I have four children aged between eight and fifteen. I have been taking them to Southport's attractions since before they could walk. I know which toilets are clean, which car parks are close, which cafés have high chairs, and which 'family attractions' are actually just miserable. Here is the honest guide.
The beach — and what to actually bring
Southport beach is enormous. At low tide it stretches for miles. This is exciting for about twenty minutes and then you realise you've walked further than intended and the kids are tired and the tide is actually coming in. The trick is to stay closer to the pier end, which has more activity, easier parking, and less of the epic featureless flatness that starts to feel existential after a while.
- →Bring proper shoes — the sand is wet, the ground is uneven near the dunes
- →Check the tide times (genuinely — the tide goes out very far at Southport)
- →The beach café near the Marine Lake is a solid pitstop
- →Bring more cash than you think — rides, games, and ice cream add up fast
Adventure Coast and the rides
Adventure Coast on Marine Drive has mini-golf, go-karts, and various other activities clustered together. It's well-run, the staff are good with kids, and the Viking Adventure Golf course is genuinely fun for all ages. My fifteen-year-old still likes it, which says something.
The amusements and funfair
Pleasureland and Silcock's Funland are the classic Southport amusement options. Pleasureland for outdoor rides in summer, Silcock's for the indoor arcade year-round. Budget accordingly. My kids are capable of spending twenty pounds in twenty minutes at Silcock's if left unsupervised. They are not unsupervised.
Eating out with children
Hickory's Smokehouse is the default family answer — big portions, kids' menu, reliably good. Southport Market is the flexible option when the children can't agree. For something quicker, the food options along the seafront do the job, though quality varies.
Day trip additions
Formby is 20 minutes south and has the Formby Squirrel Reserve (National Trust). Red squirrels, dunes, woodland paths. My youngest thinks it's the best place in the world. It's free for NT members and worth every penny for everyone else.
Crosby Beach and the Anthony Gormley iron men ('Another Place') is a different kind of experience — more conceptual, a bit haunting, strangely beautiful. Good for older kids who can appreciate it. My thirteen-year-old was genuinely moved by it, which I did not expect.
🎡Summer school holidays are the busiest period for Southport's attractions. If you can visit mid-week, or in May/June before the main rush, you'll have a significantly better experience.
Formby, Crosby, Marine Lake, Adventure Coast — our full guide covers every family option in and around Southport, with practical details on prices, parking, and opening times.
Things to Do in Southport — Complete Family Guide →Terry
Chief Editor, SouthportGuide.co.uk — Lives in Churchtown with his wife,
four kids, and Frank the bulldog.
