Schools in Southport break up around 22 July. That is six weeks until the first week of September. I have done this with four kids in Southport for years. Here is what actually works, and what I have learned from doing it wrong.
The Beach: When to Go and When to Avoid It
Marine Drive beach is brilliant in the mornings on weekdays. Get there before 10am if you want the car park and a quiet stretch of sand. After 11am on a proper summer day it fills up and the car park goes. Ainsdale beach is slightly less frantic and worth knowing as an alternative.
The tide makes a real difference. A low tide on a warm morning is one of the genuinely great things about having the Sefton Coast on your doorstep. A high tide on a busy afternoon leaves you on a narrow strip of sand between the dunes and the water. Check the tide times the night before.
Splash World
Splash World on the promenade is the go-to for a school holiday wet weather option. Pools, slides, a wave machine. My kids have had a lot of good afternoons there. It fills up on wet days so either book online or go early. Roughly £10-12 per person, under-twos free.
Worth noting: it can be busy on the first day of holidays and the last week. The middle weeks are the best time to go.
The Atkinson on Rainy Days
The Atkinson on Lord Street is our reliable rainy day plan. Gallery, theatre, café, family events through the summer. Most of the gallery is free to enter. The kids programming over summer is genuinely good. Check their website for what is on each week.
The Open: 12-19 July
If you are in Southport during Open week, the atmosphere in the town is worth experiencing even if you do not have tickets to Royal Birkdale. Pubs with screens showing the golf, the town centre buzzing, the shuttle buses running. Worth being around for, especially on a weekend.
Southport Flower Show: 23-26 July
Victoria Park, four days. This is a proper RHS-level show with show gardens, floral displays, food and craft traders. Kids respond to it better than you might expect, particularly the novelty elements. Tickets are priced by day. The Thursday and Friday tend to be less crowded than the weekend.
Marine Lake and Watersports
The Marine Lake on the seafront has paddleboarding, kayaking, and pedalos available during summer. Good for a longer morning if the kids are older and want something active. The lake is sheltered so it works even when the seafront is breezy.
Week-by-Week Framework
- →Week 1 (22 Jul): The Open is still on. Southport is buzzing. Good week to stay central and enjoy the atmosphere.
- →Week 2: Flower Show week (23-26 Jul). Plan one Flower Show day, one beach day, one Atkinson day.
- →Weeks 3-4: Quieter. This is when the beach works best. Midweek mornings. Ainsdale if Marine Drive is busy.
- →Week 5: August bank holiday weekend (last weekend of August). The Air Show is usually around this time. Marine Drive will be packed.
- →Week 6: Schools go back first week of September. The town quiets down immediately.
Full kids guide to Southport:
Things to Do in Southport with Kids →Terry
Chief Editor, SouthportGuide.co.uk. Lives in Churchtown with his wife,
four kids, and Frank the bulldog.
