Botanic Gardens, Churchtown
Victorian gardens with an aviary, boating lake, fernery and a good playground, in Southport's prettiest village corner. Old-fashioned in the way that quietly suits small children.
Southport Model Railway Village
Southport, Merseyside
Tiny cottages, a tiny church, a tiny town, and model trains looping through the lot: one of the largest 45mm garden railway systems in the UK, spread over one and a half acres of Kings Gardens on Southport promenade. The buildings are modelled on southwest Lancashire, which is a nice touch adults notice and children ignore completely.
The owners say their core visitors are aged one to eight, and that is honest. A toddler will do slow laps for ages; a ten-year-old will be finished in twenty minutes. At £8.50 an adult and £6.50 a child it is priced as an add-on to a Southport day rather than the whole day, and Kings Gardens obligingly provides the rest.
The 2026 season opened on 25 April and runs to 27 September. It is entirely outdoors and weather-dependent, so save it for a decent day.
What it costs: Adults £8.50, children £6.50, under-3s free, family ticket (2+2) £25. Card or contactless preferred.
Know before you go
- It runs weekends, bank holidays and school holidays, 10.30am till 5pm with last entry at 4pm - check the website for exact days before setting off, and be aware trains do not run in heavy rain or high winds.
- It sits in Kings Gardens, so the adventure playground, crazy golf and carousel nearby stretch it into a proper seaside afternoon.
Worth knowing: Pitched at roughly ages 1-8; older kids will be done quickly.
Seasonal: Late Apr - late Sept. Check before travelling.
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