It’s always good to be beside the seaside with lots to do, see and experience. In Brighton, you can get lost window shopping amongst the labyrinth of The Lanes, in Margate, your mind will wander as you marvel at the artists’ work in the Tate Contemporary while in Blackpool, a tram will guide you under its endless illuminations.
The Blackpool Illuminations
This is the season for lights everywhere, In Blackpool there are six miles of traditional festoons and interactive features along the Promenade – no wonder it’s commonly known as the greatest free light show on Earth and they continue to shine every evening until January 4th. These bright lights that attract tourists have been doing so for over 140 years, lighting up Blackpool since 1879. The first set of Illuminations were introduced when Blackpool Council devoted the sum of £5000 to experiment with the idea of electric street lighting, using eight arc lamps on 60ft poles located on the seafront. The public labelled it “artificial sunshine” as they were only used to candles to light their homes. Thus, the commencement of light tourism with the installation of electricity. Today, these illuminations attract more than three million visitors to the resort each year, with many travelling across the UK. In 2020 the display marked the first time the Blackpool Illuminations were lit throughout the festive season, and it has continued ever since.
The Key Attractions
The Lancashire town of Blackpool is like a miniature Las Vegas, less glamourous but more real. Here expect pink and white rock, fish and chips (with mushy peas of course), amusement parks and souvenir shops with fridge magnets galore. There’s bubble gum and coconut ice fudge piled high in a triangular shape in shop window displays, sulky donkeys on the beach and the slot machines with those tuppence slots along the piers elongating the leisure entertainment out to sea. And it’s easy to get around with frequent trams gliding parallel to the shore every 10 minutes, (£6.60 for a day ticket), managed by friendly and helpful conductors.
The Tower is the epic centre of town. I signed up for the Heritage Tour which proved fascinating and full of historical facts. It was inspired by the Eiffel Tower and built for the growing demand for leisure back when it opened in 1894, and proved a major engineering project of its time. It stands 518 ft high with a Victorian circus at its base. The circus continues to attract families to watch the acrobatic acts clad in glittery leotards, juggling performers and vividly dressed clowns. The animal parades of tigers and lions directed by the ring masters remain in the past. The Blackpool Tower Ballroom, with its sprung dance floor promotes itself annually, courtesy of Strictly Come Dancing but outside the TV limelight it is well worth spending time to watch dancing throughout the day while savouring afternoon tea in the glamour of its interior.
Nearby, standing regally, are the Winter Gardens which opened in 1878 in architectural splendour. A Grade II* listed building, it houses the Opera House, the famous Empress Ballroom and a range of public spaces inside an Art Deco style. The Victorian Blackpool Grand Theatre, Lancashire’s premier touring theatre and arts centre, houses a four-level auditorium which features ornate, gilded plasterwork, a baroque ceiling with cavorting cherubs, while cantilevered balconies allow every seat a view of the stage. It’s one of the few remaining theatres designed by Frank Matcham who also is linked to The Tower Circus, Ballroom and The Tower Tea Rooms.
Many revisit the town to relive their childhood holidays, remembering the iconic Tower stretching to the sky, the neon lights winking colour shades along the shore and the thrill of the bumper cars and the scary ghost train. The Blackpool Pleasure Beach will soon be topping up its adrenaline grade with a new £8.72m ride which will be the biggest of its kind in the UK. As for the Wallace & Gromit’s Thrill-O-Matic ride, there are to be more scenes added from the BAFTA award film, Vengeance Most Fowl.
Where to stay
I stayed at The Boulevard Hotel ideally located on Ocean Boulevard, side by side with the Pleasure Beach Resort and on the quieter edge of the town. It’s a contemporary, luxury hotel with 120 guest rooms which opened in 2019 with stylish public areas, a gym and the Beachside Restaurant and Bar. I can understand why is was voted the Best Luxury Hotel in Northern Europe and Britain’s Best Luxury Lifestyle Hotel 2024. My room was one of those rooms too comfortable to leave, with a spacious bathroom, including TV entertainment, and elegant, tasteful interiors using Designers Guild fabrics and Tom Purvis artwork. Some rooms enjoy live entertainment from their windows with rollercoasters zipping up and over, great for children, while mine provided coastal sea views in the day and the twinkling lights of Blackpool Illuminations at night.
Where to eat
The Beachside Restaurant in the hotel is excellent with generous portions served by efficient staff amidst its relaxing décor. It sits alongside the lounge and bar. Try the Cheese Soufflé with shredded beetroot or Charred Mackerel, Pan Seared Sea Bass with chorizo & apple salsa or a choice of the grills, (Sirloin, Ribeye or Fillet) or 285g Bone in Port Chop with sauces. The White Tower restaurant enjoys panoramic views over the promenade from its penthouse position in the Casino Building. It’s dressed in calming neutral tones, featuring a sunken bar, an open fire in the winter and accessed by a private lift entrance. The fine dining menu serves local produce in this intimate setting and highly recommended. Try the Prawn & Dill Crusted Cod Loin, Honey Roast Roots and the Wild Berry Crumble. For those preferring more casual food, the town is dotted with fish ‘n chip eateries and take-aways serving scampi, battered sausage, meat and pot pies and gravy.
Today, Blackpool is still grabbing the limelight with the filming of Britain’s Got Talent in the Winter Gardens and Strictly Come Dancing in the Tower Ballroom. It remains a seaside holiday destination for families in the north west of England, whether it’s to waltz in the ballroom, play crazy golf or walk along the promenade. On the southern shores of Kent, Margate draws visitors to Dreamland, the iconic amusement park offering vintage rides including the UK’s oldest wooden roller coaster as well as the Shell Grotto which was discovered in 1835 and consists of 21 metres of winding passages decorated with 4.6 million shells. Also in the south in Sussex, Brighton enjoys the World’s Oldest Operating Electric Railway which opened in 1883 and the tranquillity of its Pavilion Gardens. Apart from sea views, there’s always lots to do, see and experience at the seaside under the festive lights of the season.
