Father's Day is Sunday 15 June. That is this Sunday. If you are still looking for something to do in Southport, here is the honest guide: what is worth booking, what is genuinely good, and what I would actually do with my own dad.
📅Father's Day 2026: Sunday 15 June. Most restaurants take bookings. Do it today, not Saturday morning.
Restaurants Worth Booking
The Bold Hotel on Lord Street does a proper Sunday lunch and has capacity for larger groups. It books up but not immediately. Call today and you will likely get a table. The food is good, the space is comfortable, and it works for a range of ages without being stuffy.
Bistrot Verite on Liverpool Road in Birkdale is genuinely one of the best restaurants in the town. Small, French, excellent. It will be full for Father's Day weekend. If you have not booked, call anyway. Cancellations happen.
The Vincent Hotel on Lord Street has a decent restaurant and the atmosphere is right for a treat. More expensive than some options, but if you want somewhere that feels like a proper occasion it delivers. Book ahead.
Southport Market on Market Street is a good fallback if you have left it late. No booking required. Good quality street food, independent traders, relaxed atmosphere. Works well for a more casual approach.
Where to eat in Southport:
Restaurants in Southport →If He Plays Golf
The Open Championship is 32 days away and every serious golfer knows it. Anything golf-related is the obvious gift angle. Royal Birkdale is not bookable for visitors now, but Hillside, Southport and Ainsdale, and Formby Golf Club all accept visitor rounds.
A round at Hillside with a proper lunch afterwards is a genuinely excellent day. It is one of the top 20 links courses in England and most non-golfers have never heard of it. Book directly with the club. If you are lucky, you might hear the roars from Birkdale next door in a few weeks.
Everything about The Open 2026 at Royal Birkdale:
The Open 2026 Guide →The Seafront and Marine Lake
A walk along the seafront and the Marine Lake on a June afternoon is one of the better free things you can do in Southport. The light is good in the evening. The Marine Lake has pedalo hire and various activities if you have younger family members to keep occupied. The pier is worth walking for the views even if it is not always the most exciting destination.
If the weather is right, head out early before the seafront fills up. By midday on a Sunday in June, Marine Drive car park is full. Arrive before 10am or use the town centre car parks and walk through.
The Atkinson
The Atkinson on Lord Street is worth knowing about as a rainy day option. Gallery, theatre programme, and a decent cafe. It is the kind of place that makes you proud to live here. Check what is on before you go.
Practical Notes
- →Call restaurants today. Not Saturday.
- →Marine Drive car park fills by 10am on a sunny Sunday in June
- →Town centre car parks off Lord Street are a better bet if you are arriving later
- →The Bold and Vincent both do Sunday lunch: book for midday to avoid the afternoon rush
Things to do in Southport:
Things to Do in Southport →Terry
Chief Editor, SouthportGuide.co.uk. Lives in Churchtown with his wife,
four kids, and Frank the bulldog.
