Blackpool

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.

Understand

Blackpool Tower and the Golden Mile

The Black Pool was a large peat-stained lake and wetland. West of it along the coast were sandhills and rough grazing: the main village was Poulton-le-Fylde ("pool town") and other tiny settlements were Thornton, Cleveleys, Norbreck and Bispham. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the wetland was drained for agriculture, so nowadays Marton Mere is its only remnant. Drainage made road access easier just as the fashion for sea-bathing took off, but getting here involved a lumbering expensive stagecoach ride so few visited.

In 1830 a railway was built from Preston to Fleetwood, which was intended to become a ferry terminal. That venture flopped but a railway spur was built to Blackpool in 1848 just as leisure time and disposable income were benefitting a mass market. Each northern factory town took it in turns to close in summer for maintenance, releasing its labour. You could tell which town was having its "wakes week", especially during the "Glasgow trades", by the accents heard along the sea front. The concept of "wakes" — vigils on the eve of a Saint's Day — was carefully described in 601 AD by Pope Gregory I, who somehow failed to see its Victorian evolution. Blackpool acquired its promenade, three piers, amusements, pubs and accommodation, with Blackpool Tower opening in 1894. It had by far the best beach, miles and miles of sand, on a coast that is otherwise silted by estuary outflow. Amusements were concentrated on the 1½ mile strip between the north and south piers, and this was dubbed "Golden Mile", a wry reference to its slot machines.

Blackpool needed visitors and income outside the summer holiday season. The Illuminations were inaugurated in 1879 to extend the season, and the Winter Gardens (opened in 1878) pitched it as a year-round resort. It majored on conferences, including party political and trade union annual conferences. It developed a gambling strip, as the Golden Mile tried to ape Las Vegas with casino hotels, though the idea of a "super-casino" was rejected. Meanwhile the traditional week-long summer visitors had dwindled, as the Med and further afield came within budget price-range. Blackpool nowadays attracts party weekenders such as hen or stag groups, plus an older clientele who enjoy the nostalgia. The strains of the Tower Ballroom Wurlitzer striking up with "Oh I do like to be beside the seaside" brings a tear to the eyes of many, not least because the sharp sea breeze has already set their eyes and noses streaming.

• Visit Blackpool visitor information

Get in

By car

Blackpool can be reached via the M55 from the M6, the UK's main motorway through the North West of England. Blackpool has many car parks available to visitors, several of which are very close the town's main attractions and promenade.

By bus

Long distance buses don't run to Blackpool - change in Preston.

Stagecoach Bus 61 runs hourly from Preston taking 75 min. Bus 42 runs hourly from Lancaster via the university, Galgate, Garstang, Churchtown, St Michael's, Great Eccleston and Poulton-le-Fylde.

See "Get around" for local buses from Lytham, St Annes, Poulton-le-Fylde, Thornton-Cleveleys and Fleetwood.

The 1 bus station is on Talbot Rd 200 yards from the beach front. It's a draughty coach-park with a prefab ticket office and toilets but little shelter.

By train

Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain

All trains to Blackpool run via Preston, taking about 30 min – change there coming from The Midlands or Scotland.

2 Blackpool North train station. The main station, half a mile from the tower. Trains run every 15 min from Preston via Kirkham and Poulton-le-Fylde: these may start from Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Airport, York or London Euston. It has a staffed ticket office and machines, a cafe and toilets, and step-free access. (updated Dec 2023)

3 Blackpool South train station. Has trains hourly from Preston via Kirkham, Lytham, Fairhaven, St Anne's, Squires Gate and Pleasure Beach. The station is just a single platform terminus with no facilities; it has step-free access. (updated Dec 2023)

By plane

• Manchester Airport (MAN ^IATA) has a huge range of flights. There are direct trains hourly between the airport and Blackpool North, taking 1 hr 40 min, plus other connections via Preston.

• Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL ^IATA), 35 mi (56 km) south, has budget flights across Europe.

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.

Get around

A heritage tram

On foot

The seafront is a flat walk, but even the central promenade between Pleasure Beach and Bispham is 4 miles (6.4 km); the entire strip is 17 miles (27 km).

