10 Best Things to Do in Blackpool

The iconic landmark of the city, Blackpool Tower dominates the skyline from its location in the centre of town. It's 158 metres tall and resembles the Eiffel Tower. There are loads of tourist attractions inside the tower, appealing to different types of guests – it's one of the most popular and best things to do in Blackpool. You can head up to the viewing deck at the top for some great photos, take the kids to the jungle gym or head to the dungeons for a fun escape game. There’s also a ballroom inside that hosts regular live shows – everything from comedy to dancing and even afternoon tea.

A long pier is a hallmark of a British seaside resort. As proof of Blackpool’s popularity, it has 3 separate piers, but Central Pier is our pick to start the day. The long promenade makes for a pleasant stroll, and it’s lined with fairground rides, the iconic big wheel, games arcades, and plenty of takeaway stalls for snacks and drinks. It’s loud and a lot of fun. Don't miss out on any of this by choosing a hotel that's situated near the Central Pier.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is an amusement park with some thrilling rollercoasters and a scary haunted house that is staffed with actors who walk around acting like zombies. The centrepiece of the park is aptly named, the Big One. Featuring a 235 ft drop, it’s the tallest and faster ride in the UK. The addition of Nickelodeon Land has added more rides for toddlers, like SpongeBob's Splash Bash and Rugrats Lost River, plus the Wallace & Gromit Thrill-O-Matic rollercoaster.

Blackpool isn’t renowned for brand name shopping, but if you’re looking to shop then Houndshill Shopping Centre has a decent selection of stores. It’s easy to find, just behind Blackpool Tower and walking distance from the beach. Debenhams department store is the probably your best bet for fashion items. As it’s fully enclosed, Houndshill Shopping Centre is a popular spot on a rainy day, with a choice of restaurants, coffee shops and fast food outlets.

As Blackpool’s indoor water park, Sandcastle Waterpark is the perfect place to cool off, whatever the weather. With steep slides and rubber ring rides, the Sandcastle will make a splash with kids of any age. 

Raft along indoor water roller coasters and lose your bearings as you torpedo through blacked-out tubes before being dumped into the Sandcastle’s frothy waters. With a spaghetti tangle of winding slides, warm wave pools, and gentle lazy rivers, there’s something for every kid – and adult – to love here.

A donkey ride on Blackpool Beach is a rite of passage for many youngsters on a family holiday since the 19th century. The donkey will be led by a harness on a slow walk. The route up and down the beach has stayed largely the same, but these days, some of the donkeys have credit card payment machines attaches to their saddles. Rides only cost a couple of pounds and last around 15 minutes. To ensure the donkeys are well cared for, vets inspect the animals every week. There’s also a weight restriction so no one over 8 stone (50kg) is allowed to ride.

Take a walk on the wild side and come face to face with some of the world’s most fearsome animals. Whether you’re looking for gentle giraffes, terrifying tigers, or awesome apes, Blackpool lays the entire animal kingdom at your feet. Watch as gorillas affectionately groom each other, tiger cubs wrestle boisterously, and squawking parrots zoom through the air in magnificent flashes of colour. 

This zoo is home to some of Africa’s most majestic species – but kids will love getting the chance to pet bearded goats and touch the woolly white coats of the petting zoo’s sheep, just as much.

Genting Casino has a nice variety of games to play and insists on a smart-casual dress code, so the crowd is more pleasant than other casinos in town. It’s about 10 minutes’ drive north of Blackpool Tower. The minimum bets start from £2 for a game of Blackjack, and less for Roulette, so you don’t have to be a high roller to join in. Of course, you don’t have to gamble. The casino has a swanky restaurant that’s one of the best in town and a bar that serves until 5.30am. ID is a must.

As a tourist resort, it makes sense that the city boasts a lot of evening entertainment. The Grand Theatre is one of the best venues for live shows, with something light-hearted and fun being performed most nights. Musicals like Grease and The Rat Pack are particularly popular, along with live comedy and tribute bands. It’s known as the National Theatre of Variety for a reason.

Blackpool is known for its extreme drinking culture, which makes it a lot of fun, but you should be prepared to see groups of pre-marriage parties in outlandish fancy dress, known locally as ‘stag’ and ‘hen’ parties. Queen Street runs from North train station to the North Pier and is lined with over 20 different bars and clubs. You’ll find plenty of lively bars, live music joints and nightclubs to choose from.