show (upcoming acts include Ricky Martin, Sheryl Crow, Diana Ross, and Duran Duran) to experience the Bowl itself.
Seattle
In 1964, the Beatles stayed at The Edgewater hotel in Seattle, which had been recently completed in time for the World’s Fair. As its site says, “At the time, no other hotel in the city would accept the Beatles as guests; however, The Edgewater happily welcomed them.” Cyclone fencing had to be installed to keep the fans away, with some of the band’s most ardent admirers even trying to swim across Elliott Bay to meet their idols. Following the band’s local concert they were reportedly returned to the hotel via ambulance (a decoy). And, as the website says, “During their stay, the band famously fished from the window their suite, the photo of which has become legendary.” (And, yes, this is the same hotel linked to Led Zeppelin antics later in the decade).
Newton, Kansas
As a birthday present to himself — and a de facto gift to Beatles fans — a Kansas furniture store owner commissioned a mural of the band, which has been spotlighted by Roadside America. As shared by Harvey County Now in 2019, “The Beatles have come to Newton, well at least a large scale mural of them. Furniture Warehouse owner Kelly Hayes commissioned Wichita artist Mark Pendergrass to paint a colorful mural commemorating various moments of the career of the British band on the wall of his store.”
Las Vegas
Fans of the Beatles visiting Sin City can incorporate the Fab Four into their trip by taking in “The Beatles Love” by Cirque du Soleil, which Vegas.com calls “a psychedelic journey through the trends and politics of the ’60s and most importantly the Beatles.” Earning 5 out of 5 stars from nearly 4,500 reviewers, the show at the Mirage Hotel & Casino is a dizzying celebration of action, stunts, color — and music from the Beatles. Diehards can even book the “Toast to Love VIP” experience that includes a backstage tour.
Prague
A onetime nondescript wall in Prague has become an unlikely site for an ongoing tribute to John Lennon. The “Lennon Wall” continues to thrive in the Czech Republic, where fans began writing notes, lyrics, drawings, and more in the aftermath of Lennon’s death. Painted over by authorities numerous times, fans (and activists) return again and again to share proclamations of love, peace, and more.
Almaty, Kazakhstan
It might not be the most faithful homage to the Beatles — Atlas Obscura calls it a “youthful, cartoonish representation of the worldwide musical sensation” — but fans continue to visit the work created in 2007 by artist Eduard Kazaryan in Kazakhstan. Found in the country’s largest city, the bronze sculpture honors the band’s legacy and worldwide appeal.
Reykjavik, Iceland
“Imagine Peace Tower” is an outdoor artwork created by Yoko Ono in honor of her late husband, John Lennon. According to its website, the work is “a Tower of Light which emanates wisdom, healing, and joy. It communicates awareness to the whole world that peace & love is what connects all lives on Earth.” The work is illuminated each year on a small island just outside of Iceland’s capital city — and visible from the entire capital region — from Oct. 9 (Lennon’s birthday) to Dec. 8 (the day he died). As the site notes, it’s illuminated on other special dates, including the Winter Solstice, New Year’s Day, and a week in March that commemorates “John & Yoko’s wedding and honeymoon.”
India
A 2021 documentary directed by Ajoy Bose, “The Beatles and India,” traces the band’s “love affair” with the country, featuring rare photographs, footage, location shots, and eyewitness accounts. Inspired by the director’s book of the same name, the film explores the band’s storied 1968 stay in Rishikesh in northern India to take part in a Transcendental Meditation training course at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (led by George Harrison’s spiritual interests). The high-profile trip is believed to have changed many attitudes in the West.
The Bahamas
Want to go on vacation with the Beatles? Well, they may have been working but the Fab Four did travel to the getaway known as the Bahamas. The band’s second feature film, “Help!” included scenes filmed there, notably on Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island and Victoria Beach on Rose Island. Tour the local spots that also served as locations for the film — or simply kick back on the sand with a cocktail and raise a glass to the world-renowned band.
