Is Southport worth a day trip with a toddler?

[Sidebeforeself]

I think I might be going to Southport next week ( just for the day).It’s a 2 hour journey for us.Is it worth it? Is it nice or is it a shabby seaside sort of place? We will have a toddler with us too. I know I will sound snobby but I dont like arcades . Hoping for a nice walk along the beach and a nice cafe.Think theres a railway museum too?

Go To New Brighton instead. I didn’t think Southport had much of a beach.

Southport is OK people park on the beach. I’d say St Anne’s is nicer. Little traditional pier, beach and toilets and shops nearby.

https://www.discoverfylde.co.uk/things-to-do-st-annes/

It's definitely not worth travelling 2 hours for no. It's a bit tatty and run down but there is the little fair, lake where you can hire a boat, arcades, adventure playground, model railway. The pier is closed and the sea is quite far out at times. I'm sure you can find nicer places to visit within 2 hours of home.

Not much of a beach.
nice fish n chips cafe.

There's not much of a beach at Southport itself tbh. There is a fair, swimming baths, shops, and some decent cafes and restaurants. But if you are thinking sandcastles and paddling, it's not the best.

There's a lawnmower museum. I don't think there's a railway museum.

We go at least once a year but it’s just one hour for us, and we do like the arcades plus the lake and DD loves the big play area. There’s also a particularly good chippy we like. All that said, I’m not sure I’d drive 2 for it.

Definitely not the best for a walk on the beach, agree with those saying St Anne’s is nicer for that. Or Formby is a nice walk but it’s more sand dunes and no good for push chairs, you have the pinewoods nearby there too though.

There’s a miniature railway museum which is outdoors, that what you’re probably thinking of. A cute walk with a toddler.

if you’re getting the train to Southport, walk along lord street (the hanging baskets are looking fab at the moment) and get a drink/coffee somewhere, then head up Neville street (looking tidy now but a few naff seaside resort shops) then you’ll pop out at the carousel which is good for £2 a go (it goes for quite a while). Inside the arcade is another little ride on car ride which is cute (and then avoid the rest of the arcade). Get fish and chips from the shop beside it, then walk into Kings Gardens and have a mooch around, plenty of space to run around. The park in there is fab, great fun for little ones. There’s a good mini golf next to it. You can walk around the lake or get on the land train to the side where the fair is. Go there fair if you want or not, but there’s then another miniature ride on train that goes along the lake side to near the pier. Hop off there and grab a star bucks, cross the road and you’re at the beach. But I agree the beach is a bit crap now. Walk across marine bridge back to the far side of the lake and spot the boats on the lake (or go and hire a row boat or a swan boat for an hour) then wander back through town.

similar itenary if driving, but park at Ocean Plaza. If driving make a stop in Churchtown. It’s a sweet little chocolate box village on the outskirts of Southport. Lovely botanic gardens with cafe and play area and a lake, easily walk able, then the thatched cottages in the village itself are so cute and filled with lovely independent shops and restaurants. The chocolatiers and the flower shop are our favourite!

plenty of lovely independent places for coffee and or lunch in town and Churchtown.

enjoy

I loved the lawn mower museum .

Go to Crosby! It has a great beach, and the Iron Men. Bring a picnic. It also has a leisure Centre so you could go for a swim.

Omg 😂

Yep! Our ridiculous museum 😆

OP, if you go, eat at Westminster Tea Rooms. Amazing food and a lovely quaint atmosphere.

It's great if you like lawnmowers! They have ones that belonged to famous people like Brian May, Eric Morecambe, Princess Di😁

Southport is great for a toddler, and I second going to Churchtown and the Botanic Gardens. But a walk through the pine woods to the beach at Formby will get you a better beach, it depends on what you want.

Don't expect to see the sea if you go to Southport you certainly don't go the beach - you'd be going for other attractions.

I think other nearby resorts might be better. Suggestions depend where you are coming from. Somewhere like St Annes might be just up the coast but there is a great big river in the way that can only be crossed at Preston.

@Catsonskis Thankyou so much! That’s really kind of you. I’m still not sure we’ll go but if we do we’ll definitely follow your advice.