A Day At The Beach In The December – Southport Beach

Taking a trip to the beach during the Christmas holidays isn’t probably on everyone’s to do list. When you think of the beach, you think sun, sand and ice cream! But we love being by the sea, whatever the weather, a trip to the beach with children can be a perfect cheap, if not free day out!

We decided on Southport beach as it wasn’t one we’d been to before as a family. We spend lots of weekends on Morecambe seafront due to our families having caravans there and we visit Blackpool several times a year so we wanted to try somewhere new.

During the Spring and Summer seasons, you are able to park right on the beach at Southport, so no long walks to the seafront with all your buckets and spades. Due to it being Winter that car park was closed, although there was plenty of other alternatives. As we drove into Southport we passed a large pay and display car park but we decided to park in a large retail park instead as everyone needed the toilet so we all nipped in McDonalds. This car park is free for 3 hours.

The seafront was very clean and the area tidy which was great to see. From the retail car park, we got onto the Pier and walked towards the sea right to one end. Southport Pier is the second longest in the country with a cafe, toilets and arcades at the end (which was open out of season). During the summer months you are able to take the pier tram one end to the other. After checking out the views, we decided to walk the other way into the town.

At the piers entrance we had a go on the 2p slot machines in Silcocks Funland, a favourite thing to do when visiting the seaside! After losing all out 2p’s, we headed to the traditional fish and chip shop. To keep costs down, we had brought a picnic including a flask of tea. We picked up two portions of chips and headed towards the park. We sat at a bench and enjoyed a feast of sandwiches and chippy chips! Delicious.

There’s a great wooden playground close to the arcades and the lake. We crossed over the lake and walked along the lakeside which was very idyllic. It was a lovely sunny (but cold) day, there was plenty of people around and the lake was full of swans.

We got back on the pier and this time headed onto the beach. My three thought it was brilliant that they were wearing wellies or walking boots and headed straight for the water. The sea was miles out, but there was still plenty of water for paddling. We spent ages walking through the water, searching for giant shells and throwing stones. Throwing stones into water is a favourite past-time of one of my twins especially, Oscar could literally do this all day.

There’s something about being by the sea! I love the sea air, the views that go on for miles, the freedom of the beach for the kids to run. We have so many happy memories of spending days by the sea, I’m hoping my children will cherish these memories when they’re older, perhaps enjoy the same with their own children maybe.