ADMIT it, in this hurly burly of life there are times when if one more person beeps their car horn at you seconds after the traffic lights go from red to green or another woman slams her supermarket trolley into your leg and doesn't apologise you think you'll snap.

Crikey you think, there have to be places where the pace of life is a little slower and the people are a bit more friendly. And luckily for me, with my patience strained, I've stumbled on such a place up north.

After enduring the sluggish traffic on the M6 crawl, what a joy it was to drive through quaint villages and expanses of lush green fields as we headed west to Southport.

My enthusiasm grew when the road led directly to the front door of our cosy hotel and the friendly staff told me they'd park my car.

Then as I strolled around town to get a feel for the place I felt like I'd stepped back in time. It's so quaint, so pretty – a classic seaside resort.

Except after wandering through the beautiful 34-acre Victoria Park gardens and past the marine lake towards the sea I discovered the tide doesn't often reach the shores of this popular resort.

But even without lapping waves, taking a bracing walk along the glorious Victorian pier and sheltering from the blustery winds at the pavilion at the end – watching the sands snake across the mud flats is enrapturing.

And then there's always the penny slot arcade run by Clive and Ros Baker to keep the young and old entertained. These 1920s slot machines take you back to a time of innocence and fun – getting your fortune told by Madame ZaZa is hilarious, and watching Sooty and Sweep put on a show is endearing.

Wandering back towards town we strolled through the funfair watching youngsters whiz through the air on sparkling, hair-raising rides and felt that gleeful 'we're on holiday' feeling rise.

Southport is so compact, we were back at the centre ready for dinner in no time, and introduced to the thriving nightlife in a town that boasts 200 restaurants to choose from.

Food and drinks at The Lounge Inn were fab. The minimalist style place is funky, trendy and turns into a cool, slickly lit bar late at night full of hip young things.

Afterwards we intended to head for bed but were intrigued by the famous cocktail bar in our Scarisbrick Hotel and were wowed by the high flung captivating techniques of the staff. Add to the mix seriously loud party music and dancing and you've got a very lively nightspot without even stepping out the front door of the centrally-positioned hotel.

The next night we felt it was our duty to explore and were seduced by the newest instalment to Lord Street – a luxury hotel called The Vincent.

In the swankiest bar I've graced for some time we took in a wealthy crowd. Smoulderingly dark with striking black and white iconic images and mirrors adorning the walls we learnt from the friendly clientele and bar staff this is a favourite haunt of the Brookside and Hollyoaks crowd when they come to town. Not surprising considering the very plush surroundings.

Determined to make the most of the day as well as the night we were up early to see as much of the town as possible. It was then I was struck by quite how friendly passersby were and how laid back the pace of life is.

As we strolled along the attractive Lord Street beneath glass canopies glancing in shops and wandering through picturesque old arcades, people smiled, they said hello and chatted quite merrily to us in shops.

It was so relaxing and welcoming it really did make us feel on holiday, away from the hustle bustle at home.

We dropped in for dinner at one of the must-dine spots in town – Fifty One The Promenade. The quality of food and service was outstanding and not in the least pretentious. Give it time and I'm sure it could get a Michelin star. We'll definitely be back there some day.

That's the draw of Southport – it's charming, gentle and laid back but with lots going on and it entices you to return.

We didn't have time to fully explore the colourful botanic gardens, the six championship golf courses nearby, or completely experience the nearby Antony Gormley 100 cast-iron life-size statues in the sea at Crosby. And of course, Liverpool is only a stone's throw away, so that means we'll have to go back to do it all. And that'll be a real pleasure.