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!

From Northern Ireland and took the kids a few times to Blackpool. We had a ball each time. There are so many family friendly attractions - Pleasurebeach, Sea Life, Madame Thussads, The stowed, etc...

Just ensure that you pick family friendly accommodation.

I always felt safe around the front and during the day. I did venture a couple of streets back as evening was falling and I felt uneasy out on my own with the kids - although to be fair this would probably be the case in any town or city.

My kids have very fond memories of our time at blackpool and I would have no hesitation going again.

We live an hour away, we probably go a couple of times a year for an afternoon but there are nicer beachy places nearby. I’ve never felt unsafe in Blackpool. But it is very tacky and a bit grotty

@Straycatstrut we went to Reighton Sands last year and are going again this summer. We had a lovely time.

I took my teenager last year. We stayed in the Premier Inn about 5 minutes walk from the Prom. We were there over a weekend and had a great time, Tower, Dungeons, walked the length of the lights and took the tram back, lovely walk on the beach.
Didnt see any drunk vomiting, drug addled hen or stag parties.

I have no idea where the holiday makers purchased their string vests but I can assure you they were wearing them.

Blokes wearing them were hanging around outside their B and Bs with a beer (as early as 10 am).

It’s grim. Full of druggies. I seriously wouldn’t take kids there.

We've taken the kids and they loved it! Stayed in an air bnb in Lytham St Anne's (which is lovely) for a few nights one Easter and a couple of years later stayed for one night at the Big Blue Hotel for the Illuminations. It is tired but we had good old fashioned fun at the attractions, arcades and donkey rides.

What @scarbados said. Last time I was there I arrived by train and the area around the station is gross - no wonder it's no longer a holiday resort! I have fond memories of kiss-me-quick days out as a child - but it's an absolute dump now. Couldn't even find a chip shop or a pub that I'd want to step inside!
How about the Yorkshire coast? Scarborough/Whitby are cheerful and brash in a nicer way. (Some grotty bits of Scarborough, though.)

I 100% agree that The Manchester is a shithole! I’ve never been in as I can tell from the outside that it’s not my sort of place and I’d think that whatever town it was in. That’s one venue though, there are plenty of other family friendly places in Blackpool however. The ‘5th Floor’ is a big bar/entertainment venue inside the tower for example, opened last year and is brilliant for families, free entry and free (butlins type) entertainment for the kids. If you want to go out for a meal there are loads of family friendly restaurants from chains such as Pizza Express, Las Iguanas, Nando’s etc to slightly nicer places such as Mandarin (voted best Chinese restaurant in Europe last year). There are always shows on at the Winter Gardens and The Grand. There is a lovely bar on the prom overlooking the sea called The Beach Hut where you can watch the sunset. If you come in September there’s the world fireworks championships on the prom every Friday night, all free. The tower circus is great as is the dungeon for older kids, the pleasure beach, sandcastle and the sea life are all well maintained family friendly attractions. The zoo is slightly further out but still a great day out and right next to Stanley Park (which won best park in England I think last year). I’m starting to sound like the Blackpool tourist board now, my point is there is loads of family friendly places to go in Blackpool, everywhere has there dodgy areas and I agree The Manchester is one of Blackpool’s but that doesn’t mean everywhere in the town is like that.

I am not joking molly absolutely no need for the sarcasm.

I never said you were joking, I just don’t see the link to you stating you saw a dead body with it being a dreadful place unless you are implying the town is littered with dead bodies and this is a common occurrence.

Earlier in the week OH and I were talking about planning family holidays for this year. I (jokingly) mentioned Blackpool and he got all serious and declared “I’d rather never go on another holiday for the rest of my life than go back there”.

He completely meant it too. To be fair I fully agree.

The body just topped off a horrible few hours encountering drunks, litter etc.
I just hated it. I'm northern so it's not a north bashing thing.

It's horrible. I live half an hour away with 3 small kids and wouldn't take them there if you paid me. It's just grim, feels dangerous and seedy, it's dirty, everything is manky or broken. I take them to Lytham St Anne's which is also an odd place but nice. It's like a desert though, I've been loads and never had the sea near enough to see let alone paddle in. We walked for 20 minutes straight out once and still didn't get to it. There's nice splash pools and good fish and chips and a SHIT TONNE of beach for sand castles.

If anyone fancies a laugh have a read of this Blackpool V and Bs reviews....

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g186332-d1490510-Reviews-New_Discovery_Hotel-Blackpool_Lancashire_England.html#REVIEWS

Sorry wrong link above! Hope this one works....

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g186332-d1490510-Reviews-New_Discovery_Hotel-Blackpool_Lancashire_England.html

If not please type “new discovery Blackpool” in trip advisor then click on “awful” reviews.

The pleasure beach is great to be fair.

We also do Ride the Lights most years, which is a full on middle class family event that you could tick your bingo card to. All rosie cheeked families arriving in 4x4s, performance parenting like mad with kiddies who can barely ride their bikes causing absolute mayhem.

I like Blackpool for a day out. Play on the 2p machines in coral island, go to Harry Ramsdens, walk on the prom. But I tend to go out of season and in the week. And leave before night time. The last time I saw a naked man, in Blackpool, was August 1997. He was cling filmed to a lamp post.

Blackpool is great especially for kids. A lot of money has been spent recently. If you haven't been for a while there are parts you would not recognise. They are just in the middle of improving the front and a lot more is about to be knocked down and improved

It's an absolute dump.
I took my youngest grandchild there to see the illuminations two years ago and I will never go back.
I thought it would be a nice treat to go into the tower and up in the lift to the top.
£60 bloody quid they wanted!!!! Just for the two of us! Not bloody likely!
To make up for that I thought I would treat her to a horse and carriage ride.
£20 quid to go a mile up the prom and back!
So we walked up to the pleasure beach. They wanted a fortune just to go in the place! Not likely.
We sat down in a cafe for a meal, just behind the tower. We sat in the window, on the opposite corner was a hotel, which had at the bottom of the steps, two junkies openly shooting up!
Never will I set foot in the arsehole of the north again.

hit on the head with an inflatable penis and they never went back.

Believe me, they got off lightly

I 100% agree that The Manchester is a shithole!

God is that dump still there? It was bad enough in the 1980's. The kind of pub that when you walk in the door, everyone turns and stares at you like they want to kill you, including the women and children.

...I’ve never been in

Another lucky escape.

Blackpool

big flashing lights and sirens AVOID AVOID AVOID

Went about 10 years ago and it was grim..even the 49 p shop boarded up...and a few cafes took the piss out of us as we asked for fresh coffee and not instant cheap crap they had.. most people looked depressed and I'll..we left after few hours !!

@earsup

Funny you should mention the coffee thing......we went to a breakfast cafe and I asked for an orange juice. The staff looked at me like I was mad and said they only did fizzy drinks or tea/coffee!

I don’t think having fruit juice with breakfast is all that outlandish?!?!?

It does make me laugh every year when on Strictly the pro dancers and celebs pretend to get excited about their annual trip to Blackpool.

@TimeTravellersHat Ah, but cafes in Blackpool never knowingly sell anything with vitamins in!