Things to do in Southport with kids, from Splash World to the free observatory in Hesketh Park
Southport is the seaside town forty minutes up the line with a water park, a free museum, two Green Flag parks, a beach you can drive onto and the Iron Men down the coast. What is open, what it costs and where to park.
Southport does the seaside the way Merseyside likes it: a long pier, a lot of sand, a Victorian park with a boating lake, and the sea somewhere out there if you walk far enough. For families it has two things most seaside towns do not, a proper indoor water park for the day the weather turns and a free museum on the main street.
It is 45 minutes from Liverpool Central on the Northern line, and the beaches at Formby, Ainsdale and Crosby are on the same line on the way.
Splash World
Splash World on the seafront is the council's indoor water park, with two flumes, a lazy river, a rapid river ride and a toddler zone. It opens weekends all year and weekdays in Sefton school holidays, in timed 90 minute sessions sold online only: adults £16.80, juniors aged 6 to 15 £13.50, 3 to 5s £12, under 3s £5.50, spectators £7. Every child under 8 needs an adult in the water with them, and the toddler area needs an adult per child, so count the grown ups before you book.
The Atkinson
The Atkinson on Lord Street has a free museum and gallery with Between Land and Sea and an ancient Egypt room, plus a theatre with children's shows and the Christmas pantomime. Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm, closed Sundays. There is no car park, just two Blue Badge spaces outside, so allow time to park in town. Relaxed performances lend ear defenders.
The parks
Hesketh Park is a 12 hectare Victorian park with restored gardens and fountains, a cafe, toilets, mini golf and an observatory that opens on set dates for free. On street parking. The Botanic Gardens in Churchtown has a lake, an aviary, a play area, mini golf and a family run cafe, with the car park off Verulam Road rather than the main entrance.
The amusement park
Adventure Coast, the old Pleasureland, is free to walk into with rides paid for by card or an unlimited wristband at £36, limited numbers released between 11am and 12pm. The main park has closed for the 2026 season, with Viking Golf and the miniature railway due to open over October half term, so it is a summer plan.
The beaches
Ainsdale beach lets you drive onto the sand from April to September for £10 a day, with RNLI lifeguards from late March to mid September and a toilet block with a Changing Places facility. The beach car park closes on high tides, so check the tide times. Formby has the pinewoods, the red squirrels and the National Trust car parks at £9. Crosby has the Iron Men along three kilometres of sand, free, with the Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre on the marine lake next door for booked watersports courses. Lunt Meadows near Sefton village is a wetland reserve with bird hides and £4 parking, wellies advised.
Further out
Farmer Ted's at Downholland is the farm park with soft play, a Shaun the Sheep area, a maze and tractor rides, from £15.50 a person and £57 for a family of four online, open on selected dates shown on its calendar.
The FamDays verdict
Go on the train, do The Atkinson and Hesketh Park for nothing, and save Splash World for the wet half term day when every soft play in Liverpool is heaving.
