A park I've visited many, many times, ever since I was a kid. Now when we're up visiting family…read moreit's where I take the nephews as there's so much to do here (as long as it isn't raining - Wacky Warehouse further down the promenade is our go-to place for those days). In recent years it's had a major refurb with new facilities (which was long overdue). So alongside the historically well-maintained flowerbeds and woodland walks, there's a great crazy golf course (the old one was well past its best), swing boats, a play area for younger children, trampolines, merry-go-round, tennis and basketball courts, aqua play area, miniature train and a large 'natural' adventure playground. There's a cafe near the crazy golf which sells Lewis's Ice Cream which is fantastic. A lovely place for a stroll on a nice day, with lots of different activities for the nippers (just remember to bring a pocket-full of pound coins - they'll want a go on everything!).

PLEASURELAND!!!…read more Sorry, just had to get that out of the way, I turned into my seven year old self again for a moment. This was the theme park I attended growing up; I'd not yet seen the wonders of Disneyworld and Alton Towers and Camelot just doesn't count, so I loved this place. It was your average traditional seaside funfair complete with rickety rides, a few high budget thrills sponsored by soft drinks (Blackpool had the Pepsi Big One and the Irn Bru Revolution, we had the TraumaTizer) and typically bad ghost trains and whiplash-inducing waltzers. That's a misleading name if I've ever I've heard one, they're far from a gentle dance. 1912 this opened! Oh, just imagine Southport back then, the promenade, the period costumes. Well, they weren't period or costumes back then, but never mind. This was the place where as a wudgy little whippersnapper I'd love to bop around on the carousel, and there was a Fun House (whole lotta fun, prizes to be won) for playful silliness - something you don't see many of nowadays. We used to bring dates here as teenagers too for that typical idealised American movie vibe, and it even had a go-kart track we used to make idiots of ourselves on. Unfortunately, Pleasureland as we knew it closed down in 2006, oh the horror! What were we all going to do? Well, for two years we didn't know. Then in March 2008 it reopened, but redevelopment was planned from those innovative people at Sefton Council. Would you believe it, New Pleasureland, yes, that is its name, opened for the 2009/10 season. New Pleasureland? Perhaps Pleasureland: The Next Generation would have been more appropriate. No more TraumaTizer, however we do have brand spanking new waltzers, a number of twisty, speedy and crazy rollercoasters and plenty of silliness for the kids alongside classics like dodgems and of course the Haunted Inn, although a fire destroyed that earlier this year. Oops. I'm sure it'll be back. If you want the authentic fun fair experience in a lovely seaside location look no further. It's not perhaps as thrilling or sophisticated as say Alton Towers, but it's got a cute kitsch value and it tries very hard. The kids will love it, and so will anyone with a sense of humour and a strong thanatos.

Oh, PleasureLand! You will forever be remembered for being the most unique and otherworldly…read moreamusement park I have ever had the *pleasure* of visiting. I stumbled upon you by accident on a day trip to Southport, England. But as soon as I walked inside I felt like I stumbled upon an amusement park from the 30's--- in Afghanistan! Indeed, the gates looked like barracks from the Taliban. It was surreal. The park was barely inhabited and most of the rides were shut down. It was like a ghost town! We both gaped and wondered aloud how an amusement park this OLD was even still running! The majority of the rides were literally from the 30's. They had a hodgepodge of different Disney characters painted on the exterior of the attractions, including Steamboat Willie! However, my favorite attraction was the cutest artisanal carousel that possessed an EXTRA touch of magic! Instead of generic plastic horses arranged in a circle, there were several different modes of transportation a young child could choose from! For instance, the red fire truck was made out of sturdy iron and if you rode in it you also got to wear the fire helmet! Another was a spaceship with designs lifted from the Sputnik era. Unfortunately, the seat space in the spaceship was so cramped I think only an infant would have been able to fit in it. Lastly, the bulky army tank was complete with camouflaged helmets! It made me forlorn to see how much work went into making this amazing carousel. The creator really took the time to create a special world for these children. It's a shame the same love, attention, creativity, *and* quality isn't shown in rides nowadays. I also deeply regretted the fact that I left my camera home! It would have been so interesting to take pictures of all of these "ancient" theme park rides. I munched on "Candy Floss" (American translation: Cotton Candy) and enjoyed walking around looking at all the rides and laughing at the outrageousness of it all! I can't even describe all the strange things we saw there. I also couldn't wait to go back, this time with the camera! One of the best parts about PleasureLand was the endless jokes one could make *without* the presence of children nearby; "I really hope you enjoyed going to Pleasureland with me, baby." We made a million jokes that day and Pleasureland and Jolly Jack were certainly some of the highlights from my England trip! [This review was written back in 2008. I understand that Pleasureland has since been renovated so I'm not sure if some of the rides that holds a special place in my heart are still there.]

