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Coastal town in Lancashire, England
Photo: Keith Edkins, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire on the northwest coast of England, bordering the Irish Sea. It's a traditional holiday resort with miles of sandy beach, the iconic Tower, and cheap and cheerful amenities for visitors. In 2020 the population was 145,000.
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A Victorian tribute-act to the Eiffel Tower, 518 ft (158 m) high, part of a big leisure complex. The main attractions (many closed in winter) are: the Ballroom, ornately decorated, where the Wurlitzer tootles as you dance or sip tea; the Circus; the Dungeon theme-ride; Jungle Jim's children's indoor adventure play area; Dino's indoor mini-golf; and finally the observation deck at the top of the tower, now called Blackpool Tower Eye reached by glass elevator. Various combi tickets online (cheaper than at the door): the Eye is £15.
Completed in 1878 in Early English style. It's part of the Diocese of Blackburn.
North Pier was opened in 1863 and is 550 yards (500 m) long. It was aimed at the "genteel" classes rather than day-tripper hoi-polloi, and remains the quietest of Blackpool's three piers. Originally it had a landing wharf at the end. Several ships have bashed into the pier down the years, and a 1936 steamer bisected it to leave several people stranded. It suffered fires in 1921 and 1938, but the biggest threat has been financial viability versus the cost of upkeep of the Grade II listed structure. There's an arcade with shops then a breezy stroll (or pootling tram) out to the pub, sun lounge and Joe Longthorne Theatre at the far end, named for the singer (1955-2019) who did impressions of Shirley Bassey. An earlier showbiz career launched here was in 1948 when Harry Corbett (1918-1989) bought a glove-puppet bear to amuse his son, for 7s/6d (nowadays 37.5 p). The puppet boosted his stage act and he daubed its nose and ears black for a stronger image on TV , hence Sooty.
This opened in 1868 to target the day-tripper mass-market that North Pier didn't care for, so it was close to the (now vanished) Central Station and has always had more amusements. It's 371 yards (339 m) long but it used to be longer: the landing jetty was removed in 1975. It suffered fires in 1964, 1973 and 2020. There are arcades, a pub, and a funfair with waltzers, dodgems and a 33-m Ferris wheel.
When opened in 1893 it was called Victoria Pier. At 163 yards (149 m) long, it was intended to be upmarket, but commercial reality soon forced it to offer more attractions. It suffered fires in 1958 and 1964. It has arcades, a funfair (which replaced the theatre), a cafe and a bar.
One of Britain's largest and oldest amusement parks, with ten roller coasters including the Grand National, a listed racing wooden coaster built in 1935, the world-unique Steeplechase roller coaster, and Britain's tallest roller coaster The Big One which is over high. Other rides include the 1930 Ghost Train which gave the rides their name, and Sir Hiram Maxim's Captive Flying Machines, the oldest amusement park ride in Europe, being built in 1904. As well as the adult rides, children's rides area, and side-stalls, the park also has some excellent architecture. It began as a Victorian funfair, adding permanent buildings in the 1930s in Art Deco style, such as the station of the Roller Coaster ride, and the White Tower at the south entrance to the park.
The zoo in Blackpool Tower closed in 1969; it was a cramped unhygienic affair, the site of Alfred's mishap with the lion. This larger zoo opened in Stanley Park in 1972. There are great ape enclosures, wolves, wallabies, penguins, meerkats... and dinosaurs, rare in the wild nowadays.
Council run art gallery which opened in 1911. The gallery shows both temporary exhibitions and its permanent collection
Tour the Promenade, starting from the Tower. The standard tour is a one-hour ride north to Bispham then south as far as Pleasure Beach and back to the Tower.
They host many shows including the Blackpool Fringe.
A 1100-seat theatre opened in 1894 and staging music, comedy, drama and panto.
"The Seasiders" were relegated in 2023 and now play football in League One, the game's third tier.
A lights and laser show stretching for 6 mi along the Prom, from Starr Gate in the south to Bispham in the north. The Lights, founded in 1879, are usually on from the end of Aug to early Jan, with a celebrity switch-on. (In 1977 they were switched on by the racehorse Red Rum.) You can walk or drive the route (south to north is recommended for driving, suggested donation £5 per car) or take a tram, which sounds cool but the view from within the trams is limited.
Viva Blackpool
Cabaret, dinner theatre, events venue and private events hosted across the year. Also host live music, comedy, touring acts and other entertainment.
