How are we all?? After an AMAZING - and I am not even exaggerating here - 4 nights spent in the famous Blackpool, I am back and giving you my top reasons for why you too, need to visit Blackpool- ASAP.
Now, Blackpool may be somewhere you associate with being a wee kid on your family holidays and a really cheesy holiday destination. What, with the amusements where your aim is to win as many tickets as possible and just as equally throw tantrums if you don't win (still do as an adult tbf hun), sandcastles, beach days, pleasure beach where you're not tall enough for half the rides. OD'ing on ice cream and slushies and being a general pain in the arse for your parents! Feeling like an absolute rebel for being allowed to stay up later than usual and getting photos with your fave celeb wax works... Who remembers all of this?
Blackpool is often associated with being a typical "family holiday" kinda vibe and true, it absolutely is! But there is a 100% another side to visiting that can't be sooo overlooked well babe, no more! I'm going to tell you my top reasons as to why your adult self needs to visit Blackpool ASAP as a couple, or with a bestie or two and you'll soon realise your childhood holiday and your adulthood one does not even compare. I honestly thought I had "been there, done that" but gurl was I wrong!!
So my darlings, here are my top reasons for visiting/my top recommendations for when visiting Blackpool:
1) THE VIEWS
If scenic photos and picturesque holidays are your kinda thing, Blackpool provides it in buckets. With a big stretch of sandy beachy-ness and grand steps going down to it that are screaming for endless posed photos upon! Wherever you go, whether that's north pier, central pier, McDonalds, revolution or even just walking back to your hotel you can always guarantee there, right in the background, creepin' about, is the famous Blackpool tower **not to be confused with that Yano, other famous tower whatever it's called...** I have so many different pictures with the tower as the backdrop from all over Blackpool and it is STUNNING. This is a backdrop to envy! Especially at night when the tower lights up and does her thaaang (assuming it's a she, obvs). The piers are OTT and grand and the famous wheel on Central Pier makes for a stunning backdrop also. Wherever you go down the promenade you are guaranteed a view- it is simply stunning and my adult eyes appreciated what my wee self did not.
2) INSIDE THE TOWER- IT'S NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE!
Blackpool tower isn't all just cool shots and exterior images nooo sir. Inside is host to the ballroom, which hosts Strictly once a year. The circus (which, FYI, is back on!) and in recent years, it now boasts the tower eye. The tower eye is NOT for the faint hearted let me tell you but if you can, have a drink for courage beforehand because you will regret not doing it! You go up in 1 elevator which takes you to a 4D experience where, annoyingly, you get sprayed with water and foam (low key raging) It lasts about 5 minutes before you're escorted in your allocated time slot group to go in 2 separate elevators that takes you 360 feet up... yup. These elevators actually expose all the beams of the tower and you can see everything outside from the lift ahhh! Once you arrive at "the eye" you have the option to stand on the glass floor that is in my opinion, some final destination sh*t! I was bricking it and jumped on (didn't literally jump tho obvs lol, don't come @ me) for a quick photo before running back off but I'm so glad I did it. You can also go up 2 flights further by climbing a tight stairway which has further amazing views from the more exposed tower- and the best fresh breeze that I can only compare to feeling like Beyonce putting her head in-front of a wind tunnel!
3) THE NIGHTLIFE & AMUSEMENTS AS AN ADULT
Now, Blackpool probably has a lot more to offer when not in a pandemic as places will be open later and clubs etc would be open too so of course, we didn't get to experience the complete package in regards to nightlife however, that did not stop us having the best time! Around 8pm we would walk down (everything in Blackpool is within walking distance from your accommodation guaranteed) to the prom and go to the amusements and central pier. If you visited as a kid you will definitely remember Coral Island- it's huuuge. Visting as an adult I'm here to confirm... is 100% just as fun!! The classic donkey derby, the endless coin machines. I even won piglet on my last shot out of 4 in the grabber machines! Pat's 10p bingo is a must visit for some light fun, too. Central Pier hosts the big wheel overlooking the beach, water, and all the other attractions on the prom. It has funfair rides and good "street food" classic food options at really great prices which surprised me as tourist places usually up their prices "just because". There is also a cabaret like-bar upstairs if you fancy a bit of cheesy tribute acts! If you are visiting as a couple you will be spoiled for choice of what to do and your competitive streak will sure come out! Plus it's actually quite a romantic place as a couple which your younger self would never have imagined as obvs, boys had loads of germs back them and were eww.
