'Naice' parts of Blackpool/nearby for family group

[Abitofanexpert]

We are looking at booking a large house for 12 to share ranging from grandparents in their 60s to a 1 year old baby.

We usually go to Northumberland but have been considering exploring the NW of England which we don't know particularly well.

Any suggestions? Beach access is a necessity, either a seaside town or a short drive. My parents are keen on Blackpool as they think the older kids will love it but I'm not sure. My sister has been and said it was a bit noisy/scruffy...

Thanks!

It’s very very scruffy.

What about lytham St Anne's then you could visit Blackpool for the day?

In my opinion it is scruffy and tacky but that's why some people love it. It's more cheap B&Bs than large holiday houses though I'd say. It can get rowdy with stag/hen dos at night.

Blackpool isn't very nice...
How about the Lake District/Cumbria? Lovely beach in nearby Millom, Lancaster is also lovely.

It is noisy and a bit scruffy, but it’s Blackpool...there’s also an endearing quality to it too because of that! You could try further up or down the coastline, Bispham or Cleveleys will take you away from the main strip and are slightly sleepier in terms of things to do and demographic.

Also look at Lytham which is stunning and a bus ride along the coast to Blackpool.

It’s a lot scruffy. I’d go to Morecambe Bay/Silverdale (though this is not heat for beaches) or maybe Formby instead. Or consider staying in St Annes if they really want Blackpool.

Don’t know where that “heat” came from. I meant really.

Lytham St Anne's

Decbaby the op specifically asked about Blackpool. The lake District is worlds apart and won't offer anything like Blackpool has to offer. Yes it's naff and tacky as hell but can also be great fun. I'm from Cumbria, if the op wants to go hill walking and stuff her face I'm sure she'll know where to find us 💁🏻‍♀️

Regarding Blackpool I'd head for st Anne's. Blackpool is what it is, it's shonky but safe enough. The ridiculous snobbery about the place is rather amusing considering people will happily travel to London which isn't always the nicest of places but look down on people daring to take their kids somewhere a bit dodgy and > Northern.

Blackpool is awful. A very deprived town. We always go further up for day trips to the beach to cleveleys. Theres also Lytham? Fleetwood?

And don't take the poor sods to Morecambe. Yes the walk along the seafront is nice and they have happy mount park but there's nothing there anymore. Your poor teens will never live it down.

Fleetwood stinks of fish. And other than that odd shopping village has nothing. It's also the furthest away on the team line.

Cleveleys/ Bispham/ st Anne's are all good places to stay.

Either side of Blackpool (just half a mile or so) would be fine. I know it’s run down and rough but I have a real fondness for Blackpool and they’re trying hard to introduce nicer places for people to go. I just wouldn’t spend the evening there - with or without children. St Anne’s and Lytham are both lovely. Lytham is very posh indeed with amazing houses (and a huge Booths supermarket). In the other direction Clevleys, Bispham and Fleetwood are also decent options.

This looks ideal. On the seafront and has a hot tub and pool table for the teens.

www.airbnb.co.uk/s/Blackpool/homes?adults=5&children=5&checkin=2020-05-04&checkout=2020-05-08&source=mc_search_bar&refinement_paths%5B%5D=%2Fhomes&place_id=ChIJF9BC6RdBe0gRycIykheyLbU

Fantastic thank you all! Really helpful replies.

We're not at all snobbish, and I think the naff-ness appeals to my parents, but we do also want somewhere quite quiet and chilled out.

@decbaby19 I had actually found somewhere in Windermere I liked but my parents had fancied the seaside. Do you know how the drive would be to the coast from Windermere?

Again thank you everyone!

Around 45 mins?

Thank you Calleigh.

I'm really forward to it, we love the NE of England so looking forward to a bit of exploring on the other side!

We stayed at the village hotel in Blackpool last weekend and it was really good. It’s about 2km from the beach but the facilities at the hotel were brilliant (the pool especially), we went on half term so it was busy but still relaxed and friendly. The area the hotel is in was really lovely - I’d def recommend it!

Do your parents like towns full of druggies, hen and stag dos, poverty and litter? If so, Blackpool is just what you are looking for. It's genuinely really really awful. The nw coast in general is lovely though. If it has to be Blackpool, at least make it Lytham St Annes.

Windermere is nice but extremely busy. Ridiculously so in the holidays, even walking on the pavement can be a problem. If I you want the lakes without the crowds I'd stay at st bees or maryport / anywhere along the Cumbrian coastline. It's far cheaper and pretty undiscovered by the holiday crowds so doesn't get as swamped. I'm 20 minutes away from Windermere but won't even go in for a day during holiday season.

@Tulipan that's very snobby. I live in Blackpool and though it's tacky and, like all Britain's coastal towns, suffering from under investment, it can be great fun. The stags and hens are mostly weekend visitors and to be honest most of them go abroad now. The bad behaviour and litter dropping is perpetrated by the visitors to Blackpool. I guess you must have been one once to have such a strong opinion. I would recommend Ribby Hall Holiday Village or St Annes Beach appartments. They are near enough to drive into Blackpool . If you have chance hire one of the beach huts in St Annes it's great fun for a family day especially if the weather is good . If you are visiting the attractions in Blackpool look out for the early booking discounts . Hope you have a fab time .

We're not at all snobbish,
Well drop the word ' naice' then! It's ridiculous.
Windermere to Blackpool is bout an hour and 10 min to drive.
Robby hall near by is lovely and recommended
As other have suggested Airbnb have some nice apartments that would accommodate. However I would be looking to stay at Lythamor St Anne's, a stones throw away then you can get the best if both worlds, decent beaches. Promenade fun, experience Blackpool etc.

Ribby Hall Village have a big house for around 12. It's nice there.

Even the lakes has its rough parts.

Bowness is horrendous on a weekend because it's become popular with hen and stag parties. There's a notorious open top bus route called the 555 from Bowness to Grasmere which stops at every pub on the way and it's just awful. Last time we stupidly got on it I ended up comforting an elderly couple who were in tears at the behaviour ........the sad thing about Blackpool is it's reputation has been ruined by people who aren't even from there.

If you have teens the pleasure beach and the tower are great but expensive. Love a bit of Blackpool. The donkeys gallop!!

Lytham is beautiful and I give Ribby Hall another vote but do be warned that Blackpool is minging. Don’t go to Morecambe, I spend my whole life driving DS out of there during the holidays as there’s nothing to do!