Lytham Hall
78 acres of free parkland and woodland around a Georgian hall, with a cafe, seasonal trails and cheap pay-and-display parking. The hall tour is the only ticketed bit, and with kids in tow you can happily skip it.
St Annes Beach and Pier
Lytham St Annes, Lancashire
St Annes is what people mean when they say they want the seaside without the noise. The beach is vast at low tide with dunes behind it, the pier still has its arcades, and the whole seafront is walkable from one car park. It is fifteen minutes down the coast from Blackpool and about a third of the intensity.
In summer the promenade does the heavy lifting: a paddling pool by the bandstand, the Splash water play area near the Island, donkeys on the sand, a miniature train round the pitch and putt. Out of season it is a beach, some chips and an arcade, which with primary-age kids is still a decent two hours.
The tide is the one thing to take seriously. Flat sand means the water returns quickly and across a wide front, so keep the walk out short and the sea in sight. Beyond that, the biggest risk is how much the 2p machines relieve you of.
Know before you go
- Check the tide before you walk out. The sand is dead flat so the sea goes out a long way and comes back fast, and people genuinely get caught.
- Take 20p and 10p coins. The seafront toilets want them and nowhere near the beach will help you.
Seasonal: Paddling pool, donkeys and water play run in summer. Check before travelling.
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Also in Lytham St Annes
Ashton Gardens
St Annes' restored Victorian gardens a street back from the seafront: rose beds, a galleon climbing frame in the play area and the Pavilion tea room. The calm half of a beach day.
Fairhaven Lake and Gardens
A saltwater lake with rowing boats, a playground, crazy golf and a skate park, sat between Lytham and St Annes with the estuary on the other side of the sea wall. Free to walk in, and everything fun on it costs.
Lytham Windmill
The white windmill on Lytham Green is free to go inside, four floors of milling and local history run by volunteers. Twenty minutes well spent, and the green outside is the actual day.