To go to Blackpool October half term?

[fat13]

Looking for somewhere good for kids. Dh has never seen the illuminations so thought this would be nice. Zoo, sandcastle, beach - but is it really horrific? Wales is the other possibility but doesn’t seem as much on.

We did it a couple of years ago. We travelled on the Thursday, did pleasure beach on the Friday, that was fine, didn't queue for long for anything. But the Saturday was horrific. You could hardly get moved. We did the waterpark and the aquarium and it was so busy. We were going to do the zoo on the Sunday but came home instead. I'm not rushing back anytime soon.

We visited Blackpool in October half term I think three years ago. We stayed in Lytham though, and just went in to Blackpool for a day at the Pleasure Beach and then a drive through the illuminations after dark.

It is a grotty town, no doubt about it, but the Pleasure Beach was hugely improved on how it was when I was young, and I've heard the beach is clean and great for young children. I wouldn't want to stop in Blackpool for a holiday, but it's fine as a day trip from somewhere less 'cheap and cheerful' - there are some lovely places along that stretch of coast.

We go most October half terms to visit the ILs, and have a good time. It is run down, but we always end up having fun.

We would normally spend one day in Blackpool itself - start at North Pier, do the Tower. Fish and chips for lunch, then walk down to the Pleasure Beach and tram back. Walk the lights in the evening.

If you're around for longer, Barton Grange Garden Centre has it's Christmas stuff up by October half term and it's usually very good.

We were looking at the big blue hotel? I agree it’s a grotty town but realistically the stuff we want to do is in Blackpool, not Lytham

Thanks for the tip off about the Saturday! Will book midweek then, if we do.

The Big Blue Hotel is lovely but Blackpool is a dump tbh.

Yes I would agree with staying in Lytham too. The Dalmeny Hotel had childrens entertainment when we went and, naff as it was, they loved it.
You can catch a tram down to Blackpool for the day/evening and there are lots of undercover attractions, the zoo, the tower and Stanley Park.
One thing I found upsetting were the numbers of East Asian people selling trinkets on the streets, I wondered how many were trafficked and being forced to do that.

Went to Blackpool Illuminations a few years ago.

Had a great time!

Ahh, sorry, I see the threads moved on. The Big Blue hotel is at the North end of Blackpool on the way to Lytham anyway! You'll be fine!

Blackpool is not posh but there's lots to like as well. The Pleasure Beach is fun, and the zoo is lovely. The beach is beautiful, and you can see why it became so (too?) popular. The evenings can be rowdy with stag/hen parties and antisocial behaviour, but if you're out with young DC you'll can probably arrange to be home before it gets too tasty.

Staying close but not in Blackpool itself is probably a good shout TBH. Just a 10-20 min drive will mean you're staying somewhere a bit more family friendly in the evenings. Lots of my colleagues rate Ribby Hall which is about 20mins away.

Mondays and Fridays are the 'quieter' days for attractions as a lot of accommodation turnarounds are in those days.

The big blue hotel is nice. There are areas of Blackpool that are very run down but if you keep on the main bits it’s not too bad. There’s about to be a big regeneration project soon so hopefully it will be a lot nicer after that (although it’s going to take years). The water park does get busy but it’s on restricted numbers at the moment so not as bad (still busy but not as crazy). They have some shows on at the winter gardens which are quite reasonably priced, not sure what’s on in October though. Depending on the age of the kids, there’s the zoo and opposite that is Stanley park with a play area, lots of green areas, a lake where you can hire little paddle boats, a climbing wall type thing, trampolines etc. it’s quite nice there.

Blackpool tower eye is good fun (with a glass floor and 3d cinema experience). You can use Tesco points to get 3x the value vouchers towards it.

I just don’t know if we will want to bother packing everybody up and going fifteen minutes away and then back and then again with young babies. Seems easier to be where we’ll be spending the majority of time?

North end is opposite to Lytham.
Maybe try Ribby hall and travel into Blackpool from there

The dalmeny is in st annes not Lytham and you can’t get a tram from st annes or Lytham
A bus, yes but the trams stop at Starr gate which is in Blackpool. They don’t go as far as Lytham or st annes

We've just done Blackpool in the half term. We stayed in an apartment booked via booking.com. It wasn't cheap but we've hardly spent money on treats last year. I don't get the hatred for Blackpool. The bars etc aren't near the children's attractions and children love it. I usually do the lights. We spend the evening in Coral Island on the 2 pence machines, or if seeing the lights we get the tram to Bispham and walk back. There's nothing wrong with staying in the center. The time before we stayed in a B&B in Albert road. Our apartment was in Hornby road. There's never been any trouble around us. Blackpool is clamping down on antisocial behaviour.

I’m not being a tit here but if it’s just for sleeping why do we need to be somewhere else overnight?

Just to add Chester is my local zoo but I liked Blackpool's layout. Plenty of seating around the animals and space.

You don't, people are being snobby. Part of the charm is a bnb within walking distance of everything, there is so much to do and see for young children and they absolutely love it, in fact mine preferred the mini break that we had to Blackpool over our main holiday to Dubai!

@fat13

"I’m not being a tit here but if it’s just for sleeping why do we need to be somewhere else overnight?"

Because most of MN would rather die than be that close to poor people. Do you identify with the posters who isolate themselves from family, would never help a friend, or give money as a present and don't answer unknown numbers or their own front doors? If not, you'll like it.

Oh I see well that’s a bit pointless then, sleeping at Lytham but spending the day in Blackpool just so we don’t have a ‘holiday in blackpool’

[quote Ponoka7]@fat13

"I’m not being a tit here but if it’s just for sleeping why do we need to be somewhere else overnight?"

Because most of MN would rather die than be that close to poor people. Do you identify with the posters who isolate themselves from family, would never help a friend, or give money as a present and don't answer unknown numbers or their own front doors? If not, you'll like it.[/quote]
This made me grin but 100% agree that this is exactly why you're being told to stay elsewhere overnight.
I haven't been to Blackpool since I was pregnant with DS2 and he's now 7! Last time I stayed overnight, goodness knows! But absolutely something I'm considering doing with my boys this year and still agree with this poster.

Honestly, ignore people who say get a hotel in Lytham! Lytham us expensive and there's nothing for kids. The Dameny is in St Annes and there's a beach but it's October and I don't think people want to paddle in October. There's no tram from St Annes and its too far to walk, so you'd have yo take the car. Parking us,hard to find outside car parks and they are expensive. (Blackpool centre is dying and the council want to encourage people to shop there but parking charges are shocking and they've even metered the side streets - on, don't get me started!)

The Big Blue has parking, is next to the Pleasure beach and near the Sandcastle waterpark, the pier, even a casino. Its next to the tramlines to get you into Blackpool. I can't tell you if it's a good hotel because its been ages since I've been, but it's in a reasonable place. Obviously there's a greater choice of restaurants etc if you're more central, but there's a MacDs nearby and pubs etc.

Have a great time.

Definitely more prestige to say you were staying in Lytham rather than Blackpool, even if actually you were staying in St Annes. Lol. Kids would not thank you take a holiday in Lytham. Haha.

I like Blackpool yes it’s tacky yes it can be expensive but there is a lot you can do which is good.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is good.

The piers are good.

Stanley park is lovely (by the zoo).

Going on the tram is great.

The zoo is good.