Blackpool Illuminations - top tips for a day trip please?

[mollyroger]

we live a couple of hours away but fancy planning a day/eveningtrip to look forward to. I have never been as an adult and I am a bit afeard of Blackpool to be honest. (I don't like huge crowds of ''lively'' ''funseekers'' IYKWIM)
But I do like pretty lights. And being by the seaside.
Anyone got any tips about where to park?
Where to eat/avoid?
Where to go to see the illuminations etc

how to see the illuminations without getting pestered to go on the Golden Mile themeparky bit
thanks in advance

Best way to see the illumination is by tram as then you dont get stuck in the traffic jams. If you are thinking of driving theBest way to see the illumination is by tram as then you dont get stuck in the traffic jams. If you are thinking of driving the Illuminations then try and avoid the weekends as they are very busy. As for parking, well the easiest is to park in the first car park on your left on Yeadon Way (keep going on M55 straight on at roundabout, thats Yeadon Way). It is a pay and display but only about 100meters to prom and easy to get a space.
If you want to walk any of it you are best to walk on the West side of the road(closest to sea) that way you avoid most of the 'games of chance pesterers'.

Where to eat, well if you park were I suggested you could get a nice bag of chips on the way back to the car as there are 2 chip shops just behind Tommy Ducks/The Lucky Star Arcade.

If you are driving then try and avoid the weekends as they are very busy. As for parking, well the easiest is to park in the first car park on your left on Yeadon Way (keep going on M55 straight on at roundabout, that's Yeadon Way). It is a pay and display but only about 100meters to prom and easy to get a space.
If you want to walk any of it you are best to walk on the West side of the road(closest to sea) that way you avoid most of the 'games of chance pesterers'.

Where to eat, well if you park were I suggested you could get a nice bag of chips on the way back to the car as there are 2 chip shops just behind Tommy Ducks/The Lucky Star Arcade.

For lots of info about Blackpool Illuminations click the link.

what an odd post ched........

thanks for the info ched, but i think you cut and posted a bit too often! Reading your post made me bit dizzy to be honest.:)

(waiting for my low-fat curry ro cook is making me crave some proper chips with salt and lashings of vinegar!

There is a lovely big park in Lytham which is further down the seafront which you could go to early afternoon - good for both littlies and older children.

There is also Freeport in Fleetwood which is a discount retail park - always useful for killing a couple of hours with us.

There are tons of fish and chip shops so you could take your pick.

Not sure about parking as we usually drive through the illuminations - traffic is usually fairly slow moving so you can see them all but avoid the 'funseekers' etc.

Oops sorry about that, I tried to answer then had to register and I got all confused.

Sorry.

If I could work out how to edit original post I would, sorry.

Hope you have a great day.

@ ched.

thanks for all the tips!
DH is suggesting we spend the day in the lakes, then pootle over to Blackpool for late afternoon.

@mollyroger.

I don't know how much you know about Blackpool or what ages your kids are.
Here are a couple of alternative suggestions:
Blackpool Zoo, Blackpool Model Village, Stanley Park in Blackpool - FREE, if its a nice day Blackpool Beach (South of the South Pier is much quieter - FREE), Solaris Centre (Free little environmental exhibition, opposite Mirror Ball South Prom - FREE), Water Park,Farmer Parrs Animal World(Fleetwood ish).

If your kids are quite small they might enjoy walking past the Illuminated Tableauxs on the North Prom towards Bispham. You can get really close to them. There are a few nursery rhyme themed ones (hickory dickory dock etc), dinosaurs, dr who, and some teddy bear ones amongst them.

i have big boys :) (almost 10 and almost 13)

Sometimes they have free firework displays but I don't think the dates have been announced for this year yet.

There is a tropical swimming pool thingy that is quite good if the weather is too poor to walk along the piers.

There is a zoo.

As for food there are lots of burger and fish and chip places but really very little else. We usually take a picnic

Does anybody know how long it is to walk the length of the lights?.. thinking of getting the tram one way and walking back with a bag of chips :)