2018 GUIDE 2018 visitsouthport.com #SouthportTime Southport • Churchtown • Birkdale • Ainsdale • Formby • Crosby Just 40mins from Liverpool! Parties available! We offer a brilliant action packed day for all of the family. Kept at a constant 84 degrees Fahrenheit, Splash World is the perfect place to visit whatever the weather. We have a fantastic range of flumes and river rides, a relaxing bubble spa, toddler pool and water play area including tipping buckets and fountains so there’s gallons of watery fun for everyone. We hope to see you soon! splashworldsouthport.com @gotosplashworld splashworldsouthport Dunes Splash World The Esplanade, Southport 2PR8 1RX Tel. 01704 537 160 visitsouthport.com Contents Wide open spaces From tee off to tea time From Parisienne boulevards More than enough Championship 4 to endearing red squirrels. 26 link courses and afternoon teas to put a smile on everyone’s face. Days to remember Whatever the season, you’ll find Dine and unwind 6 there’s always something going on! Boasting a huge number of 28 independent eateries, Southport is always bursting with flavour! Shop in style Time to find that little 10 something special. Sport Sporting activities and events 30 to get your pulse racing. Making memories Make memories that will last a lifetime. 12 Picturesque playgrounds Trails, wildlife, lakes, water fountains Beaches 32 and open lawns just perfect for play. Each one of our beaches offers sun, 14 sand and something unique. Get to know the neighbours Discover a world of bustling market Top 10 reasons to visit 34 towns, beauty spots & rural hamlets. Our top picks to keep you entertained, 16 rain or shine. Time well spent in Southport Itineraries to help you make the A natural playground 36 most of your stay. Breathe in the sea air and embrace 18 nature’s playground. Easy to reach No matter how you’re travelling, The wild & the wonderful 38 Southport is easily accessible. From wetlands & pine woods to 20 unique museums & floral displays. Stay beside the seaside Stay on the coast, in town Art as far as the eye can see 40 or away from it all. They say culture is everywhere, 22 and that’s certainly true here! Accommodation listings It’s time to take to the trails 44 24 Discover the rich culture of our coastal town. 54 Useful contacts 3 #SouthportTime Welcome to WIDE OPEN SPACES From Parisienne boulevards to endearing Or maybe head straight off and seek adventure red squirrels, Southport has it all. whist strolling or cycling our 22 miles of coastline and witness wildlife at home in their Breathtaking beaches; undulating sand dunes; natural environment. Whichever way you go attractive woodland and tree lined boulevards. don’t forget to admire the art, artefacts and Our heady mix of open spaces, art deco, architecture around every corner. Victoriana, contemporary glamour and all the fun of the fair make Southport the perfect And there is certainly no handicap in having place to escape the ordinary. unrivalled golf, or being host to some of the most internationally acclaimed events - Why not wander our avenues and arcades, Southport is truly different each and every treating yourself to a little something special time you visit. in our unique boutiques? Stopping off to tantalise your taste buds in one of our delicious tea-rooms, independent bars or restaurants along the way. 4 visitsouthport.com Experience something different every time! 5 #SouthportTime Days to remember Whatever time of year you visit you’ll find there’s always something happening here in Southport. We know how to put on a world-class event or two, whatever you want we have it all for you to experience. Here’s just a taster of what’s on offer, choose from the spectacular to the sedate and make each visit even more memorable. Time to find out more: Find out more about our year- round events (and plan your visit) at visitsouthport.com/whats-on 6 visitsouthport.com EVENTS Keep your eyes on the skies as they’re filled with exhilarating aerobatic displays! Something Different: Try your hand at flying one of the worlds fastest jets in one of the flight simulators! 1st-3rd June 16th-19th August Food and Drink Festival Southport Flower Show Tantalise your taste buds and stimulate Explore our vibrant and colourful gardens your senses during this flavourful foodies at the largest independent flower show in extravaganza! Set in Victoria Park, the country. Packed with entertainment, the event celebrates the fresh handmade bee keeping demonstrations and local British produce that the region has to produce stalls, you’ll come away from the offer - including Southport’s very own day feeling inspired and in awe of what delicacies and street food from around nature has to offer. the world. Make sure to arrive on an empty stomach and sample everything in sight! 