AIBU to think a holiday to Blackpool would be fun?

[Flowersandbirds]

So we have a week in October half term to fill. We don’t want to go abroad as we need a cheapish week.

2DCs aged 2 and 6. I think a few days in Blackpool would be fun - illuminations, funfair etc. DH is being v negative and thinks it will be a bit rubbish - tacky, crappy hotels and sod all to do.

AIBU or would it be a fun holiday in Autumn?

It is grim beyond belief.

Agree with staying in St Annes and going into Blackpool from there - the Dalmeny Hotel is good for kids - they have rooms overlooking the sea, a swimming pool and children's activities in the hotel.

The Imperial
www.imperialhotelblackpool.co.uk/

I’m not snobby at all and I can totally embrace tack and lack of fancy facilities

In which case you'll probably have a great time Yes it's tacky as hell, but for kids their ages the illuminations are an absolute must and you can avoid the worst of it by staying north shore, somewhere around King Edward Avenue

It's not a place you'd want to send ages in, but for just a few nights you'll be fine

Great post from @Smiler1972 above, a nice contrast from all the ‘eugghhhh it’s a shithole’ ones.
Yes, it’s not Paris but an awful lot of money has been spent on the prom, and other areas, trying to attract families back, rather than just stag and hens. Plus investment for locals too.

Blackpool is much better these days it's been greatly improved. We had a day out up the tower with our baby.and 4+5 year olds earlier this year. We all absolutely loved it. Go for it!

It rains every single time I go to Blackpool. I caught pneumonia in a grotty little B&B there in 2004.

I still like the place... There's a faded charm about it that appeals to me.

Blackpool is not fun, however the Zoo....not wanting to start a debate over Zoo’s was excellent, totally unexpected and well worth a visit.

We have gone down to Blackpool every summer for last 3/4 years, never seen any of the unpleasantness mentioned previous, you would be fine. Kids love it, I love it (big kid) stayed travelodge and caravan, if didn't want stay in town there a couple of havens just outside which are good and could go into Blackpool for a couple days as a compromise. It's a bit rough round the edges but where isn't when you start peeling it back, there is plenty to do on the prom so no need to go that far in,

also been a couple times in Oct with friends so seen both sides, the night life is rowdy but never felt unsafe or anything like that but as said before going with kids you won't see this,

It is what you make it if want perfect and quiet don't go if happy to for maybe a touch budget but a good time you will prob enjoy I reckon

Also stay in a good hotel, we stayed in one with a pool, very nice. Might have been Hilton. It wasnt a Marriott. Also the shopping centre, behind all the horrible stuff in blackpool was quite good. But we enjoyed the Zoo. Its quite large and you will need to get their early and spend the whole day

Im 30 mins from blackpool and would agree with people saying stay further up the tramline. Fleetwood is nice. St annes too. Lytham is lovely. We go to a beach between cleveleys and rossall any chance we get. Right near a gorgeous ice cream parlour and cafe, great parking...

I used to get annual paSses to blckpool zoo every year when my children were small. We loved it there.

Hilton have just opened a brand new five star hotel - Hampton by Hilton.

Shameless plug - have a look at a film we made earlier this year (I'm part of a group of organisations highlighting Blackpool's B side)

www.visitblackpool.com/culture-blackpool/about-culture-blackpool/

We may also have a night or two there for half term.
This is the second thread tonight in which I’ve recomended the Big Blue hotel - I see a pp has already mentioned it.
I thought the front had been done up nicely last time we were there a year ago. Sandcastle water park, the pleasure beach, the tower etc aren’t cheap but fun for kids.
Main gripe was the lack of eating places for families as the pubs were full of stag and hen groups but there was McDonald’s and hotel room service and I’m sure I saw a Harvester or Brewer’s Fayre or something a mile or two out when we were on our way home.

@C0untDucku1a my dps live near rossall and we went to the beach there and clevelys on a recent sunny weekend. It was Glorious. I am not a huge fan of the area but i enjoy the sea and the countryside. Theres fun to be had for dc. I like kiddies corner in clevelys and that seaside cafe near jubilee gardens.

Agree that it's pretty tacky and full of drunken stag/ hen dos, but my kids always love it (so do I) and there's loads to do. When my kids were younger we went to Orlando and Blackpool in the same year. Guess which one they said they preferred?!!

We have family up that way, so take the kids quite a bit. They love it! We generally only do day trips though. We stayed in the big blue hotel years ago and it was really nice. I'm sure we got a discount on last-minute or something similar. My parents stay in the Hilton when they go. I also think we stayed over one weekend at a travelodge or premier Inn by the North Pier.

Personally I'd stay away from the B&B's and stick with a decent hotel.

DH went as a child every year and when DC1 was 1 he thought it would be a great to go there for a week.

We left after 3 days, I've never seen so many druggies and alcoholics (not the same as drunks), I saw sex down the side streets all in broad daylight (we were back in the hotel by 6:30) and somehow was made worse by the lack of sand! It was filthy too not envy

We go to Scarborough every few years now so the kids get the tacky holiday but we love Scotland so tend have a base near the isle of Bute every year.

Been there a few times with adults (but not with any children) and greatly enjoyed it. Not seen any public drunkenness or indecency, but then we didn't stay out late in the evenings. Pleasure Beach is awesome for older amusement park / rollercoaster fans, but I'm not sure there'd be many rides for a 2-year-old.

Agree with others to consider staying outside Blackpool proper. You've got the tram to get around and buses too.

No ones mentioned the model village at Stanley park. My dd and nieces loved that when they were little.

I moved to live in Blackpool (we’ll Bispham) West Bromwich. We live on the promenade and the illuminations are opposite. They leave the lights on until 9.00 most times and this year we got Sooty which sings! It’s a nice area but there is some dodgy parts to the place. I wouldn’t touch the town centre with a barge pole. Don’t go round the backstreets round the town. There is loads of people on spice passed out, then you get tourists that piss everywhere and the stags and hens p. I would recommend going to Cleveleys town centre which is much nicer. To tour the lights there is a heritage tram tour with fish and chips on the tram. The quietest day to tour the lights is on a Tuesday. Blackpool gets a bad wrap but it’s the stag and hen are so. My dad and stepmom were tram and bus drivers and the abuse they’ve had is unbelievable. They literally had people walk on the tram tracks and told the tram to move out the way lol

I don't see why you'd bother tbh. It'll just be something to endure.

Grange over Sands is nice.

“Its not Beirut. ”
Sure as fuck isn’t! Beirut caters its tourism to the obscenely rich Arabs from the Gulf. It’s dripping with 5 star hotels and restaurants

U an not a snob at all but Blackpoo! Is awful and very expensive. We went a couple of years ago thinking the kids would love it. Never again! It will be freezing in October too. Butlins might be a better option for kids that age.

Yes I’ve been there otherwise I wouldn’t of commented. Sure it has some nice things you could do if you can overlook everything else and dodge all the alcoholics/druggys/stags/hens but it’s not a place I would take my children too. It has that reputation for a reason the same as Skegness in known for cheap holidays And due to that it gets a certain type of visitor too. Although it’s nowhere near as bad as Blackpool.

I avoid both places.