Southport

That stretch of golden sand goes on forever, seemingly melting into the Irish Sea horizon on clear days. Southport's Victorian seafront remains one of the northwest's most elegant, with its ornate pier stretching nearly half a mile into the water and the tree-lined Lord Street offering some proper shopping beneath its glass canopies.

Golf dominates the landscape here. Royal Birkdale Golf Club hosts the Open Championship regularly, while Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club and Hillside Golf Club complete a trio of world-class links courses that draw players from across the globe. The championship-standard fairways roll between towering sand dunes that have been shaped by centuries of coastal winds.

Beyond the golf, families flock to Splash World for indoor swimming and water sports when the weather turns. The town's Victorian heritage shows in every iron balcony and period shopfront along the main streets, though Lord Street can feel oddly quiet on weekday afternoons.

Reaching Southport couldn't be easier - regular trains from Liverpool take just 45 minutes, with stations at Birkdale, Hillside, and Ainsdale serving the surrounding areas. The flat coastal landscape makes cycling popular, with paths threading between the dune systems and nature reserves.

Staying at nearby holiday parks makes perfect sense for exploring this corner of Merseyside. You're close enough for early morning rounds at championship courses, yet far enough from the crowds to enjoy peaceful evenings. The surrounding countryside offers surprising variety, from the pine woods around Formby to the expansive beaches that stretch north towards Blackpool.