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. In 2022 a single fare is £2.90 and a return is £5, pay on board by cash or card. If arriving by train, a "Plusbus" ticket allows travel on trams within Blackpool but not Fleetwood. The standard trams are modern Bombardier Flexitys with low floors and are wheelchair accessible. (See below for heritage tram rides, by separate ticket.) The tramway has operated since 1885, the world's second oldest, powered from overhead cables once they realised what happened to under-street electrical conduits when sea-spray washed over the prom. In the 1960s the inland sections of the tramway system were decommissioned. There is however a revival with a spur linking the tramway system to Blackpool North Railway Station expected to open in 2023.

By bus

Buses within town are operated by Blackpool Transport.

Bus 1 parallels the tram route between Starr Gate, central promenade, Cleveleys and Fleetwood. Town buses 11 and 17 run from St Anne's via Lytham; Bus 11 follows the promenade while Bus 17 goes inland behind Squires Gate. Bus 7 starts from St Anne's and from Starr Gate runs inland.

Buses 5 and 18 zigzag though south districts, Buses 3, 6 and 20 serve southeast districts.

Buses 2 and 20 run east via the hospital to Poulton-le-Fylde. Bus 2C continues across the River Wyre to Hambleton, Stalmine and Knott End.

Buses 3, 4, 7 and 9 run through the north of town as far as Cleveleys. Bus 14 takes an inland route north to Thornton and Fleetwood.

The Blackpool "blue" fare zone 1 covers the entire town north to Cleveleys, east to Poulton-le-Fylde and south to Starr Gate. Anything beyond is "green" or Zone 2, covering Thornton, Fleetwood and St Annes. In 2022 a single in Zone 1 is £2.30 and for both zones is £2.90. A 24-hour ticket is £6.60 (slightly cheaper online) and 3, 7 and 30 day tickets are available.

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. In 2022 from 9AM to midnight it's £2.60 flagfall then reckon £2.50 a mile.

See

Excerpt from The Lion and Albert by Marriott Edgar (1880–1951) They didn’t think much to the ocean, the waves they was fiddlin’ and small There was no wrecks and nobody drowned, ‘Fact, nothing to laugh at at all. — in Marriott Edgar's poem, the Ramsbottoms instead take Albert to the Zoo.

Blackpool Tower Ballroom

• 1 Blackpool Tower. Daily from 10:00. 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. (updated Dec 2022)
• Showtown just south of the Tower is an interactive museum about Blackpool showbiz, opening 15 March 2024.
• 2 St Johns Anglican parish church (behind the Tower). Completed in 1878 in Early English style. It's part of the Diocese of Blackburn. (updated Nov 2023)
• 3 North Pier, ☏ +44 1253 623422. 24 hr. 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. Free. (updated Dec 2022)
• 4 Central Pier, ☏ +44 1253 623422. Apr-Nov: daily from 10AM. 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 131 yd (120 m) 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. FreeGBP. (updated Dec 2022)
• 5 South Pier, ☏ +44 1253 623422. Apr-Nov: daily from 10AM. 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. Free. (updated Dec 2022)

Donkeys on the beach

• 6 Blackpool Pleasure Beach, 525 Ocean Boulevard, FY4 1EZ. Apr-Oct: daily 11AM-5PM. 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 200 ft (61 m) 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. Adult £35, child £30. (updated Dec 2022)
• 7 Blackpool Zoo, East Park Drive FY3 8PP, ☏ +44 1253 830830, info@blackpoolzoo.org.uk. Daily Nov-Mar: 10AM-4PM, Apr-Oct 10AM-5:45PM. 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. Adult £15. (updated Dec 2022)
• 8 Marton Mere is a freshwater lake and wetland wildlife reserve, all that remains of a much larger lake drained for agriculture in the 19th century. It's free to access 24 hours, and best approached from the south via the Holiday Village.

