Blackpool?!

[HamCob]

My mum has been desperate to take her grandchildren to Blackpool to see the illuminations for a couple of years now (we would go as a family of 4 plus my parents) I've been putting her off as I'm really not keen but I'm starting to feel like I'm being a bit mean as there won't really be many more years we can go.
We would go midweek for 2 nights so hopefully would avoid the stag dos etc.

Has anyone been with kids within the last couple of years and was it ok? We've been in a couple of day trips to skeggy and the like and I don't mind that sort of vibe?

Any hotel recommendations also welcome - Ribby hall is out as it's too far from the centre.

it is an absolute shithole

It’s a bit grim but we went last November to see the lights. We did enjoy walking along the sea front to look at the lights in the evening but that was it. I wouldn’t go back again. If you have little ones they’ll probably enjoy it anyway!

There are loads of trips you can do - self drive or coach

eg
www.daishs.com/days-out/blackpool-illuminations

Avoid. I couldn't wait to leave after being in the town centre for less than one hour. Horrible place, worn out faces and just incredibly rough.

Stay at The Big Blue or the football ground hotel and do a max of 2 nights and you should be ok . Blackpool is not really my thing at all but we used to go up for 2/3 days when my husband had meetings nearby and had some good days out at the Zoo , the pleasure beach and the sandcastle water park .

It is rather rough, but we were out during the day mostly and went to the Pleasure Beach and it was fine.

Blackpool itself is very run down. But if you can just go there to see the lights, and stay somewhere further out, you find some nicer places. Lytham and St Anne's are nice and geared up for families.

They don't get switched on until September so you might be looking as far as October if you are going midweek - it will be freeeeeezing

Should say as well, the tower is good and if you like Strictly then the ballroom is charming.

I went to Blackpool once when I was a child.
A big fat woman fell on top of me in the street.
I haven't been back.

@Skelligsfeathers

it is an absolute shithole

This. It's very grotty. Very grim.

Live nearby. Honestly, I wouldn’t.

Shithole.

@Kendodd

I went to Blackpool once when I was a child. A big fat woman fell on top of me in the street. I haven't been back.

Even without more details that’s a wonderful story😂

Ignore the snobs. It's good fun with kids for a day or two. We climbed up to the top of Blackpool tower, my kids loved the glass floor!

It’s dirty and disgusting. Go somewhere nice instead, maybe to see some Xmas lights.

It’s the most depressing place I’ve ever been. I’d go somewhere else.

Thanks all!
Yeah I'm not really treating it as a holiday as such - but just need it to be bearable for 2 days so I'll look at The Blue and also St Anne's.
As long as the kids and my mum are happy then it will be fine - I'm from a working class family and holidays to Skegness, Great Yarmouth, butlins etc were the norm so I'm sure it will be water off a ducks back!

We stayed at the Big Blue Hotel and it was fine, as was the seafront, pleasure beach, tower, Sandcastle water park etc. A couple of streets back might be rough but the seafront has been done up, and it's good fun for kids.

It's fine for a few days - I took my 12 year old and 9 year old last summer. We did the pleasure beach, Blackpool tower eye, ballroom, circus, the sandcastle (which is a water park), a few cheesy arcades and drove along to look at the illuminations. Kids had a blast! There are a couple of premier inns in Blackpool which are usually cheap and clean.

We go every October half term as we have family there. I rented a small bungalow last time about 8 minutes drive from actual blackpool town. It was fab. We drove to see illuminations and in and out of town for 4 days. We live in the south so it needed to be 4 days to make it worthwhile

Big blue hotel is actually lovely and we ate in a place called the bank bar and grill.
We love going for a wander during the illuminations.
I have a real fondness for the place.

Here we go with the annual Blackpool bashing thread.

Like every town and city in the UK, Blackpool has its good parts and bad parts. It is no more grim than any other part of the country.

People slating it haven't been for years and therefore can't judge on its present state.

Ignore the snobs.

Stay in a nice hotel. Do the Pleasure Beach one day and the Tower the next. Get one of the trams through the lights.

Eat rock.

Oh give over the lot of you, yeah it's not Marbella but you can have a lovely time. Illuminations switch on tends to be about 2nd week in September, but if you're cyclists you can ride the lights one night a bit earlier. Depending on the age of the kids I'd agree a midweek stay, there's the zoo, Madame Tussauds, Sealife, Blackpool Tower and Sandcastle water park which are all fab, if you're into roller coasters The Pleasure Beach is good but I'll be honest it's no Alton Towers. Agree don't stay in town but look where the tram goes to for options, Lytham St Anne's is a lovely place with a great park for kids too.