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Budget / Liverpool and Merseyside

Cheap days out near Liverpool for under £20 for the whole family

Twelve family days out across Merseyside that come in under £20 for two adults and two children, with the prices from the venues' own websites and the parking that could tip you over. Not free, but close.

By FamDays · Checked 28 October 20262 to 4 hoursAll ages

The Mersey Ferry Snowdrop in its dazzle paint on the river, with the Liverpool waterfront behind

Free is lovely, but sometimes you want the thing with the ticket: the boat, the pool, the animals, the dark room with the big screen. This is the list of days out that cost money but not much of it. Every total is for two adults and two children at the venue's own published price, with the parking noted where it would push you over.

The boat: £39 for a family

Fine, this one is £39. The Mersey Ferry River Explorer is £14 for an adult, £9 for a child aged 5 to 15, under 5s free and £39 for a family of two adults and two children, so with one under 5 it drops under £30. Fifty minutes, hourly from the Pier Head, open dated online tickets.

The farm: £14

Acorn Farm in Kirkby: £4 an adult, £3 a child, under 12 months free, open every day, no booking. £14 for a family of four, plus whatever you spend on the pony rides, which is the real cost.

The swim: £10 to £18

Liverpool Aquatics Centre at Wavertree is £10 for a family swim of two adults and up to three children. The Volair pools at Huyton and Kirkby are £18 for two adults and two juniors, under 5s free, with free parking. Europa Pools is £17.20 for four with a free car park ticket from reception.

The cinema: £12 to £23

Picturehouse at FACT Kids Club on Saturday mornings has £3 child tickets on selected films, and adults are only admitted with a child. The Light Family Specials are from £5.75 a ticket for everyone, so £23 for four, and the free car park at Marine Point helps.

The novelty: £14 to £28

The Upside Down House at Liverpool ONE is £6.95 for everyone aged 4 and over and free for under 4s: £27.80 for four, £20.85 if one is a toddler, and it takes 20 minutes, which is the right length for a novelty.

The museum with a year's pass: £24

Port Sunlight Museum family ticket is £24 for two adults and two children, under 5s free, and it stays valid for 12 months, so the second visit is free. The World of Glass in St Helens is free to enter with the glass blowing display at £5 an adult and £3.50 a child: £17 for four, plus £1.50 parking for two hours.

The soft play: £13 to £20

Willowbees is £6.50 a child on a weekday with one adult free per child, so £13 for two children and two adults. Monkey Town is £9.95 for over 2s with adults free: £19.90 for two children, unlimited time, free parking.

The adventure park, off peak: £27

Otterspool Adventure is £9 a child and £4.50 an adult off peak, £27 for four, but at peak (weekends, holidays, event days) the same family is £57. A winter weekday it is; a bank holiday it is not. Free parking on Otterspool Drive.

The FamDays verdict

A swim, the farm and the Kids Club will get you three weekends for under £40 all in. Spend what you save on the ferry, which is the £39 that every Liverpool child should have spent on them at least once.

Everything families need to know before visiting

What is the cheapest paid day out in Liverpool for a family?

A family swim at Liverpool Aquatics Centre at £10, or a Kids Club film at FACT with £3 child tickets.

Which cheap days out have free parking?

Acorn Farm, the Volair pools, Europa Pools, The Light at Marine Point, Monkey Town and Otterspool Adventure. Liverpool ONE and FACT are city centre car park territory.

Where does a family ticket last a year?

Port Sunlight Museum (£24 family), Eureka! and Catalyst all include a 12 month pass in the first visit.

The places in this guide

Live from our checked listings: prices, ages and when each one was last confirmed.

15 places
A cow in a field at Acorn Farm, KirkbyPhoto: Mike Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From £3
All agesAdults £4.00, children aged 1 to 16 £3.00, under 12 months free of charge. Small animal petting and horse rides are charged extra and tickets must be used on the day of purchase. Groups of 15 or more must prebook a guided tour at an additional charge.
Checked by FamDays on 17 Oct
Croxteth Hall seen across the lawn on a sunny dayPhoto: Radarsmum67, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Free
All agesThe country park is a public park with a free car park. Hall guided tours, the miniature railway and Croxteth Park Farm may be charged; no prices are given on the council or Liverpool City Halls pages fetched.
Checked by FamDays on
The outside of Europa Pools, Birkenhead, with its pink water flumePhoto: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From £3.95
All agesActive Wirral price list from 1 April 2026: adult swim 6.45, junior swim 3.95, under 5 swim free, family swim 17.20 for 4 people or 22.90 for 6 people, Wirral Passport concession 5.00, 50 plus session 2.90. Junior age range not defined on the page.
Checked by FamDays on 19 Oct
The front of Liverpool Aquatics Centre at Wavertree Sports ParkPhoto: Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From £2.20
All agesLifestyles general admission: adult swim 4.40, junior swim 2.20, adult and senior concession 2.20, family swim 10.00 for 2 adults and 3 children (up to 6 people with extra per person charges not stated). The prices page also states that children under 8 swim for free. Junior age range is not defined on the page and no price year is shown.
Checked by FamDays on 19 Oct
The Mersey Ferry Snowdrop in its dazzle paint on the river, with the Liverpool waterfront behindPhoto: Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From £9
All agesAdult (16 and over) £14.00, child (5 to 15) £9.00, under 5s free, concession (over 60s and student card holders) £12.50. Family ticket for 2 adults and up to 2 children £39.00; 2 adults and 3 children £42.00. Online tickets can be used on any date or time.
Checked by FamDays on 17 Oct
The high ropes course among the trees at Otterspool AdventurePhoto: Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From £4.50
All agesOff peak: child £9, adult £4.50. Peak: child £19, adult £9.50. Peak may include weekends, event days, school holidays, bank holidays and other holidays; off peak runs during winter hours. Child ticket includes playground, adventure golf, indoor soft play, adventure farm, go karts, and weather or peak dependent bouncing pillows, racing rangers and boat ride. Adult ticket includes park admission, adventure golf, adventure farm and go karts. Age bands for child and adult are not defined on the prices page.
Checked by FamDays on 17 Oct
The FACT building on Wood Street, Liverpool, home of the Picturehouse cinemaPhoto: Sweetie candykim, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Picturehouse at FACT

