To think we would enjoy Blackpool?

[Babysafari]

I haven't been for 15 years, it had a reputation for being a bit tacky even back then.

I do remember there was lots for dc to do, the waterpark, the tower, pleasurebeach, tram rides.

Thought I might book a couple of nights there but everyone looks at me like this

Is it that bad?

Stop In lytham st Anne's and go to Blackpool for the day.

The pleasure beach is good and the zoo is really nice day out, we've been up for the day a few times all adults and not to get rat arsed just for a day trip to go on a few rides etc.

As long as you go with the knowledge that it's a bit tacky and that there will be hens/stags staggering about if you go on the weekend then I don't think it's a bad thing.

Some people are just snobby, if you want to go don't let their opinions stop you especially if they've never been themselves - they can't really comment.

I used to live there - left three years ago. It's disgusting - full of drunks, drug addicts, litter, the list goes on. It's such a shame but I would be very unlikely to take my kids back there again unless we were visiting someone. Couldn't even go shopping on a Saturday without seeing tits nobs and arses everywhere, they don't care that it's a family resort. Or was

Personally, it's not exactly snobbery for me. There is always something in Blackpool I can't quite explain- it's dark and it's seedy and saddens me and scares me at the same time.

It can be good for a holiday.

Pleasure beach, sandcastle, zoo are all very good - but not cheap.

It is an extremely deprived town but it should be easy (ish) to stay on the prom and away from the really deprived bits.

The only thing I like about Blackpool is the pleasure beach. We stay at the big blue hotel so easy access.

Yeah the place is a bit tacky, I have good memories of family holidays when I was younger so I do have rose tinted specs on. That being said we only ever go for the weekend, wouldn't do longer.

Stay in lytham st Anne's and just have a day trip to the Pleasure Beach. Just the Pleasure Beach, though, and then back to your car. And take a packed lunch. We couldn't find a single tolerable place to eat, and we are not fussy/snobs at all.

Blackpool could well be one of the worst places I have visited in the world, but it reminds me of my childhood, so I retain a reluctant soft spot for it.

Similar post, Midnight

The beach at cleveleys is lovely..and free.

Stanley park is fab for kids..and free. Across the road from the zoo.

Sandhills at St Anne's are gorgeous and free.

Walk along the sea front, go on each of the piers, tacky, but fun. There's a fun fair on one of them.

Loads of cafe's, if you can find Notrianis ice cream shop..pure delish, worth it.

Tower is a nice afternoon out, the circus there is good. Ballroom is amazing.

Sandcastle water park is brilliant.

See what shows are on at the winter gardens or Grand theatre, lovely places, buildings inside are just lovely.

There's TONNES of outlying places outside of Blackpool, short drives away, Scorton, trough of Bowland, Becon fell. Loads.

A new trampoline place has opened, HUGE great fun on a rainy day.

Blackpool centre itself isn't great, but I live nearby and never run out of things to do outside of Blackpool.

Considering the very poor opinion of Blackpool from people, there are always HUGE traffic queues of people coming into the resort.
Come, give it a go x

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I'm not afraid of tacky, but I found Blackpool pretty bleak. Glancing up the side streets from the front and seeing rows of B&Bs which were clearly hostels for addicts etc. As pp have said its one of those places which has become a dumping ground for the problematic and unwanted. And yes, the clientele tends to be the British at their most lumpen and unappealing........having said that I enjoyed the ballroom and had some cracking chips. Would I go back? Not a chance.

Millions have been spent on the prom, trams and tower. They're doing their best to close the shitest hotels and get rid of the stag and hen dos

The Zoo, Waterpark, tower, pleasure beach, the winter gardens and grand theatre are all great days out.

Big blue and no 1 south beach are really good hotels.

We go for one night and stay in the Premier Inn at Yeadon Way,kids get breakfast for free, we dont use the car again after we have parked up.

We do one day at Sandcastles Water Park and one day at The Pleasure Beach, we get in there free with our Tesco club points.

The kids love it and we go twice a year.

We've stayed at Yeadon Way before too - it was fine and the kids were happy with the food there after a day at the Pleasure Beach.

Another vote for St Anne's, you can jump on the bus to Blackpool, have a few hours there but escape. The St Ives hotel on the front is great for families.

It's a bit like spending the day in David Camerons broken Britain

I think the Pleasure Beach might be bearable and quite nice for a day out for the DCs if you like that sort of thing and most children do, but I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole at night. Urrgh. It's everything that is wrong with the UK all rolled into in one handy, tacky, drunken downmarket package.

It's our favourite UK family holiday destination and we go every couple of years. The kids absolutely love it, and yes, it can run away with your money, so just give yourself a budget and stick to it. But then, our kids love the Pleasure Beach, the zoo, the promenade, the Sea Life Centre, all the arcades and pretty much just being there, even when it rains.

The promenade has had a major makeover and looks lovely, and the comedy carpet looks brilliant from the tower. However, the changes to the Tower make it a much poorer and more expensive place than it was when we first started going, so it's worth a visit but it's no longer something for regular repeat visits. The only place we now go to there each visit is the circus, and that's worth seeing at least once for the way the circus ring is filled with water for the end of the show.

We usually stay in St Anne's and bus it into town each day.

I went to Blackpool in April, I enjoyed it! Even if it did take me 3 hours by train each way!

I think I must be incredibly common, because while I certainly wouldn't go there for long, I think it's fun just for a few days. Granted it can get a bit ropey after dark, but the worst aspects can be avoided by staying somewhere like North Shore/Redbank Road area or even St Annes instead

Just as an aside, my ex had an elderly aunt who used to be the archetypal Blackpool landlady - twenty Glaswegians and one toilet sort of thing. I can tell more stories of her "hospitality" than I care to think about, and whatever you find it could never be as bad as that

Blackpool is brilliant. If you've got a Merlin Pass there's the Blackpool Tower, Sealife, Madame Taussads to do. Yes, it is a bit run down, but most seaside resorts are. You've got three piers, the trams. Loads to do.

If you want a few days in Blackpool id recommend staying in St Annes. It's gorgeous so much quieter and only 10 mins away

Agree it's not snobbery that makes me dislike Blackpool, it's a horrid, bleak place with a really bad vibe about it. Maybe some people can block this out. I wouldn't choose to spend any time there, I went a few years ago. Never, ever again.

Wasn't there a really good thread about Blackpool on here a while ago?

For one day it's fine for kids if you stick to the beach, the sea front and he pleasure beach.
Anything else is bleak and run down.

And Rhyl is worse. South Coast seaside towns are slightly better if you can travel that far. Mainland IK does not do seaside towns very well

Wasn't there a really good thread about Blackpool on here a while ago?

Depends on your perspective.....

I have really fond memories of Blackpool as a child and went back a few years ago. It was... Not grim, exactly, but a bit sad. Quite rundown, lots of stag and hen dos so drunk, sweary leery people about.

We popped through just for the day last year (I was working in Manchester for a few weeks and DH and DD came up to see me) and that was much better - we left before it got dark!

I'd go back when the DC are a bit older and do the Pleasure Beach and the Sandcastle, but I'd stay through in Lytham rather than in Blackpool itself.