Things to do in Blackpool

As one of Englands most popular seaside resorts, Blackpool is literally teeming with attractions, the like of which cannot be found anywhere else in the country. Whether youre taking a single day trip to see the annual Illuminations display or you are planning a family summer holiday, youll find Blackpools bustling atmosphere and plethora of entertainment options the perfect combination for a fun excursion.

Golden Mile

The Golden Mile is Blackpools most famous tourist feature and is a mile-long stretch that follows the coastline from one end of the town to the other, with numerous attractions, amusements, eateries and visual delights. Staying true to seaside tradition, the Golden Mile greets visitors with the smells of candy floss, hot dogs and onions, and fish and chips, while presenting a cacophony of sounds created by music, arcades and excited tourists. The annual light display known as the Illuminations is focused along the Golden Mile, while attractions such as the Blackpool Tower, Pleasure Beach, Louis Tussauds and Ripleys Believe It or Not can also be found here.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Hailed as one of the UKs finest amusement parks, Blackpool Pleasure Beach is famous across the nation and visited by literally millions of tourists and locals every year. The park boasts white-knuckle rides such as the Pepsi Max Big One, Ice Blast, Irn Bru Revolution and Valhalla as well as more family-friendly rides such as Alice in Wonderland, Ghost Train, Lunar Carousel and Magic Mountain. There are also live shows held at theatres within the park and others presented by in-park performers for the pleasure of those resting between rides. Books of tickets that provide significant discounts off the cost of individual ride tariffs are available from the park and its official website: www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/index.php.

Blackpool Sandcastle Waterworld

The Blackpool Sandcastle Waterworld is an indoor water park offering fun for all members of the family. Among the centres most thrilling attractions is the Masterblaster, a slide hailed as the longest indoor rollercoaster waterslide in the world; if youre looking for fast-paced thrills, then this surely wont disappoint. Other attractions worthy of mention include the Thunderfalls Wateslide, Sidewinder, Ushi-Gushi River Creek and Typhoon Lagoon. Pay one price to enter and everything inside is free. Expect big queues for slides and rides during the high season.

Ripleys Believe It or Not

Blackpool is home to the UKs only Ripleys museum, a centre where visitors are presented with the unusual, the apparently inexplicable and the often downright bizarre. Ripleys specialises in exhibits, many of them interactive, which explore some of the weird and wonderful phenomena that our planet is home to. Ripleys has something for all of the family and is an opportunity not to be missed.

Louis Tussauds

The Tussauds family have long been famous for their waxwork creations and Louis Tussauds in Blackpool, located along the Golden Mile, successfully continues the tradition with a museum that offers five floors featuring more than 150 figures, covering famous characters from genres such as stage and screen, popular music, sport and history. Some dummies are so realistic youll swear that theyre the genuine article!

Blackpool Tower

Blackpools most famous landmark can be seen for miles around and has been a part of the towns unique character since its completion in 1894. Take the elevator to the top and youll find a selection of attractions which include a circus, aquarium, dinosaur ride, childrens adventure play centre and the famous Tower Ballroom with its mighty Wurlitzer organ. When the annual Illuminations light show is being held, the tower is brightly lit and shoots lasers out from its peak across the length of the town and beyond.