What a wonderful place to go - great for all ages. I've been here a few times with the kids; they…read moreare never dissapointed! I find it a very friendly and beautiful park which has been upgraded alot over the past few years. All the animals looked very well cared for and happy, there was plenty of room for them to roam within their enclosures. I would say to take a picnic if the weather is nice and sit up towards the shetland ponies or outdoor train set - and enjoy the view!

Visited this for the owl experience and also got to handle some of the hawks. It was absolutely…read morefantastic and I would re visit this again. The owl experience involves using the gloves to handle a variety of different owls. You can feed and pet them and they look pretty happy in themselves! None of them are aggressive they all appear used to human contact with no evidence of nervousness etc. The Hawks are slightly less personable but still really interesting. Again they can be fed and flown but not petted. There is the option depending on which option you book to take the Hawks into the field and see them in their natural habitat. They quickly become distracted with animals in the surrounding area and it's really interesting to watch how they hunt naturally in the wild. Handler was really knowledgable and managed to get all of the birds to interact well. Definitely worth a visit !

An excellent day out with the children which all starts out with a ride on the tractors trailer,…read morefeed lambs & goats, see pigs horses cows and various other farm animals. This also has a great outdoor play area to keep the kids entertained.

The Forbidden Corner is one of our favourite days out. It is an attraction that appeals to all…read moremembers of the family, with so many hidden surprises to uncover. You must pre-book your tickets because availability is limited in order to help prevent the attraction from getting overcrowded. You can discover a whole lot more about what's on offer at The Forbidden Corner on Attractions Near Me - https://www.attractionsnearme.co.uk/places/activities/the-forbidden-corner/

A quirky, creepy, corner, hidden away in deepest darkest Yorkshire? I'm sure you're wondering what…read morethis is all about? The Forbidden Corner takes twisted imagination, and turns it into genuine childlike wonder. It's a take on traditional country gardens, walled around the outside, with some interesting things on the inside. Within the twists and turns, there's lots to see, including bears playing cards, frogs on a fountain, a talking crow, and so much more. I'm not going to go into more detail there at risk of spoiling the surprise. So, why should you go? You should go if you want to rekindle your childhood sense of whimsy, of discovering hidden things, of exploring, of secret passageways and concealed paths. You're bound to find something here that makes you smile! There's both a café and a restaurant on site. The café serves the usual sandwiches, pies and pasties, wholes the restaurant has a more extensive menu. You can also take picnic, but can't eat it inside - there is a picnic area outside, and your ticket let's you go in and out as many times as you want. To go, you have to book in advance and pick a time slot. There isn't a limit on how long you can stay in, just when you can enter. I'd suggest booking as soon as you can, and picking out an early time. We spent about five hours, and that felt like a good length of time to be there. I'll be going back in the future - it was great fun, and well worth the trip.

