Water & swimming in Liverpool

Under-8s swim free at the Liverpool Aquatics Centre, which also keeps a 20 metre pool at 30 degrees, the one you actually want with small children. The 50m pool at Wavertree is £4.60 an adult and £2.30 a junior.

Volair Huyton over in Knowsley runs the same idea, with under-5s free, £4.40 a junior and £6.40 an adult, though its pool closes at 1.45pm at weekends. For water that is not a swimming pool, Liverpool Watersports Centre on Queens Dock does kayaks and paddleboards from £10 an hour, with an inflatable aquapark in the warmer months, and the Mersey Ferries River Explorer is a 50-minute loop with commentary that most children rate above any museum.

Water & swimming in Liverpool

Liverpool Aquatics Centre

Liverpool~30 min

★★★★☆4.1(620)

Liverpool put its serious pool at Wavertree Sports Park: an eight lane 50m tank, and alongside it a 20m pool kept at 30 degrees, which is the one you actually want with small children. Under-8s swim free.

Adults £4.60, juniors £2.30, under-8s freeIndoorsAges 0-14

Volair Huyton (Knowsley Leisure & Culture Park)

Liverpool~25 min

★★★★☆4.3(986)

Knowsley's flagship leisure centre on Longview Drive in Huyton, with public swimming, parent and toddler sessions and lane swimming. The pool is open until 10pm Monday to Thursday and 9pm on Fridays, but only 9am to 1.45pm at weekends. Under-5s swim free.

Junior swim £4.40, adult £6.40, under-5s freeIndoorsAges 0-15

Liverpool Watersports Centre

Liverpool~35 min

★★★★★4.8(301)

A charity with a whole dock basin at Queens Dock to play with. Children from 8 can kayak, paddleboard or take out a swan pedalo in the middle of the city, and in the warmer months there is an inflatable aqua park as well.

Kayaks and paddleboards from £10, swims from £4Aqua park not bookable at the end of September; winter hours 9.30am to 4pm daily, subject to bookingsAges 8-16

Mersey Ferries River Explorer

Liverpool~30 min

★★★★★4.6(2,583)

The famous ferry across the Mersey run as a 50-minute sightseeing loop with commentary, and the honest truth is kids love the boat more than any museum. Hop off at Seacombe for Eureka! next door.

Adult £14, child £9, under 5s freeAges 4-11

Water & swimming elsewhere in the North West

Blue Planet Aquarium

Ellesmere Port~35 min

★★★★☆4.1(8,117)

Sharks over a moving walkway tunnel, all under cover. A dependable answer to a washout forecast that still feels like a proper day out.

Day ticketIndoorsAges 4-11

Formby Beach & Pinewoods

Formby~45 min

★★★★★4.9(46)

Huge sand dunes, a proper beach and red squirrels in the pinewoods behind it. The dunes alone will occupy them for an hour. Free entry if you have National Trust membership.

Parking chargeAges 4-11

Anderton Boat Lift

Northwich~30 min

★★★★★4.5(3,464)

A Victorian lift built to hoist canal boats fifty feet between the Weaver and the Trent and Mersey Canal. The lift itself is closed for repairs through 2026, with reopening planned for the 2027 season, but the free visitor centre, the play area and hour-long river cruises from its foot are all running.

Free entry, river cruise £12 an adultIndoorsThe lift is closed for repairs until the 2027 season; the visitor centre opens daily except ThursdaysAges 4-11

Sea Life Manchester

Trafford~25 min

★★★★☆4.0(5,173)

Ocean tunnel, rays, seahorses and rockpool touch sessions, sized for smaller legs - you can do the whole thing in a morning and pair it with Legoland next door.

Book online - walk-up costs moreIndoorsAges 4-9

Sandcastle Waterpark

Blackpool~1 hr

★★★★☆4.3(8,767)

The UK's biggest indoor waterpark, kept at tropical temperature: proper toddler pools and mini slides at one end, big flumes at the other. Rainy-day Blackpool solved.

Book online - cheaperIndoorsAges 4-11

Sea Life Blackpool

Blackpool~1 hr

★★★★☆4.4(11,062)

A solid seafront aquarium with an ocean tunnel and rockpool sessions - the reliable wet-weather hour when the beach plan falls apart.

Book online - cheaperIndoorsAges 4-9