Southport has been a popular seaside town since the 18th century and became known as a more refined destination than the neighbouring Blackpool by the 19th century. At the centre of the charm and tourism are the seafront areas, namely the pier and Promenade.
Southport has undergone renovation and refurbishment. It can be rough around the edges, but it’s maintained its charisma, with many of the attractions around for decades. There’s still plenty to do around the Promenade area, both old and new.
Southport Pier and Beach
The iconic Southport Pier, which recently reopened after necessary refurbishments, is over 150-years-old, making it the oldest iron pier in the country. At 1,000 metres, it is the second–longest pier in England, and a stroll to the end opens expansive views over Blackpool and the North Wales coast.
For those who don’t or can’t walk the full length, there is a tram that runs straight to the Pavilion Cafe at the end where food and drinks are available as well as pre-decimal penny slot machines for entertainment.
The pier runs over the Southport Beach, a huge area of nature that is great for building sandcastles, flying kites and gazing across the ocean. There is parking right next to the beach, and the sand dunes have trails for hiking and dog walking. No trip to a seaside town is complete without a visit to the beach.
The annual Southport Air Show is one of the main draws to the beach. It takes place in September again this year and usually attracts around 150,000 visitors over the weekend, who come to see the impressive aircraft and aerobatic stunt shows.
For water sports, Marine Lake is also worth the visit. Visitors can also hire pedalos and motor boats, and thrill–seekers can also go on power boat rides.
Amusements and Casinos
On the Promenade, right at the start of the pier, sits Silcock’s Funland, a traditional amusement arcade that offers 2-cent games that invoke early memories as well as some recent video and arcade games.
There’s a tacky charm to the place, but Funland is excellent for a few hour’s gaming, especially if the weather has turned, which it often does. Outside is the Golden Gallopers Carousel, and inside you can find a cafe and reasonably priced fish and chips. There’s also a free Hall of Mirrors and toilet facilities, in case you were wondering.
For those who want to up the stakes a little bit, Genting Casino recently opened on Southport Promenade. The casino offers popular games like slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and machine games. There are usually tournament and cash games for the most popular format of poker games, mainly Texas Hold ‘em, with other variations such as three-card poker and video poker also available.
Genting Casino runs regular promotions, such as the free ‘Top of the Slots’ tournament, with cash prizes. The casino operates a relatively relaxed policy, with a grill restaurant inside, and a late bar for stop–outs.
Pleasureland and Dunes Splash World
No visit to Southport would be complete without heading to Pleasureland, the seafront fair-come-theme park that has rides, games stalls and arcade games to play. Entry to the park is free, but guests purchase ride tokens, with each ride costing a set number of tokens. However, it’s possible to get tokens on the day or online in advance to receive extra tokens.
Pleasureland has log flumes, a looping roller coaster and the Vertigo ride as well as gentler rides for families and younger people. Queues are known to be much shorter than other theme parks, and the park is open from 11 a.m. – 6 a.m.
Nearby Pleasureland is the Dunes Splash World. This one requiresa bit of pre-planning though, as visitors to the waterpark need to bring their swimwear. Inside, there are swimming pools for all ages and abilities, incredible slides, river rapid rides, a spa and water play area for the little ones.
King’s Garden
The King’s Gardens is a 17–acre expanse of beautiful parkland and gardens situated on the Promenade right near the pier and town centre. The gardens are an opportunity to take a moment to relax and enjoy the flowers and green space. As well as strolling around, guests can sip tea in the traditional tea rooms, check out the model railway village and even watch a movie at the outdoor cinema.
For families and fun–seekers, the Masters Crazy Putting golf course, located within the grounds of the King’s Garden, is a hugedraw and is only £3 per person to play on the 18-hole course. Of course, there are plenty of full–sized pitch and put and golf courses around Southport, but Masters Crazy golf is better suited to the seaside holiday vibe.
There’s no cafe or drinks available, so make plans, but all in all,the game is a lot of fun. Plus, if players can ring the bell on the bonus hole at the end, then they can even claim a free game.
Southport has lots to offer visitors looking for the traditional seaside experience, from a stroll along the beaches and down the kilometre–long pier, to the thrills of the arcades, casinos and amusement parks. When the day comes to an end, the Promenade has plenty of restaurants, bars and hotels. You can head out for food and karaoke before retiring to a comfortable double bed and waking up to a cooked breakfast.
OTS News on Social Media