Do

• What's on? Check local listings for forthcoming events in Blackpool.
• Blackpool Sands extend for miles. The area between North and Central Piers can get busy and trash-strewn in summer. Take a donkey ride, ironically if that helps (not Fridays; 50-kg rider weight limit). It's all safe (though cold) for bathing but there are gullies near the sea wall that silently flood behind you and cut you off; if the shore watchman is waving and barking through a megaphone, it's time to return to the Prom. (Over 90 people got stranded one spring day in 2011.) The beach becomes shingly and muddy north of Bispham as you come into Cleveleys, but it is good all the way south to the sand hills of St Annes.
• Heritage trams. Late Mar-Dec: Weekends and some weekdays. 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. £6-8. (updated Feb 2024)
• 1 Winter Gardens, 97 Church St, FY1 1HL, ☏ +44 1253 625252. They host many shows including the Blackpool Fringe. (updated Dec 2022)
• 2 Funny Girls is a drag cabaret staged at 5 Dickson Rd FY1 2AX.
• 3 Grand Theatre, 33 Church St FY1 1HT, ☏ +44 1253 290190. A 1100-seat theatre opened in 1894 and staging music, comedy, drama and panto. (updated Dec 2022)
• 4 Sea Life is an aquarium one block south of the Tower, open daily Nov-Mar 10AM-3PM, Apr-Oct 10AM-4PM.
• Football: 5 Blackpool FC, Bloomsfield Road, Seasiders Way FY1 6JJ, ☏ +44 871 622 1953. "The Seasiders" were relegated in 2023 and now play football in League One, the game's third tier. (updated May 2023)
• Blackpool Illuminations. A lights and laser show stretching for 6 mi (9.7 km) 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. (updated Feb 2024)
• Golf: 6 Blackpool Park GC is on North Park Drive on Stanley Park. White tees Par 70, 6048 Yards.

See Lytham St Annes#Do for St Annes Old Links and Royal Lytham GC. Harry Lauder's short comic film "Bunkered at Blackpool" appears to show St Annes; his flailing golf club grows ever longer.

• World Fireworks Championships are hosted by Blackpool on weekends in October. View them from the central promenade.
• 7 Viva (Viva Blackpool), 3 Church Street, ☏ +44 1253 297297, customercare@vivablackpool.com. Cabaret, dinner theatre, events venue and private events hosted across the year. Also host live music, comedy, touring acts and other entertainment. (updated May 2024)

Buy

Blackpool Rock on sale in 1959

• 1 Blackpool Rock is a cylinder of hard candy that needs to sucked slowly, never bitten if you value your teeth. It has "Blackpool" written right through it, or a person's name if you pay more. It's usually peppermint or fruit-flavoured and is also sold in cut slices, lollipops and smashed bits. A basic stick might cost 50p.
• 2 "Kiss Me Quick" hats once proclaimed the limit of the town's sexual debauchery. They're still worn nostalgically, while corny picture postcards where vast women declare "I've lost my little Willy..." have become antique collectables.
• 3 Sainsbury's, Talbot Road (next to North Station), ☏ +44 1253 843480. M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 10:30AM-4:30PM. (updated Nov 2023)
• 4 Houndshill Shopping Centre. It is a large shopping centre just behind the Tower. (updated Jan 2024)
• 5 Big Woody's Skateshop, 370 Talbot Road FY1 1LF (corner of Devonshire Rd), ☏ +44 1253 296296, sales@bigwoodys.co.uk. M Tu Th-Sa 10:30AM-5:30PM. Huge selection of skateboard and scooter merchandise alongside a wide range of clothing, safety gear and accessories. A skater-owned shop. (updated Dec 2022)

Eat

Excerpt from The Lion and Albert by Marriott Edgar (1880–1951) You could see that the lion didn’t like it, For giving a kind of a roll, He pulled Albert inside the cage with ‘im And swallowed the little lad... whole! — Albert had much vexed the lion by poking a stick in its ear.

"Chippies" are everywhere in Blackpool, but the quality varies enormously. The promenade is one enormous strip of fish & chips and other fast-food places.

