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?

I had fun there with my kids but my husband refuses to go. We stayed at a nice b&b a few years ago in November and got the tram saw the lights, went up the tower and briefly visited roller coasters( I am terrified of them). We loved it.

We stayed at the Windsor Carlton in Blackpool just near the front and the trams which still has good trip advisor reviews

The time before last we stayed in a B&B along by the pleasure beach family friendly blah de blah there was 2 fights and the police were called the Dds were terrified the last time we stayed at the ibis and it was much more peaceful

I live in tje next town along. Yeah some parts of Blackpool town centre off the seafront is ropey. But there's really no need to venture there. Sandcastle is brilliant, the zoo is fabulous, can't comment on Pleasure Beach because I'm a scardey cat.

I love these Blackpool threads. People who have been once and claim the entire town and surrounding area is vile and they fearing for their lives the entire time

My street and surrounding area is actually pretty naice thabk you very much, it's oap central who tut of a boy racer dares come within 100ft.

The De Vere by the Zoo is nice and it's out of the way of the madness. It's in a nice area by the Zoo, Stanley Park and the Model Village but a 15 minute walk or a quick bus to the centre. Not sure what the prices are like

The last time I went was in July four years ago. Took two friends visiting from America as they had never been to the uk before and wanted to see a typical British seaside resort.

It was cold and rained relentlessly.

It would also have been less scary in the Bronx. I kid you not, the police had to be called when two middle aged woman started brawling over a bingo game, in Funland, at 2pm. This was no isolated incident.

Blackpool is a national embarrassment.

The seagulls were more threatening than any of the people we met. Eat fish and chips outside at your peril. I love the tower. Am sad the dr who museum is no longer there. It had all the old dr who stuff pre Cardiff and was excellent

Well i have been going since i can remember and I was unsettled the last twice we went you dont have a holiday to feel scared

I was there for only 1 day and night and I got the jist that it's a deprived run down area, stinks, poor food and tacky.

Actually had good fun in a club there!!

Kids might like it for the shows etc can you think of passing through maybe.

At night there was drunks all over smooching everywhere and a girl assaulting a man .

We go to Blackpool all the time, loads of money has been put into it and I've yet to see a stag or hen party. Thumbs up to all the people giving it a shitty review because they went there 4 years ago. It has changed loads in the past few years. We always stay at the big blue which is clean, not too pricey and a nice hotel. We love watching the old people dancing in the ballroom with an afternoon tea, have been up the tower and to the arcades, there is also now a posh beach bistro type restaurant on the front which is lovely. Give it a go op, if you stick to the front and like a bit of tacky fun you'll have a great time. It's nothing like Cornwall though

I'm just catching up, loving reading these stories.

Not many of you are selling it to me.

I'm not exactly from a great area but I think some of us can actually be the worst snobs.

I do like things like water parks and fairground rides and chain restaurants which are some people's idea of hell. I hate dirty streets, drunks and louts, I go on holiday to get away from the rabble

Blackpool is quite far away from us but dh has some family over that way so thought we might do both.

Thank you for the recommendations nearby I will be having a look later.

I grew up there and went to school there.
It has some good parts and some very scary parts. You have to be local to able to differentiate. I wouldn't go as a tourist with no knowledge of the town.

Went to the winter gardens to the theatre over the Easter holiday in the evening and was lovely and quiet.

People are really full of shite I visited in 1942 and bombs where dropping everywhere.

Also add since they started charging an entrance fee for the pleasure beach that's a much more pleasant place.

I love the Pleasure Beach, but the rest of it is a fucking shithole. That being said, the illuminations are nice. I did get very excited when I thought I saw Blackpool tower from a plane last year, (was dark and the illuminations were on at the time. So it was all lit up).

It does have potential. But they need to clamp down on the sleazy side of it first.

I wouldn't go if you paid me a LOT of money.

I don't like anything I've seen on TV about Blackpool, and the sort of people who go there aren't the sort of people i'd spend my holidays with! Arcades, tacky kiss me quick hats and cheap booze is not my idea of fun.

Oh yeah, we went to illuminasia in the winter gardens. It was a bit naff to be honest and there were leaks and stale water dripping on fabric which made it stink. This was back in December though so I presume that's been fixed now. But my DC were happy with it.

Blackpool really isn't that bad. As I said before, we go quite often. And we did see a hen party last time we were there. They were just walking along the prompt, might ding their own business. Shocking.

Might ding = minding

Prompt= prom. I hate my phone.

We went a few years ago, and although a lot of places are rundown, the places the tourists visit are lovely and clean, well looked after, which is where they make their money I suppose.

If you're thinking of blackpool skegness might be worth a look?

We went to a family friends caravan a few years back skint at the time and it would be great for kids and really cheap too. Prbs better weather as well. Always rains in blackpool.

Ive been to blackpool too about 7 years ago. Its ok. Expensive. Didnt think there was much to do on a night.

We went last year for a long weekend and loved it, we've got a baby and a toddler and stayed on the Haven site 10 minutes away.

It was much better than I remembered, it's kind of stuck in the 1930's but I like that era, we went in September so we could see the illuminations and didn't find it at all scary in the evenings, yeah it was busy but you can walk along the sea side of the street where it's much quieter.

The backstreets are a bit run down but that's typical of many seaside towns, the pleasure beach was a great day out, it's not very big but the rides are packed in and we easily filled the day, as others have said it's very expensive up there so this year (we've already rebooked) we're keeping an eye out for vouchers in advance.

Was there last week. Beautiful weather. Great along the beach and some good walks to Clevelys and Bispham.
The town centre is good for shopping.
Blackpool tower is great, watch the ballroom dancers in the afternoon. The kids were mesmerised.

Agree with people who say it has an odd vibe compared to other UK beach resorts. We often go to Lytham or at Anne's for a day out in the summer months then drive through Blackpool on our way home for a nosey.

A group of us did an overnighter there for a 40th a few years back, we had a fab laugh at Cabernet clubs in the afternoon, playing on the 2p slots and singing in the karaoke bar. The laughter wore off as the day progressed, the nightclub at the end was dire. We stopped in a fairly decent b&b off the main streets so it's not all grim.

We'll probably go a few times for day trips when ds is older, to do the pleasure beach, but can't imagine taking him for a weekend.

Blackpool is awful. I went last year with my DC to go on the Pleasure Beach, this has vastly improved and it was a good day out!

Previously I went to see the Kaiser Chiefs and stayed overnight - the hen/stag groups were everywhere. It was February and the girls were wearing next to nothing, everyone was drunk. It was terrible.

I call it the ar**hole of England!