Liverpool city centre
From £3
All agesStandard ticket prices vary by film and time and are shown per screening. Child tickets are £3 for ages 14 and under on selected U, PG and 12A screenings, subject to availability. Kids Club price is not stated on the information page. Toddler Time is free for accompanying adults. Picturehouse Membership from £6.99 a month.
Checked by FamDays on 19 Oct
Port Sunlight Museum with spring flowerbeds in frontPhoto: David Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From £5.50
All agesMuseum and Worker's Cottage ticket: adult 8 pounds, concession 7 pounds, child aged 5 to 16 5.50 pounds, family of 2 adults and 2 children 24 pounds. Under 5s free. Carers accompanying a visitor with a disability enter free. Ticket valid for 12 months from purchase. Mabel's Wash Day trail 2 pounds. Gift Aid available.
Checked by FamDays on 17 Oct
The entrance and glass front of The World of Glass in St HelensPhoto: SaintAvenger88, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Free
All agesEntry to the museum and Tank House is free. Live glass blowing displays are ticketed at £5.00 adults and £3.50 children.
Checked by FamDays on 17 Oct
The entrance of Kirkby Leisure CentrePhoto: Ian Greig, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From £4.40
All agesVolair pay as you go: adult swim 6.40 (concession 3.90), junior 4.40 (concession 2.70), under 5s free, family of 2 adults and 2 juniors 18.00. Page last modified 1 October 2026.
Checked by FamDays on 19 Oct
From £4.95
All agesOver 2s £9.95, under 2s £4.95, parents and accompanying adults free of charge. No weekday or weekend difference shown. The venue describes play time as unlimited. A 10 Play Session Card costs £79.60 for over 2s or £39.60 for under 2s, has no expiry, can be shared and is sold at the counter. Socks must be worn and are sold at reception; price not stated.
Checked by FamDays on 19 Oct
From £5.75
All agesFamily Special screenings from 5.75 pounds a ticket every Saturday and Sunday, and Monday to Friday in school holidays and on bank holidays; special event screenings may cost extra. Toddler Time screenings from 3.99 pounds per child with the parent or carer free. Family Ticket for four: adults pay the kids price on standard price films. Standard adult and child ticket prices were not captured.
Checked by FamDays on 17 Oct

Upside Down House Liverpool

Liverpool city centre
From £6.95
All agesOne price of £6.95 for everyone aged 4 and over. Ages 0 to 3 go free. No separate adult, child or family price is listed.
Checked by FamDays on 28 Oct
From £4.40
All agesVolair pay as you go: adult swim 6.40 (concession 3.90), junior 4.40 (concession 2.70), under 5s free, family of 2 adults and 2 juniors 18.00. Page last modified 1 October 2026.
Checked by FamDays on 19 Oct

Willowbees Adventure Play

Newton-le-Willows
From £6.50
All agesChild play only, 2 hours: £6.50 Mon to Fri, £8 weekends and school holidays. One adult free per paying child, each additional adult £1. Under 1s free. Play and Eat £10.50, Mon to Fri 3.30pm to 5.30pm in term time only. Registered childminders and foster carers pay £3.60 per child Mon to Fri in term time (maximum four children, ID required) and foster carers £4 at weekends and holidays. Children of Have a Go Active Gold members get half price entry.
Checked by FamDays on 19 Oct

Read next

More from FamDays, built from the same checked listings.

All guides
Local parent insider tips

Before you set off

  • Book the big ones, turn up to the small onesThe safari park, the big soft plays and anything with a timed entry sell out in school holidays. Parks, beaches, most museums and the libraries never do. Every card says whether you need to book.
  • Train beats car for the coast and the centreMerseyrail stops next to the beach at Crosby, Freshfield and Southport, and under the museums at Liverpool Central. Under 5s travel free and a Saveaway covers the day after 9.30 on weekdays and all day at weekends.
  • How we checkEvery listing is rechecked against the venue's own website every week, and each card shows the date it was last confirmed. If something has changed since, the Tell us link on every page reaches a person who fixes it.

The weekend, sorted every Friday

Six family days out with the price, the ages and a tip for each, plus what is on. Free, one click to leave.

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Prices and hours in this guide come from each venue's own website on the day we checked them, and the cards above update every morning. Always check with the venue before you set off.