• 1 Beach House, Festival House, Promenade FY1 1AP (one block north of Tower), ☏ +44 1253 749899. Su-Th noon-10PM, F Sa noon-1AM. Upmarket but relaxed bistro with global offerings. (updated Dec 2022)
• 2 Papa's, 66-74 Promenade (a block north of the Tower). M-Sa 11:30AM-10PM, Su 11:30AM-9PM. A very large fish & chips outlet (updated Nov 2023)
• 3 Harry Ramsden's, Blackpool Tower, ☏ +44 1253 752861. Daily 11:30AM-9:30PM. Well-known chain, slick offerings of trad fish & chips. (updated Dec 2022)
• 4 Wild West, The Promenade (south flank of the Tower). A cowboy-themed burger restaurant (updated Nov 2023)
• 5 Mandarin (Michael Wan's), 27 Clifton Street FY1 1JD, ☏ +44 1253 622687. Tu-Su 5-10:30PM. Great scores for this long-established Cantonese restaurant. (updated Dec 2022)
• 6 West Coast Rock Cafe, 5-7 Abingdon St FY1 1DG (opposite Winter Gardens), ☏ +44 1253 584238. M-Sa noon-10PM, Su 11AM-11PM. Lively Tex-Mex serving huge portions. (updated Dec 2022)
• 7 Red Pepper, 51 Central Drive FY1 5DS, ☏ +44 1253 291152. Tu-Su 5-10:30PM. Good Chinese food near the bus station. (updated Dec 2022)
• 8 Boonnak, 60 Topping Street FY1 3AQ, ☏ +44 1253 290647. Tu-Su noon-2:30PM, 5-10PM. Slick-friendly Thai restaurant with authentic cuisine. (updated Dec 2022)
• 9 Hungarian's, 57 Topping Street FY1 3AF (20 yd (18 m) north of Boonnak), ☏ +44 7751 061687. W-M 5-9PM. Something different: good reviews for this small Hungarian bistro. (updated Dec 2022)
• 10 Yorkshire Fisheries, 14 Topping St. M-Sa 11:30AM-7PM. is the town's oldest fish & chips shop, founded in 1907. (updated Nov 2023)
• 11 Ziggy's Cafe Bar, 10 Cedar Square (around the corner from Boonnak). A quiet place for light bites. (updated Nov 2023)

Drink

"Infusion", Pleasure Beach

• 1 Corner House (Last Orders Pub), 80 Sherbourne Rd FY4 2PQ, ☏ +44 1253 628943. Daily 10AM-midnight. Real trad locals' pub but welcoming to strangers. (updated Dec 2022)
• 2 Dutton Arms, 441 Promenade FY4 1AR (corner with Waterloo Rd), ☏ +44 1253 405428. M-F 11AM-11PM, Sa 10AM-midnight, Su 10AM-10PM. Pleasant seafront pub, decent grub, dog-friendly. (updated Dec 2022)
• 3 The Albert and the Lion, Promenade FY1 4RU (beneath Tower), ☏ +44 1253 743690. Daily 8AM-midnight. JD Wetherspoons with competitively priced food and drinks, named for the "Albert and the Lion" comic monologue. (updated Dec 2022)
• 4 Albert's Ale Micropub, 117 Albert Road. Th-Sa 2-11PM. An unrelated business in the basement of Albert Hotel. They serve an impressive variety of UK and continental craft ales. (updated Nov 2023)
• 5 Rose & Crown, 22 Corporation Street FY1 1EJ (two blocks from North Pier), ☏ +44 1253 299821. Daily 11AM-11PM. Very central place with Continental-style eating and drinking, large outdoor seating area. (updated Dec 2022)
• 6 Sun Inn, 88 Bolton Street FY1 6AA (next to South Shore Yates), ☏ +44 1253 342229. Daily 10AM-midnight. Welcoming trad pub, independent with real ales and big screen sport TV. (updated Dec 2022)
• 7 Tache Rock Club, 22 Corporation St FY1 4NY. Stalwart customers feel this isn't what it used to be. (updated Dec 2022)
• 8 Blackpool Whiskey. Bankhall Distillery began production in 2020 and should begin sales in April 2023. They make Kentucky-style bourbon, not Scotch. No tours. (updated Nov 2023)

Sleep

Excerpt from The Lion and Albert by Marriott Edgar (1880–1951) The Magistrate gave his o-pinion, That no-one was really to blame. He said that he hoped the Ramsbottoms would have further sons to their name.

