Blackpool is a seaside resort town in the North West of England. Over 6 million tourists travel Blackpool each year, making it Britain's number one holiday resort. Many come for the two largest attractions, Pleasure Beach Blackpool and Blackpool Tower, although the town features many other smaller attractions including three piers, numerous amusement arcades, seven miles of beaches and pedestrian promenade, and a vibrant nightlife.
While many tourists travel to Blackpool nowadays for party weekends (often hen or stag groups), an older clientele enjoys the nostalgia of the town. The Tower Ballroom remains a global mecca for ballroom dancing and many remember Reginald Dixon playing his Wurlitzer organ with songs such as "Oh I do like to be beside the seaside" - synonymous with the town.
PLACE TO VISIT
Blackpool Tower - a Victorian alike of the Eiffel Tower, the view from the top is worth seeing, but gets busy at the peak of the tourist season. Blackpool Tower is one of the famous towers in the UK. Once inside, you climb through seven levels of attractions, including a circus, bug zone, Out of This World, aquarium, and ballroom (for you film buffs, this is the lavish ballroom seen in the 1996 Japanese film Shall We Dance?), before going up in a glass elevator to the observation deck.
The Piers - Blackpool is the only British resort with three piers. The North pier costs 50p to go on, and is relaxed. The central pier has something for everyone, and the South Pier is loud and rollicky. North Pier is the oldest and largest of the three coastal piers in Blackpool, Lancashire, England.
Pleasure Beach Blackpool - is perhaps Britain's largest funfair, with eleven roller-coasters including the original Roller Coaster which gave the rides their name. This has been eclipsed by more modern coasters, including Britain's tallest roller coaster ride the "Pepsi Max Big One" (more commonly known simply as "The Big One") which is over 200 feet high. Other roller coasters include the Irn Bru Revolution and Big Dipper. Rides require 2-9 £1 tickets, or a £30 all day wristband, which is a few pounds cheaper when bought online.
As well as the adult rides, children's rides area, and sidestalls, the park also has some excellent architecture to see. The park began life as a funfair on the sands in the Victorian era, and by the 1930s some permanent buildings arrived in the style of the day - Art Deco. In particular don't miss the station of the Roller Coaster ride, and the White Tower at the south entrance to the park, both of which have "streamline moderne" influences just like some of the classic trams which operate on the seafront nearby.
Blackpool Illuminations - Stretching for 6 miles along the Blackpool Promenade 'The Lights', as they're fondly called, consist of spectacular displays using over one million light bulbs. A vast collection of characters and themes are displayed, along with lasers, and searchlights.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Blackpool has its own with scheduled flights to/from Alicante, Belfast, Dublin, Faro, Geneva, Girona, Ibiza, Isle of Man, Mahon, Malaga, Murcia, Mallorca, and Tenerife. An increasing number of charter flights now operate from Blackpool Airport. Blackpool Airport is one of the fastest growing airports in the UK and is served by budget airlines Jet2 and Ryanair.
By train - The trains run to Blackpool North and Blackpool South stations from Preston and many other destinations. Blackpool North is the main station but for a day trip to the Pleasure Beach, change at Kirkham and take the Blackpool South line; the last station before Blackpool South is the Pleasure Beach Blackpool.
By bus - Local bus services run from Preston, Lancaster, Southport and Fleetwood. Long distance bus services, and charters, run from virtually everywhere in Great Britain.
By boat - The closest ferries from Blackpool are Fleetwood to Larne and Heysham (near Morecambe) to Douglas (Isle of Man) and Belfast, operating in Summer only.
By car - Blackpool can be reached via the M55 from the M6.
