To think Blackpool might be best left in my memories?

[Lovethissweater]

About 20 years ago I went to Blackpool as a teenager.

We spent a few days there and did the Sandcastle waterpark, the Tower and circus, the Pleasure beach, Madame Tussaud's, we rode the trams and went in the arcades. It was tacky but fun and I don't remember it being that rough or run down, but I probably wouldn't have noticed as a teenager.

Every now and then I think "I bet my kids would love Blackpool", they'd love the tower and the waterpark, then I google the place and read how everyone says it's an utter dive and run down, really rough and full of drinks and addicts and I think perhaps it's better I leave Blackpool as a nice memory in the past!

Probably, I would go for a day, nothing more and stay outside if Blackpool if you’re travelling. Sad but true.

Yanbu. Although I liked it as a kid

I went about 15 years ago and thought it was tacky and run down, but fun. I went again a couple of years ago for something and it had gone massively downhill since the previous time. I honestly think it's one of the worst places I've ever been.

Thanks, can I ask what specifically is awful about it? Is it dirty? Or you feel unsafe, or weird atmosphere?

Just trying to work out whether it would bother me.

AWWw not be so dismissive!
Just do the bits you want to do!
Stanley park is bloody lovely, the tower, sandcastle, a show at the grand all lovely.
St Anne’s and Lytham are a gorgeous day it.
The sand dunes are great for a wander and a picnic.
Fleetwood is also a nice morning out. Ride the tram for a few quid.

I bloody love it! There’s tonnes of free and fun stuff for kids.

It is what it is. Not Spain or fancy, just fun and simple.

I went for a week about 3 years ago and had a lovely time. The only rough aspect was the dad screaming at his toddler in the Sand Castle then the mum telling me to fuck off when I looked over. But we absolutely loved the Tower, circus, Stanley Park etc

Your kids will love it. You won't though but give your kids a treat and go.

Loved it and all its tackiness (& charm)! Stayed at the Big Blue hotel, 2 mins from Pleasure Beach. Fab!

St Annes and Lytham are lovely, Blackpool is horrible.

I was there a couple of months ago. A LOT of rough sleepers.

DC here are 14 and 9 and love our annual trip; they have a tenner to spend in an arcade, we do the ballroom for afternoon tea and the circus or the top of the tower, the aquarium and the comedy carpet then Harry Ramsdens for supper before driving home. It's tat, it's tacky and they love it.

I used to go every year as a child. I visited recently. It was clean but was full of people smoking weed

Stanley park is lovely and the zoo. The front is a bit run down but still lots of fun to be had. They have down the prom up quite a bit by the tower.

Lytham at Anne’s has a lovely beach and gardens
Fleetwood is a bit deserted but the best crabbing is to be had there

My Dad did sod all with us as kids but he DID take us to Blackpool, we used to get Irn bru and chips and then go to The Pleasure Beach. When it got dark we would get a KFC and do the illuminations before driving home and reverting back to him totally ignoring us
So very very happy memories
I took my DC a couple of years ago and hated it, stag and Hen dos, homeless people and you had to pay to even get into the Pleasure Beach. Couldn’t leave fast enough and wish I had just left Blackpool as a very happy memory

I grew up there. I tend to go to Fleetwood now - air is fantastic, as are the views and it's neither up its own arse or cheap and nasty. We used to say the best thing about Blackpool was the M55 Eastbound. But I really miss the sunsets and the sea and the fantastic air. I didn't realise how much I loved them until I left. That kind of thing.

We go every year as there is a very lovely couple who let out autism friendly caravans at the haven park in Fleetwood. It's the only holiday we manage as a whole family. DS cant cope with flying or regular hotels but he absolutely loves Blackpool! Yes it's a bit run down, but it's great for the kids. So much for them to do and a day on the beach keeps them more than happy. Sea life centre is always a big hit. We go at the start of our scottish summer holidays so it's not too busy. I've never felt unsafe there, you get the odd person being a rude twat but you get that everywhere

We went for a weekend about 6 years ago and will never go back.

We arrived at 11am and the sight that greeted us as we walked out of the station was an unconscious bloke, naked from the waist down, surrounded by pee and vomit.

We were approached one evening by a bloke offering us 'bargain price' spirits - we declined. It turned out to be this bloke - www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/crime/blackpool-conman-sold-urine-as-whiskey-1-7042329

Never before or since have I seen someone literally thrown through a pub window during a fight. We saw it twice in the weekend we were there.

We were constantly stopped by people asking for change for small value coins - a well-known prelude to mugging if you're daft enough to fall for it. I mean, who ever needs 'change for 20p' ?

I was constantly jostled off pavements by drunken stag party groups. If you go, avoid the 'landward' side of the sea front and walk along the pavements on the seaward side.

Lack of public toilets - it's all very well being welcome to use the ones in most pubs, but when there's a leering crowd of 15 drunks, all smoking, standing in the doorway to said pub ...

Plus points - the trams are good value and you can get day tickets for them, Mrs Johnson's Emporium is the best yarn shop I've seen anywhere, erm ... that's it.

We went a couple of years ago and it was better than I remembered, it's stuck in the 1930's but that's it's charm.

I didn't think it was dirty, the back streets are a bit run down but no worse than any other town or city.

Our girls were 3 & 5 and I never felt unsafe.

There were a few hen/stag do's but they weren't a problem.

I live nearby and only visit when I have to. It's scruffy, dirty and run down. Drugs are rife, as is petty crime like shoplifting. It's also really expensive to do anything decent. The Merlin passes are extortionate. Stanley Park is nice, as is Lytham.

It's a fucking dump. I would never take my kids there. Hen/stag parties out along the front in the daytime exposing themselves and being sick all over the place, drunk and other types of undesirables one step back from the main drag it felt really threatening.

The worst thing though, they call a cob.......... A BARM fuck kinda word is that?

Also, I have a friend who works in Child’s Services locally (about an hour from Blackpool) she says it’s an absolute haven for sex offenders.

Yes..chip barm as in barm cake... what’s wrong with that?!
Not a cob nor a roll..tis a barm.

I live nearby. An afternoon there is fine after that its brashness and vulgarity wear a bit thin.

Other nearby places are nicer - Lytham, Formby, Southport.

It’s a toilet

It's pretty grim. It's on my list of "I'd rather stay home" places.