Love Southport

We love when it’s almost summer in Southport

As the days get longer and the sun gets warmer our Victorian beauty comes into its own. This time of year is always special. The May bank holidays give us a great opportunity to spend extra time at the seaside. We can almost smell the sea air, almost taste mint choc chip ice cream, we can almost feel the sand between our toes.

The beginning of summer is all about family - with the bank holidays and half term there are lots of opportunities to load the car and visit. And Southport has attractions for all ages, so we’re a great spot for bigger families to get together from across the country, with something for everyone to do. From the thrills of Pleasureland, to the splashes of the Marine Lake, the beauty of the Kings Gardens and the grandeur of our pier, we can all find something to love here. After trying it all, we can get back together in a boutique cafe or on the perfect bench to share stories - maybe with chips.

We’re the perfect location for a staycation

Linked to the motorways and railways, and within easy reach of the big cities of Liverpool and Manchester. Daytrippers, weekenders, people on longer holidays, people visiting from other parts of the North West and even people who live here finding a new gem they’ve never had time for before - we love welcoming them all.

We love the outdoors at this time of year, and we love how great our golf courses look in the sun. A long weekend is the perfect time for 18 holes, or even 36, somewhere new, making new friends and seeing new sights. Just make sure the putting doesn’t take so long there isn’t time for some new tastes in one of our great independent restaurants.

I'd love to make my way back to @Hillside_GC, an @EngGolfCoast standout I've played just once. Here's the par-3 16th on a links that will host the @DPWorldTour's #CazooClassic, July 21-24: https://t.co/pZTIRrb4Dl @Hillside_Greens RT @BeyondDrones vid pic.twitter.com/dtUZoOLC3O

— Brian Kendall (@cdngolftraveler) April 2, 2022

It’s not just golf which is great in the sun - our miles of sand, nature-filled dunes and paths and trails are calling to us at this time of year. Walking alone, with friends, ambling with young ones, running after furry family members, drifting along on two wheels, pushing pushchairs or chasing the scooters, it’s all a fantastic way to get in shape, enjoy the sun, and earn your ice cream!

Our sand dunes are a landscape like no other and if you’ve never got lost amongst them, imagining yourself to be a Victorian explorer, then you’ve been missing out. They also are the perfect setting for the most epic hide and seek ever.

Formby Woods is just on our doorstep and we love this nationally renowned landscape, with it’s remarkable surviving population of red squirrels. Visit here, wandering through the magnificent pines, keeping quiet to try to spot one of these creatures. Then take to the sands on Formby Beach to run and splash before coming back to Southport for a bite.

We love the great outdoors but sometimes we love staying inside too, and one of the best places to while away an afternoon is the amazing Discover Ancient Egypt gallery at The Atkinson. There are artifacts, hands on interactive exhibits and even an actual mummy to inform and entertain. It’s the perfect counterpoint to sandy toes and candyfloss and makes Southport perfect for all the family.

Sunshine and families getting back together means long delayed weddings are on the calendar - and where better to shop for the perfect outfit than our beautiful Victorian town center. Spend the day looking for the loveliest dress, the most stylish hat, a sparkling tie and pocket square combo or those elusive stunning-yet-comfy shoes, then unwind with a drink at one of the bars we love. Why not book a hotel, then you can make the one drink two or three and have dinner too?

Make plans with our fantastic events

June 2 sees our Food and Drink Festival making a return, with stallholders from across the northwest bringing their tasty wares to the town. We love wandering the rows, trying something new and shopping for our dinner. Perhaps this is a good weekend to book one of our self-catering options, so you can take dinner and breakfast back from the festival.

And making plans for later in the year make sure you don’t miss out on the the Flower Show (August 18-22). We love the sights and smells of the breathtaking displays, showcasing some amazing artistic talent from across the country. The event takes place in Victoria Park and is a traditional seaside gem.

What better place to spend this most nostalgic of holidays than a proper seaside town? We’re well connected to the major roads in the north west so make an early start and spend all day here, or book into one of our lovely range of hotels, boutique guesthouses and b&bs and make the most of the long weekends. We love our unique hidden gems - but we’re close to budget friendly hotels in Liverpool too so there are many ways to enjoy Southport. We can even leave behind the car and take a direct train from Manchester or Liverpool.

We love early summer and in 2022 every weekend has a reason to visit Southport and find out why we love the season right here.

#lovesouthport