World Museum, Liverpool
Five floors, free, and it covers three things small children reliably love: giant dinosaurs, an aquarium and a space gallery. The best wet-weather day within half an hour.
Otterspool Park & Promenade
Liverpool, Merseyside
Otterspool Promenade opened in 1950 after 21 years of building, with the parkland behind it shaped from material dug out for the Mersey Tunnel, and it is still south Liverpool's best free run-around with a view. The wide paths run along the river from Garston towards the city, with passing ships and the Wirral on one side and landscaped parkland on the other. The park has children's play areas, a concrete skatepark that welcomes scooters and BMXs, and plenty of grass for kites.
Parking is free in two council car parks and along Otterspool Drive. The cafe belongs to Otterspool Adventure, the separately run paid play centre in the park with mini golf and go karts, which is either a handy bribe or the thing you are trying to walk the children past. The path continues north past Festival Gardens to the city centre, which makes a long bike ride with the Albert Dock as the finish line.
What it costs: Free. Two council car parks (around 60 spaces off Mersey Road and around 80 near the promenade) plus parking along Otterspool Drive, all free.
Know before you go
- Bring bikes and scooters. The promenade paths are wide and flat, and the cycle path carries on along the river as far as the Albert Dock.
- The skatepark behind the promenade is free and full of scooter kids after school, so younger ones do better on the play areas.
- Festival Gardens, with its Oriental garden and meadows, is reached from the park and makes a quieter second half.
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Speke Hall
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