When people go there on holiday I just think why....

[soleenq]

Am I missing something? I live in the NW and don't think I could ever go there on holiday. I'm low income so can't afford a lot with a toddler but I don't know why there is an attraction.

Ainu?

I think I know where you are from, the breweries always had their day trips to Blackpool and my grandfather ran one in particular!

Blackpool is what it is. If you fancy a typical bucket and spade / candy floss / arcades / fish n chips type of trip it’s a good laugh.

Personally I love the comedy carpet and the illuminations are decent too.

I’d advise staying in St Anne’s and doing a day trip or two, but stay along the seafront!

No, I think you could be wrong! 😁
This was just the 2 of us on a date day-trip, and my Midlands market town has never had a brewery to my knowledge! More farming, rural place.

Having spent time in Blackpool as a tourist and as a resident for 4 years, I can see the appeal for people. Although Blackpool is one of the most deprived areas in the country. Drugs and homelessness are rife. It doesn't look great. A lot of the house near the town centre are run down and it looks awful.

But there is so much to do there especially with kids. The Tower, Madame Tussauds, the circus, Winter Gardens, beaches, piers, rides, arcades, water park, go karts, illuminations, trams, air show, firework displays, zoo, shopping and so much more. It's not hard to see why people come there.

I’m from south Manchester and will always have a special, nostalgic place in my heart for Blackpool. We go a couple of times a year for a day trip, and stayed for a few nights last year in one of the older hotels that used to be quite grand, now rather faded and very much like stepping back to the early 80s, but you know what the food was great and DD said it was her favourite holiday ever.

We definitely do ‘know any different’ and go to far more upmarket places (and everything in between) but we have fun there, DD enjoys it. We like the tower and the arcades. I can also see and agree that it’s bloody bleak in a lot of ways, both can be true.

I had a few hours in Gorlestone a few years ago and it seemed quite pleasant. That's pretty near Great Yarmouth isn't it?

Oh thats a shame! Thought I might have a local friend!

Its because you live there....i say the same about my neck of the woods

I've had a good time there with my preschooler.

We went to the beach, arcades, circus in the tower (was much better than I'd expected), afternoon tea in the ballroom. Played around taking photos on that area with all the quotes on the floor. There was a small water fountain area in the centre which the kids were enjoying splashing around in.

If you're there for longer of course there are nice daytrips to be had.

It's not glam, and the social problems were obvious, especially off the main streets, but we had a good time.

Many people, you would hope most. You couldn't pay me to go Dubai, I am not exaggerating either.

That post was joking - in a sort of dry and ironic way.

😁 are you round Burton by any chance?

Nostalgia for lots of people I guess. I have fond memories of riding donkeys on the beach. It’s a total shithole, there’s no way I can claim anything else but I guess some people enjoy that and find it charming in some way…

I have memories of the Pleasure Beach too that aren’t so great, the Grand National put me off rollercoasters for the rest of my life. I was 8 and certain I was going to be thrown out of it, the woman next to me had to hold me in the carriage.

Oh same. DH had the opportunity to go either there or Hong Kong when he did his MBA and I said HK for sure, I have absolutely zero desire to visit Dubai.

I'd rather Blackpool tbh. Hated Dubai with a passion. So false

It’s not my idea of fun, but some people must enjoy it 🤷🏼‍♀️

I went there once.

I love Blackpool, but I’m from London so nowhere near there. I like gimmicky seaside towns, fun fairs, rides…if that’s not your thing, then that will be why, but we’re all different. I would be bored to tears climbing a mountain just for a view 🤣

I love blackpool its a great holiday. Mookie in the circus makes the trip worthwhile never mind anything else

You'd have to pay me to go to Blackpool. About ten grand should do it.

I think I have had a different Blackpool experience, and i wanted to share our experience in a positive light. We ended up going to Blackpool last September as my adult DS (SEN) had made an online purchase that was collection only...!! DH, adult DD, DS and I stayed overnight in the Imperial Hotel and ended up at the wonderful kite festival in Lytham St Annes. We all liked it so much we decided to spend 5 nights over New Years at the Imperial. We had the 2 bedroom Royal Suite (where the Beatles and many other famous people have stayed) which has panoramic views of the Irish sea. The staff were simply wonderful and even put a Christmas tree in the sitting room. It was obviously an incredibly grand hotel in its hey day and many original features are untouched. They are currently allowing archeological work on the original Turkish baths housed in the basement, and we were allowed a peek. We also had a good look at the room Churchill used when Blackpool was his North west base when he addressed party conferences. I have a photo of DS pretending to smoke a cigar in the chair Churchill sat in! Then on New Years Eve there were Scottish bagpipes and a rather glamorous black tie dinner.
We took a vintage tram ride to see the illuminations along the Fylde coast and chatted to the volunteer conductor and driver who help to keep these amazing vehicles running. As we had a car, we used the hotel as a base to explore the surrounding area and further up into the Lake District. We did not go to the amusements in Blackpool, so I cannot really comment on them, although we did have some fun on the pier at Lytham St Annes. In Blackpool itself we admired the aging Victorian architecture - the tile work on the Winter gardens is something to behold - and had afternoon tea in the ballroom of Blackpool Tower, imagining we were on Strictly!
I do not think we would return in the summer, as it is my understanding that even the hotel we stayed in is a little different in the summer months with karaoke and nightly performances which are not really our cup of tea, but I certainly would return in the winter, as we found it rather magical. The only disapointment in Blackpool was the one time we had fish and chips. Apparently they are meant to be soggy... Fortunately there are plenty of other places along the coast who serve crispy chips!

I have taken my adult daughter, who has a learning disability, to Blackpool in the early summer several times (not English school holidays but there are always Scottish families around). We always stay at the Imperial. Faded grandeur for sure but it works for us.

I think my daughter feels at home in Blackpool as everything is so accessible for her. She loves the Mme Tussauds for example, with its Strictly, I'm A Celeb stuff for example - the London one is full of international stars she doesn't know. The Pleasure Beach is great if you like roller coasters (she does).

We have never been bothered by karaoke at the hotel. We always go Mon to Thurs - durect train from Euston - so aren't around for the hen and stag parties.

I have never been to Blackpool. The furthest NW I have ever been is Chester!

@tinytemper66 next time you are in Chester I would recommend an excursion to see Anthony Gormley's sculpture installation "Another Place" It is at Crosby Beach, near Liverpool, and well worth the visit. It took my breath away.

Thanks ☺️