This July, something remarkable is happening on England's north-west coast.

People arrive from every corner of the world, drawn by one of sport's oldest traditions. They come for the fairways of Royal Birkdale, for the unmistakable atmosphere of The Open Championship and the chance to watch the world's greatest golfers navigate one of Britain's finest links courses. Yet ask those who've spent time here, and they'll often tell you the same thing. The golf was only the beginning.

Because beyond the ropes, beyond the grandstands and beyond the final putt lies another Southport altogether. One that reveals itself gradually, rewarding those who choose to stay a little longer.

 

The Fairway is Only One Way

Southport has always been a place defined by movement. The tides shape its coastline. The dunes shift with the wind. Migrating birds arrive with the changing seasons. Visitors have long travelled here in search of fresh air, open skies and the restorative qualities of the coast.

Today, that spirit remains. Golf may be the reason many people arrive, but it quickly becomes just one of many ways to experience the destination.

Walkways become coastways. Fairways become food ways. Pathways lead to independent villages. Every direction offers something different.

 

Twenty-Two Miles of Coastline

Southport's coastline stretches for more than twenty-two miles, making it one of Britain's most remarkable coastal landscapes.

This isn't simply a beach.

It's an ever-changing landscape of tidal sands, salt marshes, pine woods and one of the most important dune systems in Europe.

The Sefton Coast is home to rare natterjack toads, protected sand lizards and internationally important birdlife.

For walkers, cyclists and wildlife enthusiasts, every visit feels different. Sometimes the coastline is dramatic and windswept. Sometimes it's calm enough to mirror the sky.

It is a place that encourages you to slow down whilst trying new adrenalin fuelled adventures think kite foiling and paddleboarding.

 

Wander Without an Itinerary

The best experiences in Southport are rarely planned. They happen when you leave the map behind.

Perhaps you'll wander beneath the elegant glass canopies of Lord Street, stopping to browse independent shops before discovering a café tucked between Victorian buildings.

Perhaps you'll stumble across an art exhibition at The Atkinson before finding yourself watching the sun disappear across Marine Lake.

Or perhaps you'll simply walk.

Southport rewards curiosity.

 

Four Villages. Four Different Stories.

Step beyond the town centre and Southport reveals another layer of its character.

Birkdale blends championship golf with independent restaurants, stylish cafés and elegant Victorian streets.

Churchtown feels almost untouched by time, where thatched cottages, Botanic Gardens and family-run businesses create one of Merseyside's prettiest villages.

Ainsdale offers expansive beaches, nature reserves and a relaxed coastal atmosphere that invites visitors to stay a little longer.

Hillside provides a quieter escape, where leafy streets and easy access to the dunes create an altogether slower pace.

Together they tell the story of a destination that is wonderfully varied but effortlessly connected.

 

Taste the Coast

The coastline shapes more than the landscape, it shapes the food too.

Fresh seafood, family-run restaurants, neighbourhood cafés and independent producers sit alongside long-established favourites. Whether it's coffee overlooking Lord Street, a leisurely lunch in Churchtown or dinner in Birkdale after a day at The Open, Southport's food scene is refreshingly unpretentious.

Good food doesn't demand attention here. It earns it.

 

Stay Another Night

Perhaps the greatest mistake visitors make is assuming The Open finishes when play ends. Some of Southport's finest moments happen afterwards.

The walk back through the dunes. An evening meal shared with friends.

A glass of wine as Lord Street begins to glow beneath its illuminated canopies. The quiet satisfaction of discovering somewhere you hadn't expected. This is why so many visitors return.

Not just for the golf. For everything that surrounds it.

 

Open for Summer

The Open may be the moment that introduces people to Southport, but it is only one chapter of the story. Throughout the summer the town comes alive with events, outdoor experiences, coastal adventures and opportunities to explore England's Golf Coast.

Families return for the beaches. Food lovers return for the restaurants.

Walkers return for the coastline. Golfers return for courses that can be played all year round, and many simply return because Southport leaves a lasting impression.

 

The Natural Choice

There are places that ask you to tick off attractions. Southport encourages something different. To wander. To pause. To explore without expectation.

To discover that one of England's finest coastal destinations has been quietly waiting just beyond the fairways all along. The Open may bring the world to Southport.

The coastline, villages, food, nature and people are what bring them back. Because Southport isn't simply open for golf.

It's open for all ways.