Self-catering

Central Pier

• 1 Marton Mere Holiday Village, Mythop Road FY4 4XN (south side of lake 3 mi (4.8 km) from town), ☏ +44 1253 767544. 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. (updated Dec 2022)
• 2 Cleveland Court Holiday Apartments, 23 Withnell Road FY4 1HF, ☏ +44 1253 348406. Friendly helpful owners. (updated Dec 2022)
• 3 Queen's Mansions in Bispham and similar upscale apartments are run by Burbage Holiday Group. They're wheelchair accessible and some accept dogs.

Budget

• 4 Chesterfield Hotel, 5 Wellington Road FY1 6AR, ☏ +44 1253 345979. 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. B&B double £60. (updated Dec 2022)
• 5 New Osborne Hotel, Osborne Rd FY4 1HJ, ☏ +44 1253 345110. 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. B&B double £60. (updated Dec 2022)
• 6 The Address Hotel (formerly Queens Park Hotel), 91 Read's Ave FY1 4DG (off Lytham Rd, half mile inland from Tower), ☏ +44 1253 624238. Clean friendly 3-star with 13 rooms. The ground floor room has disabled access. Relaxing lounge with licensed bar, non-smoking. Free parking. B&B double £60. (updated Dec 2022)
• 7 Kingscliff Hotel, 78 Hornby Rd FY1 4QJ (half mile inland from Tower), ☏ +44 1253 620200. Check-in: 2-8PM, check-out: 10AM. Clean friendly 3-star, some rooms cramped. No pets, free parking may be available. B&B double £55. (updated Dec 2022)
• 8 The Salendine, 44 St Chads Rd FY1 6BP (100 yd (91 m) back from South Shore Prom), ☏ +44 1253 346749. Friendly family run B&B, licensed bar. B&B double £50. (updated Dec 2022)
• 9 Chaplins Hotel, 15 Albert Road FY1 4TA (100 yd (91 m) south of Tower), ☏ +44 1253 294440, chaplinshotel@live.com. Very central 3-star with 13 rooms en suite. No parking here, use public parking for £14/night. B&B double £60. (updated Dec 2022)

Mid-range

Norbreck Castle Hotel

• 10 Canasta Hotel, 288 Promenade FY1 2EY (half a mile N of North Station), ☏ +44 1253 290501. 30-bedroom licensed sea-front hotel. Karaoke on Fridays. Free parking if available. B&B double £60. (updated Dec 2022)
• 11 Staymor Hotel, 555 New South Promenade FY4 1NF (near Sandcastle), ☏ +44 1253 405757. Check-in: 2-8PM, check-out: 10:30. Clean welcoming 3-star. No pets, no lifts. Double (room only) £50. (updated Dec 2022)
• Britannia Group run four mid-range hotels in Blackpool: Norbreck Castle, the Grand, the Savoy, and the Metropole:
  • 12 Norbreck Castle Hotel (Britannia Hotels), Queens Promenade FY2 9AA (2 mi (3.2 km) north of tower), ☏ +44 871 222 0031. Vast fortress on north Prom, often used for conferences. Facilities include a swimming pool and gym. B&B double from £55. (updated Dec 2022)
  • 13 Grand Hotel (formerly Hilton), Promenade FY1 2JQ. Run by Britannia. B&B double from £80. (updated Nov 2023)
  • 14 Metropole Hotel, 146-148 Promenade FY1 1RQ. 3-star run by Britannia. B&B double from £75. (updated Nov 2023)
  • 15 Savoy Hotel, Promenade FY2 9SJ (1 mi (1.6 km) north of tower). Run by Britannia. B&B double from £70. (updated Nov 2023)
• 16 Premier Inn, 4 Talbot Rd FY1 1LY (100 yards inland from North Pier), ☏ +44 871 527 8000. Reliable low cost chain. They have other branches at South Pier and Squires Gate. B&B double £80. (updated Dec 2022)
• 17 Number One South Beach, 4 Harrowside West FY4 1NW, ☏ +44 1253 343900. Smart welcoming hotel, basically B&B but can serve dinner given notice. Free parking. No children under 5, assistance dogs only. B&B double £100. (updated Dec 2022)
• 18 Number One St Luke's, 1 St Luke's Rd FY4 2EL, ☏ +44 1253 343901. 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. B&B double £110. (updated Dec 2022)