Upmarket but relaxed bistro with global offerings.
A very large fish & chips outlet
Well-known chain, slick offerings of trad fish & chips.
A cowboy-themed burger restaurant
Michael Wan's
Great scores for this long-established Cantonese restaurant.
Lively Tex-Mex serving huge portions.
Good Chinese food near the bus station.
Slick-friendly Thai restaurant with authentic cuisine.
Something different: good reviews for this small Hungarian bistro.
is the town's oldest fish & chips shop, founded in 1907.
A quiet place for light bites.
Last Orders Pub
Real trad locals' pub but welcoming to strangers.
Pleasant seafront pub, decent grub, dog-friendly.
JD Wetherspoons with competitively priced food and drinks, named for the "Albert and the Lion" comic monologue.
An unrelated business in the basement of Albert Hotel. They serve an impressive variety of UK and continental craft ales.
Very central place with Continental-style eating and drinking, large outdoor seating area. Also main afterparty pub for Rebellion Punk Festival audience after Winter Gardens close for night. Non-Pubwatch venue so bouncers make their own rules and can bar you for nighttime permanently even no official ban (won't be around daytime).
Welcoming trad pub, independent with real ales and big screen sport TV.
Stalwart customers feel this isn't what it used to be.
Bankhall Distillery began production in 2020 and should begin sales in April 2023. They make Kentucky-style bourbon, not Scotch. No tours.
Open mid-Mar to first week in Nov, this site has static caravans for self-catering lets, tourer and camping pitches, and amenities and activities.
Friendly helpful owners.
Pet-friendly 3-star hotel, two Family Rooms (up to 4 people) 7 doubles, all en suite TV and tea/coffee making facilities. With bar lounge.
Small 3-star, good location, gets very mixed reviews for room comfort and cleanliness and reception. Not connected to the Osborne House Hotel on Read's Ave.
formerly Queens Park Hotel
Clean friendly 3-star with 13 rooms. The ground floor room has disabled access. Relaxing lounge with licensed bar, non-smoking. Free parking.
Clean friendly 3-star, some rooms cramped. No pets, free parking may be available.
Friendly family run B&B, licensed bar.
Very central 3-star with 13 rooms en suite. No parking here, use public parking for £14/night.
30-bedroom licensed sea-front hotel. Karaoke on Fridays. Free parking if available.
Clean welcoming 3-star. No pets, no lifts.
Britannia Hotels
Vast fortress on north Prom, often used for conferences. Facilities include a swimming pool and gym.
formerly Hilton
Run by Britannia.
3-star run by Britannia.
Run by Britannia.
Reliable low cost chain. They have other branches at South Pier and Squires Gate.
Smart welcoming hotel, basically B&B but can serve dinner given notice. Free parking. No children under 5, assistance dogs only.
Sister hotel to No 1 South Beach, this clean comfy B&B with 3 rooms is a quarter mile from Pleasure Beach. No children under 4 or dogs.
4-star contemporary hotel next to Pleasure Beach, friendly clean and efficient.
Luxury "destination" hotel, which the town has lacked, Boulevard opened in 2019. Most find it worth the price, a minority are not convinced.
Victorian 4-star with 120 rooms, showing its age. Car park £7 / night, no pets.
It is a large shopping centre just behind the Tower.
Huge selection of skateboard and scooter merchandise alongside a wide range of clothing, safety gear and accessories. A skater-owned shop.
By bus
Long distance buses don't run to Blackpool - change in Preston.
By train
All trains to Blackpool run via Preston, taking about 30 min – change there coming from The Midlands or Scotland.
By plane
Blackpool airport no longer has scheduled passenger flights, but remains in use as an air-support base for the gas fields out in Morecambe Bay.
By boat
Ferries no longer sail from nearby Fleetwood. The closest ferry routes are from Heysham near Morecambe to Douglas, Isle of Man, and from Liverpool to Dublin and Belfast.
By tram
Trams run the length of the sea front from Starr Gate in the south near the airport to Fleetwood in the north. Trams run every 15 min from 6AM to 7PM then every 30 min to midnight.
By bus
Buses within town are operated by Blackpool Transport.
By taxi
Over a dozen firms ply the town. Those around town centre include 24/7 (+44 1253 777222), C Cabs (+44 1253 292929) and Blacktax (+44 1253 596596). The maximum fare is set by the Council.50 a mile.
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