Seaside in the Square Southampton

Living on the South Coast, I love to be by the sea, whether that's sitting down by Weston Shore in my car, walks along Lepe Beach with Stephen or taking a trip down to good ol' Bournemouth Beach during the school holidays. So when I heard that Guildhall Square, in the middle of Southampton City Centre was getting a beach for the summer, let's just say I was a little intrigued. Last week, I headed down with a group of Southampton Bloggers to see what Seaside in the Square was all about.

Amy Jo, Alice, Sian, Taylor-Marie, Anna, Grace, me, Nicole, Amy

After the recent redevelopment, Guildhall Square has become one of my favourite places to head to for a meal or a few drinks with friends. And now, nestled amongst the variety of bars and restaurants, and slap bang in front of the Guildhall itself (one of my favourite buildings in the city), you will now find a beach, kitted out with deckchairs and beanbags. I'll admit, the setup was not what I had imagined at all. It was bigger than I was expecting, with a large seating area, a sports beach, a stage, a bar run by Orange Rooms and some stalls selling your beach needs. It's really quite impressive.

While the Southampton Bloggers and I were treated to a sneak peek of the place to see and be seen this summer and a cocktail masterclass by the lovely staff at Orange Rooms. While I didn't participate  in the cocktail making and drinking (designated driver duties were calling), I had a real laugh watching the girls mixing their drinks.

The lovely Amy and Grace enjoying their cocktail making

If sipping a cocktail from the bar doesn't take your fancy, there are plenty of activities for you to choose from. From outdoor cinema showings to beach soccer and volleyball, aerodynamic yoga to family friendly BBQs - there really is something for everyone. You can view the full event timetable here.

As well as all this, you've also got the IKEA chill out zone. These adorable beach huts are the ideal places to escape the blazing sun we've been having lately. The three huts are all designed differently, each design a winning entry from a competition run earlier in the year. They are gorgeous, and the perfect backdrop for an Instagram post or two.

Go Southampton, the masterminds behind this genius idea, really have thought of everything. Because if none of this takes your fancy, there is also the Giant Deckchair Trail, which will take you all through the city. I love a good treasure hunt, especially when you get to see some sights as well. Once you've collected your trail sheet, there are 14 deckchairs to find and a handful of questions to answer - complete it all and you're in with the chance to win a selection of amazing prizes.

Grace, me, Fay, Amy

With the summer holidays finally upon us (it's been a long ol' school year, let me tell you), this is ideal to fill the long, sunny days. I'm definitely going to be seeing what I can fit in while I'm off work - the Giant Deckchair Trail is definitely calling me.

Which activity would you most like to check out?

Love Lexie
xo