The best things to do in Blackpool

The big sights

The four things that make Blackpool Blackpool.

1. 01

   Blackpool Tower

   Landmark

   

   Opened in 1894 and inspired by the Eiffel Tower, this iron landmark is the symbol of the town and visible from miles along the coast. A lift whisks you to the top, where a glass floor lets you look straight down at the promenade, and on a clear day the view stretches across the Irish Sea to the Lake District fells. Lower down is the Tower Ballroom, a riot of gilt, chandeliers and a sprung dance floor, where couples waltz to a Wurlitzer organ. Order afternoon tea and watch.

   Tip: Pick a clear day for the top. If the cloud is down, do the ballroom and the circus instead and save the view.

2. 02

   Blackpool Pleasure Beach

   Activity

   

   The amusement park at the southern end of the promenade has been thrilling visitors for well over a century. The Big One, its towering steel rollercoaster, dominates the skyline, but the park's real charm lies in its vintage wooden coasters, which rattle and creak in a most satisfying way. There is a dedicated area of gentler rides for younger children, so nobody is left holding the coats. Teenagers and thrill-seekers will want a full day.

   Tip: Weekdays outside the school holidays have the shortest queues.

3. 03

   Blackpool Illuminations

   Activity

   

   Every autumn, just as other resorts shut up shop, Blackpool switches on the lights. The Illuminations run for miles along the seafront, a parade of glowing tableaux, lasers and strings of coloured bulbs that has been a northern tradition for generations. You can drive through, slowly, with everyone else, but it is more fun to walk a stretch or ride one of the trams that are themselves dressed up in lights.

   Tip: Hotels fill fast for Illuminations weekends and the October half-term. Book well ahead.

4. 04

   The three piers

   Landmark

   

   Most seaside towns are proud of one pier. Blackpool has three. North Pier is the oldest and most elegant, a long Victorian boardwalk made for strolling with an ice cream. Central Pier has the big wheel and the fairground rides. South Pier, down by the Pleasure Beach, is the loud one, all thrill rides and arcades. Walk all three and you have covered most of the seafront.

Days out with the family

1. 05

   Sandcastle Waterpark

   Water park

   A huge indoor waterpark on the South Promenade, kept at tropical temperatures whatever the Lancashire weather is doing outside. There are slides for every level of bravery, a wave pool and shallow play areas for toddlers. It is the obvious plan for a rainy day, and everyone else knows it, so arrive early.

2. 06

   Blackpool Zoo

   Wildlife

   Set in parkland a short way inland from the seafront, next to Stanley Park, the zoo is home to big cats, gorillas, giraffes and elephants. It is spacious, green and a welcome change of pace after the noise of the promenade. Allow most of a day with younger children.

3. 07

   SEA LIFE Blackpool

   Wildlife

   

   Right on the promenade near the Tower, this aquarium is an easy hour or two when the wind is whipping off the sea. A walk-through tunnel puts sharks and rays overhead, and rock pool displays let small children get a closer look at crabs and starfish.

4. 08

   Heritage trams

   Activity

   

   Blackpool's seafront tramway is one of the oldest electric tramways in the world, and it never closed. Modern trams now do the daily work, but lovingly restored vintage cars, including open-top and double-deck models, still run along the promenade on selected days. A ride on one is the most charming way to see the seafront.

Shows and nights out

1. 09

   The Winter Gardens

   Landmark

   

   A grand Victorian entertainment complex in the middle of town, with an opera house, the vast Empress Ballroom and a string of ornate halls under glass. It hosts touring musicals, comedy, concerts and big dance festivals, and has seen everyone from music hall stars to party conferences. Even without a ticket, step inside to admire the tiled arcades.

2. 10

   The Grand Theatre

   Landmark

   Designed by the great theatre architect Frank Matcham and opened in 1894, the Grand is a jewel box of gilded balconies and painted ceilings. The programme mixes drama, comedy, dance and a much-loved Christmas pantomime. If you like your nights out with red velvet seats, this is the one.

3. 11

   Funny Girls

   Nightlife

   Blackpool's famous drag cabaret bar has been packing them in for decades with big costumes, bigger wigs and razor-sharp hosts. It is loud, glittery and gloriously good-humoured, and a favourite with hen parties and anyone who likes a show with their drinks. Sit near the front at your own risk.

Sea air and green space

1. 12

   Blackpool beach

   Beach

   When the tide goes out, Blackpool reveals miles of flat golden sand, firm enough for cricket and wide enough to lose the crowds. Donkey rides are a tradition here, as are buckets, spades and a stubborn refusal to be put off by the breeze. The sea is bracing; paddling is the usual limit.

2. 13

   The Comedy Carpet

   Landmark

   

   Spread across the promenade in front of the Tower is a vast pavement artwork made of jokes, songs and catchphrases from generations of British comedians, set in granite lettering. You will find yourself wandering about with your head down, reading punchlines aloud. It is funny, clever and very Blackpool.

3. 14

   Stanley Park

   Nature

   

   A mile or so inland lies one of the finest public parks in the north of England, laid out in the 1920s with Italian gardens, a boating lake, a bandstand and an Art Deco café. It is where locals come to escape the seafront, and a lovely spot for a picnic.

Eat and drink

1. 15

   Fish and chips

   Food

   

   You cannot come to Blackpool and not eat fish and chips. Haddock or cod in crisp batter, chips doused in salt and vinegar, mushy peas on the side, and ideally a sea wall to sit on while you eat them. The town has dozens of chippies, and the ones with a queue of locals are the ones to trust.

2. 16

   Blackpool rock

   Food

   The stick of pink, minty rock with the town's name running all the way through it is the classic British seaside souvenir, and Blackpool is its spiritual home. Shops along the promenade sell it in every colour and flavour. Your dentist would not approve. Buy some anyway.

Day trips

1. 17

   Lytham St Annes

   Day trip

   

   A few miles south, Blackpool's refined neighbour could hardly be more different. Lytham has a wide seafront green with a white windmill, leafy streets and smart cafés, while St Annes has a Victorian pier and a broad beach backed by dunes. Golfers know the area for Royal Lytham and St Annes, a regular host of The Open.

2. 18

   Fleetwood

   Day trip

   Stay on the tram to the very end of the line and you reach Fleetwood, an old fishing port at the mouth of the River Wyre. Come for the long-established market, the views across Morecambe Bay to the Lakeland hills and a bag of something fried and fresh. The ride along the coast is half the pleasure.

Where to stay in Blackpool

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in Blackpool →

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  ★★★★

  Holiday Inn Blackpool

  Blackpool

  Pets allowed

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• 

  ★★★★

  Raffles Hotel Tearooms

  Blackpool

  16 rooms

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• 

  ★★★★★

  Boulevard Hotel

  Blackpool

  Parking

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• 

  ★★★★

  Imperial Hotel Blackpool

  Blackpool

  Beach 50 m · Pets allowed · Parking

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• 

  ★★★★

  The Big Blue Hotel

  Blackpool

  Parking

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• 

  ★★★★

  The Strathdon

  Blackpool

  10 rooms

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• 

  ★★★★

  Blackpool FC Hotel

  Blackpool

  Spa · 72 rooms · Parking

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• 

  ★★★★

  Grand Hotel Blackpool

  Blackpool

  Spa · Pool · Parking

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