Splurge

• 19 Big Blue Hotel, Clifton Drive, Pleasure Beach FY4 1ND, ☏ +44 1253 400045, reservations@bigbluehotel.com. 4-star contemporary hotel next to Pleasure Beach, friendly clean and efficient. B&B double £100. (updated Dec 2022)
• 20 Boulevard Hotel, Ocean Boulevard FY4 1PL (next to Big Blue at Pleasure Beach), ☏ +44 1253 336073. Luxury "destination" hotel, which the town has lacked, Boulevard opened in 2019. Most find it worth the price, a minority are not convinced. B&B double £130. (updated Dec 2022)
• 21 Imperial Hotel, North Promenade, North Shore FY1 2HB, ☏ +44 1253 623971. Victorian 4-star with 120 rooms, showing its age. Car park £7 / night, no pets. B&B double £120. (updated Dec 2022)

Stay safe

The sea can be cold and rough

The keeper was quite nice about it; He said, “What a nasty mishap.

Are you sure that it’s your boy he’s eaten?” Pa said, “Am I sure? There’s his cap!”

Blackpool is generally a friendly and outgoing place, but exercise the usual caution over traffic, care of valuables, and children in the cold sea.

Visits are generally incident-free. During Friday and Saturday nights, the busiest areas of the town centre such as Talbot Square and Queen Street can become very crowded and somewhat rowdy, but there is a large and generally good-natured police presence. The seafront and piers are usually crowded so are generally safe.

Town centre becomes raucous at night with less-than-sober crowds, but it's all good-natured. Swerve clear of the occasional aggressive drunk.

A few blocks back from the seafront are dingy areas blighted by deprivation, street sex industry, drug dealing and opportunistic crime. You have no reason to be there.

Due to its unfortunate deprivation problems, Blackpool has an issue with homelessness. The overwhelming majority of homeless people are harmless, friendly and genuine, and even listening to what they have to say without giving any money or items will put a smile on most of their faces. Just to be safe, don't walk directly along the beach at night, particularly along the stretch opposite St Chad`s Road. Although not dangerous as such, you may find the atmosphere here after dark less than welcoming.

Blackpool is also a pretty sizeable place which many do not realise until they are in the town. It can take up to an hour to walk from the south shore area where Blackpool Pleasure Beach is to the main area of town by Blackpool North station and Tower, where most of the town's nightlife and restaurants are found. Blackpool Trams are a very safe, reliable, reasonably priced and very friendly service to get around town. The last tram often departs before midnight so if you are returning late, order a taxi from a licensed taxi company. Uber exists, however it is not as frequent as in other towns.

Gay male visitors should avoid the Middle Walk cruising area; a gay man was murdered here in 2007, and there have been several violent homophobic attacks. Lighting in this area has been improved and there are regular police patrols. The "gay quarter" around Talbot Road, Dickson Road and Queen Street is as safe as the rest of the town centre. It is now being heavily monitored with CCTV.

Whilst most food establishments in Blackpool are safe, there are quite a few… questionable ones, especially near the tourist areas. Be sure to check hygiene ratings and Google Maps reviews.

Finally, don't eat ice cream and fish and chips before getting on the Big One rollercoaster. You have been warned!

Connect

Slow internet? Send a postcard

At that Mother got proper blazing, And “Thank you, sir, kindly!” said she.

“What?! Waste all our lives raising children, To feed ruddy lions? Not me!”

As of April 2022, Blackpool has 5G from EE, Three and Vodafone, and 4G from O2.

Go next

• The beach turns muddy further north. Thornton-Cleveleys and Fleetwood have cheap accommodation but few attractions; you might visit just to take the tram ride.
• Lytham St Annes is a pair of family-oriented seaside towns; St Annes has sand dunes and the better beach.
• Preston's main attraction the Harris remains closed.
• Lancaster the historic county town retains its old castle and judicial quarter. The Lake District starts further north.

Routes through Blackpool

Carlisle ← Lancaster/Morecambe ←	N  S	→ Wigan → Liverpool/Manchester
END ←	W  E	→ Kirkham → Preston