Family-friendly Blackpool: top things to do with kids
In a world of expensive slick theme parks that you need to fly abroad to get to, often across an ocean, the English resort of Blackpool stands proud, a tried and tested holiday escape popular with British families for generations.
As a kid, I remember it was such a highlight being taken down to see the 'Blackpool Illuminations' and all the family-geared activities. I've continued that tradition by taking my kids there for holidays too.
These days, this northwest of England resort has had to up its game to keep up with the competition, with a whole host of genuinely superb attractions awaiting families of all ages.
The quintessential Blackpool experiences of an ice cream on the promenade and a wee paddle at the beach remain, but to them have been added myriad attractions.
The Blackpool Tower is a must-do to take in the scale of the town and its Lancashire surroundings, but there are also dark dungeons, a waxworks museum and a sealife centre; the Gruffalo even makes a rare appearance.
Top tip: check out the Pick'n'Mix Pass Blackpool*, which offers various combination tickets to help you save when visiting more than one attraction.
Head up Blackpool Tower
The soaring monster of Blackpool Tower* was the tallest manmade structure in the British Empire when it opened in 1894 at 158 metres. If it reminds you of the Eiffel Tower that's because it was modelled on its famous Parisian sibling.
This heritage-listed tower is still said to be the 12th-tallest freestanding tower in the world. If you're brave try the thrilling SkyWalk at the Blackpool Tower Eye; on a good day you'll be able to see the Isle of Man.
It stands proudly over a three-storey entertainment complex that includes the Tower Circus (home to Blackpool's longest-running show, with performers from all over the world), and the ornate Tower Ballroom.
There is a 4D cinema and mini golf too. This eclectic site is also home to the Fifth Floor, Blackpool's newest events space.
Delve into the dungeon
The Blackpool Tower Dungeon* is part of the Tower complex but deserves mention in its own right. This immersive experience sweeps you through a thousand years of ghoulish local history with 360° sets.
It may use high tech for thrills and spills, but it's also constantly engaging thanks to the actors bringing it alive.
The names of the themed areas set the tone: the Dark Chapel, The Plague and The Torturer. The Killers used the latter to film their video for Here with Me, directed by Tim Burton.
Look out for a jump scare in the senses-tingling drop ride. I won't spoil the surprise. There is even an on-site Escape Room if you dare to test yourself to escape within an hour.
Madame Tussauds Blackpool
They are all there at Madame Tussauds Blackpool*: the great and the good, and even the less good, immortalised in wax in a brilliantly fun family escape. Royals include the late Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, and Kate Middleton. Sports personalities include David Beckham and Mo Farah.
Movie stars are well represented with the likes of James Bond in the form of Daniel Craig and Johnny Depp in his Captain Jack Sparrow garb.
Pop stars come alive too with everyone from Elvis Pressley and Freddie Mercury, right through to Harry Styles, KSI, Ariana Grande and Lewis Capaldi.
Wax art meets comic heroes turned film stars with a Marvel zone featuring the Hulk, Iron Man and Spiderman that kids love. Grown-ups will appreciate the parts where they let you in on some of the secrets of how the exhibits are crafted.
Meet the Gruffalo
The new Gruffalo Clubhouse Blackpool* is a sign that this is a family resort that never sits on its hard-won laurels. A quarter of a century of this much-loved children's character is celebrated in serious style, as little ones join the Gruffalo and his friends.
They get to dive, slide and climb into the pages of the books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler meeting The Gruffalo, Zog, The Snail and the Whale and more. The half-dozen zones are designed to enthral those up to 10 years old. There is the Woodland Café and a well-stocked gift shop on site too.
Explore the deep blue sea
SEA LIFE Blackpool* is the place to take wee ones who want to know more about what lives on and beneath the surface of our waters. There are over 2,500 sea creatures, from seahorses, crabs and jellyfish to mighty sharks.
A highlight is the Atlantic Ocean Tunnel, which reveals a 360° underwater view; tiny minds are blown as sharks and rays cruise overhead.
This seriously diverse visitor experience also takes you deep into the rainforest to meet poison dart frogs and scary piranhas. The emphasis here is on engaging with the creatures of the sea, learning about their habits and, importantly, they stress, how to protect and preserve them for future generations.
That beach
It was the chance to take in the air with a stroll along the beachfront that brought people to the resort of Blackpool in the first place.
The swathe of coast around Blackpool hosts everything from sandy beaches to stony strolling stretches, all the way from Fleetwood in the north to Lytham St Annes in the south, much of it accessible from Blackpool's promenade.
People don't come here as much just for the beaches these days with so much else going on, so there is always plenty of space to unfurl your towel and relax. Families can build a sandcastle or relax with an ice cream; the simple, timeless pleasures.
Get active in and around Blackpool
There are loads of opportunities to walk north and south on the promenade or into the countryside.
Or you can take to two wheels renting a bike. Stanley Park (voted the best park in the UK) has rowing boats, trampolining and tennis courts, as well as gardens and nature trails to ramble around.
Wild Shore Blackpool, the old Blackpool Wake Park, is on hand with paddleboarding, wakeboarding and open water swimming, with rental and tuition available.
Climate in Blackpool
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The above guide shows the climate in Blackpool. Find out more conditions across the county in our guide to the climate in Lancashire and the wider climate across England.
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