4) CHEAP AND CHEERFUL
As briefly mentioned above, I was really shook at how cheap Blackpool is. Just like everything else, if you go mental and do everything touristy it will add up BUT they don't really hike up their prices just because they get loads of tourists every year and want to rinse us for all the pennies they can **cough we are looking at you London cough** the food was bang on price which I was not expecting, even the food within the piers was reasonably priced/normal priced. Rock shops had deals were you could get around 4 flavours for £1 making it so cheap for all those cheesy souvenirs you can't not bring back to your fam! Main attractions had deals on and even if you bought photos on site you could save on other attractions on site photos if you kept the receipt too. Trams are cheap AF and buses too. Both usually have ticket options such as 24hrs, few da ys so it makes your possibilities endless especially if you wanted to travel to somewhere like Fleetwood or didn't have a car with you. If you are wanting a beach day the prom has you covered with lots of shops selling beach items alongside their sweet treats.
5) VISIT: THE ZOO
I visited the zoo last when I was around 13 years old, and I remember bits and pieces from it, in-particularly, the beauuutiful peacock that roams the entrance/exit. Honestly, as an adult I had 10x more fun visiting the zoo! Warning: Visiting dino land you will potentially get absolutely soaked like I did by a water spitting 'dinosaur' - not cool. This is a great day out and I highly recommend taking a packed lunch with you as the place is full of benches and places to eat a picnic surrounded by beautiful animals. Who doesn't love a zoo?? They have seals, elephants, giraffes- even camels and wolves!! And of course, I would recommend visiting just to see the beauty that is- the peacock. We spent about 3 hours here and I would definitely recommend about 3-4 hours to properly see everything, enjoy the walk around and chill with some lunch! It's an amazing day out and there's usually other tourists willing to take a photo for you- the best kind of place!
Top Tip: If you go after 3pm it is a lot quieter and has a lot less kids roaming around.
6) VISIT: MADAMME TUSSAUDS
I last visited here when it was still called Louis Tussauds... who else remembers this?? And the wax works weren't that great then and well, I'd say Blackpool isn't really on par with London's offerings but it's still a good day out! The queues are reaaally big though so I would definitely recommend booking prior to your trip. Visiting here when younger was all about cute photos with your favourite celebs "omg there's the queen!" and your parents telling you to give a smile or pull a funny face but now huns, you're free! You've been let loose! And that is where the fun begins. It's now about going and taking the absolute p*ss with the waxworks... there's no room to look cute here or you would be doing it all wrong! Whether your straddling Ronaldo, trying to spar with Nicola Adams. Giving your best MJ moves or if you're me, pretending Keith Lemon is "smashing your back doors in" - it's all about the adult fun now! I had an absolute blast and adult you will as well. Why not set a challenge of who can pull the most cheekiest pose or the most creative pic?
Top Tip: You can get lots of deals through the Madamme Tussauds website to save pennies by making a combo deal such as including 2, 3, 4 other attractions! It's an absolute steal. We personally chose a 2 combo deal of Madamme Tussauds and the tower eye for £27.
7) THE HIDDEN GEMS OF THE PROM
When rushing to the tower eye (because when is your gal ever on time?) I noticed a wee place in amongst all the souvenir shops called "Graffiti Mini Golf" (pictured above) and honestly, it's a blink and you'll miss it place. I absolutely love mini golf and who doesn't love getting competitive? This wee place is an absolute hidden gem and a great bit of fun at night. At £8 each, the whole course is glow in the dark and makes for an interesting round. The inside feels like what was once perhaps a kid's indoor play area, your golf game starts downstairs and unexpectedly, takes you upstairs for the middle part of your game before taking you back downstairs again for the last 3/4 holes- it makes it so much more fun! I loved it (and not just because I won lol) definitely add this to your list. Pat's 10p bingo is great if you even just want a bit of heat from the seaside breeze at night! It's hard not to enjoy this and is a light bit of fun... make sure to bring lots of 10p's though or have cash on hand to be converted into them! This is a leave your card at home kind of place.
JUICY EXTRAS:
- Try as many flavours of Blackpool rock as possible! And get on to them 4 rocks for £1. deals down the prom- they even have tequila and weed flavoured rock!
- Blackpool has a Revolution (like Mitchell Street in Glasgow centre) which I highly recommend visiting for your fave Revolution cocktails as well as the photo booth! **Booking is highly advised**
- Head past the tower to the left of it (towards North Pier) for loads of trendy bars and restaurants, it's where the food and drink is at!
- During the Summer with good weather, you can hire a deckchair for £3 a day between Central Pier and the RNL Station for a sunbathing, chill day!
- You can drive down for even a day trip which is of course a huge bonus and is just under a 4 hour drive- and a beautiful one at that. Entering Blackpool is way easier than Glasgow City Centre lets put it that way!
There are so many reasons I could give you for your adult self about why you should and need to add Blackpool to your list but these are my fave ones! I hope you're jotting 'em down, babe or pinning this blog post- you're gonna need it! Need more proof? Check out my best of about 300, photos below xo
MY HOLIDAY ALBUM!
Stay Safe, Stay Sassy & Staycations for the win!
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