Blackpool day trip?

[MochiPie]

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

Yes I was going to add a disclaimer that I am aware some people think this. I find it quite grand. I must have rose tinted glasses. I have been for a day every year for over a decade. I still love it. I love the circus, the endless sand, the seal island, the miniature village, the greasy spoon cafes, I just love it.

From london you could go to Scarborough via York on the train and it might be quicker? It’s a much nicer experience than Blackpool I’d say. Or as others have said, both Lytham and St Anne’s are nicer and same part of world as Blackpool.

I have just been for a few days after many years away and I wouldn't go again unless it was a day trip to drive through the lights.
The town centre is dire and smells of bad cooking oil and other substances.
Madame Tussauds was about £20 - Water park for children about £25 - Pleasure Beach £50 on the day, cheaper if you book in advance. So if there are a few of you it isn't cheap.

Funny you should mention this I did actually look at Great Yarmouth first but found a mumsnet thread saying how awful it was 😂 just like this one about Blackpool

Too far and sadly not nice.
I wish I could say it was nice, I am a proud lancashire lass, but it is really grim!

@MochiPieWhy look at the worst places? Someone will suggest Clacton next! Just look at places with history and sandy beaches. They do exist!

If your kids are old enough to entertain themselves on the train then why not? Get the train at 8am, be there by 11ish.

Visit the tower, spend lots of money in the amusement arcade. The circus?

Get the train home at 6pm.

Blackpool is not glamorous but it's fun.

Sit on a nice patch of banking next to the Thames! I promise you you’ll have a better time, a better view and an overall better experience! Having said that, everyone should go once so they can be absolutely sure they’ll never want to go again!

Sitting in central London isn't enjoyable to me but Blackpool clearly isn't a popular choice on here so may have to give it a miss!

Bourne out / Rye / West Wittering

I’m fairly local and I love Blackpool. I think the Tower, Comedy Carpet, beach and piers make a fun day out. There’s plenty to do. If your DS love trains, he would probably enjoy a tram ride.

I live fairly close to Blackpool and know loads of people who love it and have great days out or longer there.

I like blackpool for a day trip (we live about 1hr 30 drive away). I love the tower ballroom!

As an alternative, you could visit Liverpool (2 hours from London) and stay a night or 2 and get the train over the Mersey - or even the ferry and walk up. New Brighton has a lovely sandy beach nice cafes, and a few small arcades - and you get the best views of Liverpool!

Have you been asking Chat GPT for train times? Because only someone who's hallucinating would think the train is direct.

Why do some posters keep banging on about multiple other places for the OP to visit?! She asked about Blackpool. She wants to go to Blackpool! Can people not be arsed to listen or something?

Or do they think that their (alternative) opinion - that the place they are suggesting will be 'better' - is so important and superior?! 🙄

Just get a cheap Travelodge room @MochiPie No way will it be enjoyable doing it in one day. Ignore the people bashing Blackpool. Most people bashing it have never been. Yes it's not glamourous, and you need to avoid the backstreets a bit (especially after 7pm) but there is loads to do there, a big beach, 3 piers, the tower, the waxworks, the sea life centre, the funfair and pleasure beach, loads of arcades, pubs, and restaurants, and 100s of shops. AND the illuminations if you go after 29th August.

Book it, you'll enjoy it. Ignore the haters and naysayers.

BUT I wouldn't try and do it in one day. It will be so exhausting! Book a cheap room, and you can enjoy it properly, enjoy the day, and go out on the night, and see the illuminations, go to a pub or a restaurant, and go back to the hotel late, knowing you haven't got to drive home, or get a train home. If you try and do it in one day, you will have to get the train back at 7.30pm! (Gets into London at half ten.) There's one an hour later but it doesn't get into London til half past one in the morning!

Book it tomorrow! have fun.

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I think Blackpool was a hole

can u train up to Scarborough ??

Whitby ??

People are snobbish about it ,and yes it’s a bit rough round the edges but my DC absolutely love it
The Pleasure beach, the Tower , the Circus , the lovely park , the piers
And it’s good to shake the Dc out of their middle class bubble!

If they like trains, I'd get on the eurostar to Paris. Very doable as a day trip. Though neither cheap nor beachy!

Fairly sure it's about 3hrs on the train from London to Preston, then change at Preston to get to Blackpool (fairly easy swap, it's only a small-ish station and regular trains). So I would say you would be travelling around 4hrs each way. If you left at 8am, you wouldn't arrive til lunchtime and would have to leave by tea time. Seems a lot of travelling for a short amount of time. Also, Blackpool is a bit crap

Seafront was fine last time I went a few years ago, with dds. I have a soft spot for Blackpool.
Oldest dd went with friends for a day trip recently and didn’t mention any problems. Photos on the beach - tide must have been in as it was lapping against some steps - looked nice. I think they opted for one of the piers rather than the Pleasure Beach which I think now charges for entry as well as rides.
Going up the tower is a must if weather ok, but I personally wouldn’t bother with Sealife Centre or Madame Tussords especially if visiting from London. My kids enjoyed the water park. We stayed at the Big Blue Hotel.
Remember Mumsnet is quite middle class so Blackpool is probably not the ideal destination for many of the posters! I can be a bit of a snob myself but I do find Blackpool fun. (I’m in the Midlands so hours to the coast in every direction!)

Go for it if you want to visit Blackpool, although it does seem like a lot of travelling for one day so I'd probably get a hotel for one night. Stick with the chain ones like Premier Inn and you'll be fine, some of the independent ones are a bit rough. There's loads to keep teenagers happy if they like amusement arcades, funfair rides and fish and chips. We're going in a few weeks for the illuminations and looking forward to it, and yes we've been loads before so we know what to expect.

I think I will look at October half term and staying over then but weather would probably be rubbish so not sure if it's worth it in the colder months? Have looked at camber sands and west wittering and although they look lovely I don't want anything that requires a bus as well as a train as that aren't near any stations, just want something close to a station though ds would love the bus and tram 😂

Yeah I can tell! I've heard the same comments about Margate but we find it fine and have never had any trouble so I'm thinking it's the same kind of vibe.

I live in Blackpool and admit it’s cheesy and brash but we have 12 miles of beach along the coast (when the tide is out ) The Pleasure Beach 3 piers , the Tower , water park and waxworks . If you stay over we also have a zoo and Britain’s best park . It can be expensive but not as expensive as London ! I regularly do the reverse journey to London and can be there for lunchtime . Lots of vouchers available for Blackpool attractions.

The only decent thing about Blackpool is the Northern Soul dancing at the Tower Ballroom.
Two streets back from the promenade and shops is absolute desolation. Boarded up closed down shop and businesses, smashed windows, fly tipping and litter.
It's very sad and brings me no pleasure to say this but it is a far cry from the Blackpool I knew in the 80s and 90s.
The stag and hen party market is strong in this town.