Blackpool

The seaside town of Blackpool is located in the northwest of England. It used to be part of Lancashire but it became independent in 1998. The town is provides an excellent place to visit and is highly dependent on tourism. There are many major attractions for you to discover at Blackpool, including the famous Blackpool Tower and the indoor water park known as Sandcastle Waterworld. You could also enjoy the sea and sand of Blackpool?s beaches and visit the three piers along its coastline. Located near the south pier is Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which is an amusement park to suit all ages. As well as these fascinating attractions, Blackpool is also well known for it?s excellent nightlife and is a popular place for hen and stag parties. Blackpool has a lot to offer with different attractions to suit everyone?s liking.

Attractions

During autumn, when it turns to night, Blackpool turns into a place of dazzling and colourful lights known as the Blackpool Illuminations. It was the first town in England to do such as thing during the Victorian times, fibre optics and computer control have since made the illuminations even better, with over five miles of glittering colour.

Another major attraction of Blackpool is the Pleasure Beach, located on Ocean Boulevard near the south pier. This is an amusement park with fast rides, roller coasters, award-winning shows, fun houses, smaller rides for children plus much more. The Pleasure Beach is home to one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in Europe, the Pepsi Max. The amusement park is open from March until November.

On Central Promenade is Blackpool Tower, it is 518 feet tall and was built in 1894. In the tower you will find a circus show, the world famous Blackpool Tower Ballroom, playgrounds for children, Under Sea World, Hornpipe Gallery, Tower Top ride, Charlie Cairoli Exhibition and the Walk of Faith. The tower is a great place for adults and children to visit, with attractions to suit the whole family.

Blackpool also has a zoo that is home to over 400 animals, including big mammals such as lions, tigers, gorillas and elephants. You will encounter many animals throughout the day and you may even be able to feed some of them.

Sandcastle Waterworld is an indoor water park located on South Promenade. You can have fun in the fun pool or relax on a sun bed on the poolside. The temperature is kept at a constant 84 Degrees Fahrenheit, so you can lie back and enjoy the warm temperature.

On Central Promenade is the Sea Life Centre, which is home to one of the largest marine collections in Europe. Here you can see a range of fish from tropical to freshwater species. You can learn loads about life under the sea as you view the collections and see feeding demonstrations and talks by members of staff.

As well as the numerous attractions Blackpool offers, its beach is still a major draw for many visitors. During a hot day, it is an excellent place to paddle in the sea, relax and play family games. Blackpool also has three magnificent piers along its coastline. The north pier is famous for it?s theatre, amusements, shops and restaurants. The most popular pier for visitors is the central pier, with a Big Wheel and a show bar. The south pier is also a popular attraction with its own theatre and a circus marquee style frontage of the pier.

You can travel around Blackpool and see all the attractions using its tram system. The world famous trams of Blackpool have been around for many decades, they now stretch for 12 miles along the sea front and are an interesting and exciting way to get around the town. You can also view Blackpool from the air with Blackpool Pleasure Flights over the area. Trial flying lessons are available and you can view the beach, the three piers, the Pleasure Beach, Blackpool Tower plus much more with a bird?s eye view.

Shopping

Blackpool is an excellent place for shoppers around the country with many small souvenir shops to big named retailers. The town centre has been purpose built to meet the needs of shoppers with multi-storey car parking and a wide selection of shops and centres. The Hounds Hill Shopping Centre is one of the best places for shopping in Blackpool, the centre has an excellent array of shops and provides entertainment for you to enjoy on your shopping trip.

Nightlife and Eating Out

Blackpool has an excellent nightlife that runs round the clock. There are many first-rate nightclubs, shows and pubs providing entertainment for all ages to suit everyone?s liking. The many nightclubs in the area play the latest sounds as well as the well-recognised golden oldies. Blackpool has over 30 nightclubs so you?ll be sure to find something that suits you. The older generations can also enjoy traditional dancing at the famous Tower Ballroom. There are also hundreds of pubs in the area catering for the young, old and families.

Blackpool has a cinema complex showing new releases, plus there are 2 more cinemas in nearby Preston. There is also 4 theatres in Blackpool where you can enjoy leading shows throughout the year.

Blackpool has countless restaurants where you can enjoy cuisine from around the world. The restaurants in Blackpool serve food such as Italian, Indian, Mexican, Greek, Mandarin and much more. Some good restaurants include the Palm Court in the Imperial Hotel, which seats 180 people and the Middle of the Earth restaurant located on Queens Street, also on Queens Street is the Afro-Caribbean restaurant called Lagoonda, which is well worth checking out.

You can also find traditional English food in many local pubs or fish and chips on the promenade. There are also many fast food restaurants where you can get a quick bite to eat at a reasonable price. Traditional seafood is also available here, including the New Seafood Restaurant on Bond Street and the Roberts Oyster Bar, located on the promenade.

Tourist Information

Tourist Information Centre, 1 Clifton St, Blackpool, FY1 1LYTelephone: 01253 478 222

Airport

Blackpool airport closed in October 2014 and only operates private flights.

Blackpool Airport LtdSquires Gate LaneBlackpoolLancashireFY4 2QYTelephone: 01253 343434