Southport

For other places with the same name, see Southport (disambiguation).

Southport Pier, the second longest in Great Britain

Southport is a large tourist town of 91,703 (2011) on the coast, just north of Liverpool. It is in the borough of Sefton in Merseyside. It is in the historic county of Lancashire.

Get in

By train

There are regular trains from Liverpool in the south via the Merseyrail Northern Line, and Manchester to the east.

See

Try to hunt out the old village to the north with a couple of great pubs and places to eat.

Popular tourist attractions include:

Southport Pier underwent a multi-million pound renovation from 2017 to 2019. The mile-long stretch reaches out into the Irish Sea, and at its end has a small cafe and coffee shop with panoramic views.

Take a train into Liverpool to see the sights. Spend time walking under the covered Victorian canopy which stretches almost the entire length of Lord St. This means you can shop in the dry whatever the weather. Visit the many parks, such as the botanic gardens all landscaped in the high Victorian style, and still keeping their charm.

• 1 Ainsdale Sand Dunes National Nature Reserve, Ainsdale. national nature reserve. (updated Jan 2017)
• 2 Meols Hall. Manor house, although dating back 12th century mostly built in the 1960s. (updated Jan 2017)
• 3 Southport Model Railway Village. (updated Jan 2017)
• 4 West Lancashire Light Railway, Station Rd, Hesketh Bank PR4 6SP, ☏ +44 1772 815881. Apr-Oct Su 11:30AM–4:30PM. 2 ft (160 mm) narrow gauge railway with 430 yards of track, set up to preserve the little industrial locomotives that served the clay pits and brickworks around this area. Adult £3.50, conc £3, child £2.50. (updated Apr 2022)
• 5 Ribble Marshes stretch for miles between the north end of Southport and Hesketh Bank, with dozens of muddy tidal creeks feeding the main estuary. Some parts are a nature reserve, elsewhere you can blast away at the geese and spare them a tedious journey to the Baltic.
• Rufford Old Hall: see Ormskirk for this fine Tudor-Jacobean mansion five miles east.

Do

Southport is famed for its endless golf courses, the Flower Show, coastal views and outdoor events. The area is home to one of the biggest international jazz festivals and puts on air shows each year. With over 14 golf courses in its proximity, the town is a perfect place to go for a golfing weekend. Essentially you never run out of things to do in Southport. There is always something on in the town and the relaxing atmosphere make it one of the most friendly and welcoming places around.

• 1 Pleasureland Southport. amusement park (updated Jan 2017)

Buy

Lord Street is a must for all shoppers and boasts all the big High Street names. The area around the railway station is also good for shopping. The Old Barnyard Interiors are based on the first floor of The Royal Arcade on Lord Street, offering design-led gifts, vintage interiors and hand painted furniture. They are also stockists of Frenchic furniture paint. fb.me/theoldbarnyard

Eat

The Curzon on Lord Street is good and well established.

Generally the choice of places to eat is good and is not confined only to Lord Street.

Drink

For visitors it has to be Lord Street again!

Sleep

Due to the considerable growth in tourism in the Southport area the demand for affordable and luxury accommodation in the past decade has increased significantly. This has led to a sudden influx in new developments and old buildings being converted to new ones. New developments include the Southport Marine Park which will house a brand new hotel.

Accommodation in the area mainly consists of bed and breakfasts and are situated close to the waterfront. This makes them attractive prospects for tourists as they can get great views and affordable prices. Southport is also home to several luxury 5 star hotels which cater mainly for business travellers.

• The Vincent Hotel, 98 Lord St, PR8 1JR, ☏ +44 1704 883 800. the old ABC cinema on Lord Street has been converted into a luxury Hotel (updated Jun 2017)
• Ambassador Townhouse. Awarded Merseyside Guest Accommodation of the Year 2009-10 and recognised as within the Top 5 B&Bs in the Northwest of England 
• Seaview Guest House, 28 Bath St, PR9 0DA, ☏ +44 1704 530874. (updated Jun 2020)
• Sunnyside Bed and Breakfast, 47 Bath St, PR9 0DP, ☏ +44 1704 536521, info@sunnysidesouthport.co.uk. B&B in Southport. (updated Oct 2020)
• 1 Premier Inn, 544 Southport Rd, Scarisbrick L40 9RG (on A570 to Ormskirk), ☏ +44 333 321 9015. Reliable budget chain, clean and comfy. B&B double £80. (updated Apr 2022)

Stay safe

In Southport, youths causing anti-social behavior is a common problem, often outside abandoned or boarded-up shops, and drunken behavior is common. Ignore these youths. Merseyside Police is tackling the problem.

Theft of items from vehicles is another major problem - especially in a tourist resort such as this, so use a car park like the Tulketh Street one over on-street parking if you can.

Connect

As of Aug 2022, Southport and its approach roads have 5G with EE, and 4G from the other carriers.

Go next

• Around Ormskirk just east of Southport see Martin Mere Nature Reserve and Rufford Old Hall.
• Nearby Liverpool needs a couple of days to explore.
• Preston won't take you long, but travel this way for raucous Blackpool, the Lake District, and the Pennines above Clitheroe.