Blackpool day trip?

[MochiPie]

Is Blackpool doable as a day trip from London? Has anyone done this? Is it worth it or too long?

No beaches in London 😂

We haven't been there but my son is a train fan and I promised him I'd take him on a different train this summer as we always travel on the same ones which is why I wanted to combine it with a day trip so the other kids get something out of it

Already have a hotel booked for a few days at a different town so don't really want two hotels this summer

In that case I'd go. I ve got a soft spot for Blackpool

It’s a long way to go for a sandy beach.
They do exist in the south.

Don’t do it. It’s a dump.

Well I'd say go for it then, you know it's gonna be a long day but it'll be adventure if nothing else!

Yes and we've been to them for years over so fancy a change of scene

Lytham is lovely. Not lytham st Anne’s. Not Blackpool.

Yes. Broad sandy beach. If you go the Blackpool and get the tide timing wrong you might not have any beach to enjoy.

Why?
Why would you do that?
I had very happy memories of going to Blackpool as a child, we lived about an hour away and I was VERY excited to show it to my own DC
We didn't stay long

Indeed. I found that Blackpool Illuminations weren’t Quite as special in the noughties as they were in 1982.

St Annes , which is about 10 mins from Blackpool has a much nicer beach. It is broad, soft sand, child friendly etc. You can easily get to St Annes from Blackpool.

Blackpool, although it has a reputation, has lots of tourist attractions though. You have the tower itself, dungeons, the sandcastle water park , wax museum , and of course all the arcades. The beach itself isnt the best though and you would need to check tides too, whereas in St Annes, the sea is so far out you don't need to worry about the tides.

Go to York. No beach but the Railway Museum is a must for train fans.

Wouldn’t get the others on board with that 🥲

Would be going by train so would be too far

St annes is on the same train line as blackpool South so its just as easy to get to. Lots to do, small pier, lovely beach. Those saying lytham over st annes, lytham doesn't have a sandy beach, it's mainly long grass.

It's not worth it

I'm just trying to get you to avoid Blackpool

(Sadly I think it smells. I wish it was fabulous).

St Annes beach is frequently full of sewage (thanks, United Utilities!).

How about Great Yarmouth. A bit closer. You couldn't get more sand than in Yarmouth (miles of beach and dunes) and it's guaranteed (whereas if the tides in, there is no beach at all in Blackpool).

I absolutely love Yarmouth for a day trip.

On a train yes, driving no! It’s only two hours London to Preston on the fast train then switch at Preston to Blackpool 25mibs.

Great Yarmouth is awful! Nearly the most run down of the run down!

What about Barry Island or Swansea in Wales? Barry is on par with the seaside cheesiness of Blackpool. Swansea and particularly the Mumbles is beautiful. Slightly more doable in a day.

My kids love Blackpool, just take it for what it is! It’s a good day out my kids would rather Blackpool than a railway museum or st.Annes. They love all the tacky slots and the piers with the big wheel ride.