I want to disagree with those that say Gulliver's is just for the young kids. I took my 2 teenagers…read morewho are 16 and 14 and they had a whale of a time. If you are going to go on the train, wear some good walking shoes as you have a hell of a hill to climb. The whole park is set on the side of a hill. The best thing to do is when you go in the main entrance, Take the chair lift to the top and work your way back down. All the rides are totally family friendly so Mum, Dad and the kids can all go on together. There is only a height restriction on 2 rides so my little 3 yr old niece wasn't allowed to go on the Switchback Roller coaster or the drop tower. There's Fantasy Terrace where you can ride on the Flying Carpet and go on the Dodgems. There Western World where you can drive the JCB diggers, pan for gold and ride the Log Flume. The Log Flume was one of my favourites of the day. All children and adults can go on it yet the drop is quite awesome and we got soaked through. My daughter went on it twice. You can also buy a photo from the ride - We got Magnets to put on the fridge. Next you can take a walk through the Party house with a ball pool, big pedal tractors, A big old sandpit and a great interactive piano that you play with your feet. I took some time out to look at the breath taking views of Matlock and all of Derbyshire. Take a look at the photos to see for yourself. It makes all that hill climbing worth it. The biggest area is of course Lilliput land the home of Gulliver himself. You can play Giant chess , go over the magic stepping stones and ride the veteran cars, Find your way round the 3d maze, ride the Crazy barrel rapid ride, visit Lilliput castle, ride the teacups and the Rio Grande train ride. My favourite area was the Palais Royale area with the Switchback and the cycle monorail but boy did my legs feel it in the morning! As it is Gulliver's Anniversary this year every half an hour the 2 park Mascots Gully and Gilly would come out and sing. It was a lovely treat for the little ones so we took time out to get ice cream and donuts. OK they are a little expensive but the were really Yummy. The absolute last ride you get to go on before you leave the park is the Pirate ship which is my all time favourite ride so it was perfect to save the best for last. As for the food on the park. Well the usual is availableBurgers, Pizza, Chips and Chicken. We ate at Dixies Fish bar. You queue up at the till and order your food (Fish or Chicken burgers) and then when you paid you move round to the window to wait while the slow youngsters in the kitchen prepare your mealDon't wait until you are starving to order. It all comes in disposable wrappers so you can just throw it all away on your way out. I thought the price was quite reasonable and they don't skimp on portions either. Both my children asked if we can go again next year because they went on all the rides and had a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Quite disappointing for the price…read more Fantastic for those with young children only, but for older ones it can be quite boring. Top tip - take a picnic with you as there are plenty of benches about and the food places are extortionate!

Me, my wife, and 3 kids were desperate for a day out of the house, so we decided to try our local…read moresafari park. It was a very fun trip with really easy parking, the on site cafes and restaurants were a treat for the senses, we were having a great day until my son fell into the lion enclosure and was eaten. All in all great day for the family only rated 3 stars because of the weak lion fences.

Brilliant zoo to take the kids an most adults Hears…read morethere's a small fare ground Also you can get snack here Brilliant day out . Doesn't cost much either

Dunes Splash World in Southport is great for a fun packed family day out. With five fantastic…read morerides, including a bubble spa and kids play zone, it makes young and old alike (!) want to dive straight in and make a splash! If you're looking for something different from taking the kids to your local baths, Dunes provides many water-based rides to keep the energy fuelled occupied for hours on end. My personal favourite (back were the days) is lazy river tyre ride - Splash World's most popular ride but not to be deceived by the name. It's fast, furious and incredibly fun. Not suitable for the faint-hearted! It is just a case lying back, holding tight to the rubber ring and letting yourself go! The prices for children and adults are affordable. I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for something more than just a casual swim, as they don't have a complex like this in the centre of Liverpool. Southport also makes a brilliant location for a grand day out and has a long coastline (providing the tide is in!) to spend more hours swimming, if Splash World wasn't enough!

So I have never been to this swimming place before and I suppose I had higher hopes for it. I have…read moreobviously visited the Blackpool version and a few others abroad recently so maybe my expectations were unrealistic. It's a communal change and the cubicles are small. There are 2 family ones but they had long waits. It's also quite cold so lots of shivering kids. The pool isn't that large but is sectioned into different areas. There was a bubble bath but but it was not working. The kids zone was also bit boring for my 5 year old. There is 2 slides for adults. A lazy river that was very lazy. And a children's area that has water pistols and two little slides. It was all just ok but for three of us there was only silver coinage left from £30. You also only get one and half hours for that. You can get car parking and your locker refunded if you remember. I think it has the potential to be a bit more. All in all I give it 3 stars. I won't be rushing back again in a hurry.