6th-8th July Southport Air Show Keep your eyes on the skies as they fill with exhilarating aerobatic displays from jets, fighters, bombers, helicopters and historic aircraft. With over 80,000 spectators from around the world over three days, this is one event you can’t miss. 28th-30th September British Musical Fireworks Championship During three nights in Victoria Park, over ten tonnes of pyrotechnics will be used to create breathtaking displays of colour and light. With all displays choreographed to music, this is one event you won’t want to miss’. 7 #SouthportTime 1st-4th February Jazz Festival 4th February Southport Mad Dog 10k 12th-14th April Aintree Grand National 11th-13th May 6th-8th July Southport Festival Southport Air Show 20th May 16th-19th August Southport Triathlon Southport Flower Show 1st-3rd June 8th-9th of September Food and Drink Festival 24hr Yacht Race 3rd June 23rd September Southport Race For Life Natterjack 10k 16th-17th June 28th-30th September Woodvale Rally British Musical Fireworks Championship 4th-21st October Comedy Festival October Halloween Festival November Christmas Lights Switch December Christmas Market 1st July British Armed Forces Day 1st July Southport Half Marathon 8 6th-8th July Southport Air Show 16th-19th August Southport Flower Show 8th-9th of September 24hr Yacht Race 23rd September Natterjack 10k 28th-30th September British Musical Fireworks Championship #SouthportTime Time to find that little SOMETHING SPECIAL Wrought iron canopies, bunting lined streets and attractive arcades; there’s something special about shopping in Southport. Meander in and out of our avenues and alleyways and you’ll find unique traditional stores, artisan market stalls, independent boutiques and household favourites nestled around every corner - this is a shopping experience like no other, right here, right beside the seaside. Time to find out more: Discover more hidden gems at: visitsouthport.com/shopping 10 visitsouthport.com We've plenty of heavenly shopping hubs and hidden gems to satisfy the most serious shopaholics and fanatical fashionistas, just browse below: Royal Arcade Lord Street Wayfarers Arcade For all your vintage paraphernalia Said to have been the inspiration Explore the iconic Grade II there’s Royal Arcade, 3 floors behind Napoleon III’s boulevards listed ‘Wayfarers Arcade’. brimming with second hand of Paris, Lord Street is one of This beautiful glass domed curios, artsy antiquities, records, our most celebrated sights. building has attracted visitors posters and comics, it’s a must since 1898, offering over 30 for any avid collector. individual shops and cafés. Ocean Plaza Central 12 Chapel Street Close to the beach is Ocean Five minutes from town is If it’s high street brands Plaza, a real seaside shopping Central 12, the perfect you’re after, head to Chapel experience where you can shopping destination for your Street, with plentiful pickings shop, dine and play. fix of retail favourites. to suit all price ranges. Wesley Street Market Quarter Find an alternative retail vibe painted in pastel colours At the heart of the town is the on Wesley Street, this positively and it plays host to a series Market Quarter, which brings Portobelloesque street has a of quirky events throughout together local artisans and string of unique shops all the year. established family businesses for the best locally sourced produce and products. 11 #SouthportTime With so much to do and so many ways to Making do it - we want to see your #SouthportTime experiences! memories Post perfect portraits and panoramas and There is no better way to make memories show the world how different Southport that will last a lifetime, than spending and the Sefton coast really is. some #SouthportTime together, enjoying some traditional seaside fun, everybody @visitsouthport can get involved; day or night, young or old! @visitsouthport visitsouthport #SouthportTime 12 #SouthportTime picnic spot amongst the dunes, frisby and fly kites for miles, let the dogs loose and enjoy Life’s better the action packed activities on the sand or in the sea. ON OUR So what are you waiting for? It’s time to hit the beach, exploring the dramatic BEACHES and unexpected landscapes with views overlooking the Irish Sea. From the stretches of golden sands to the undulating dunes, each one of our beaches offers sun, sand and Time to find out more: something unique. Take your pick of our beaches at: visitsouthport.com/things-to-do/ We’ve a coastline full of character waiting beaches for you to discover, with so much sand and space you’ll have room to build the biggest sandcastles, find a perfect and secluded Formby Beach 14 visitsouthport.com Southport Beach Ainsdale Beach Crosby Beach 15 1 2 3 5 4 6 7 8 9 10 visitsouthport.com Top 10 reasons to visit Here are a few of our top picks to keep you entertained, rain or shine, on and around our beaches! 1.