The nation's favourite seaside resort is always worth a visit.
With seven miles of glorious sandy beach Blackpool has been a major tourist destination since the 1840s. With its long promenade and three piers, it has played host to millions of people who have enjoyed its special delights.
Donkey rides, candy floss, fish and chips and ice cream - all ingredients for a traditional time by the briny are here in abundance. Times changed with the advent of cheap holidays abroad Blackpool has had to change and adapt over the decades. Even the famous Tower has had a facelift. Imagine yourself on Strictly Come Dancing as you take a turn around the Ballroom or go up to the top and step out the glass floor for a panoramic view that will take your breath away.
The famous trams have been modernised too. The old, noisy ones have been replaced by a fleet of sleek and comfy Metro-style vehicles which make getting around a doddle. Residents and visitors alike will appreciate the millions being spent here. The new promenade with its sculptures and the Houndshill shopping centre at the heart of town near the Tower have breathed new life into this archetypal seaside resort.
Visit
Blackpool Zoo.
Take a picnic and enjoy a full day out. See the gorillas, giraffes, lemur and wallabies, elephants and reptiles and watch the sealions perform.
01253 830830 www.blackpoolzoo.org.uk
Eat
Twelve
A two AA rosette restaurant at Thornton Cleveleys,a tram ride away or AJs Bistro in Topping Street.
01253 821212 www.twelve-restaurant.co.uk
Stay
The Big Blue, a four-star award winner located at The Blackpool Pleasure Beach
0871 222 4000 www.bigbluehotel.com
