The Golden Mile...

The Golden Mile is the stretch of promenade that runs between Blackpool's north and south piers, and has been famous as the home of British seaside culture for over a century. It began in the late 19th century, when small-time fairground operators, fortune-tellers, phrenologists and oyster bars set up shop outside the area's boarding houses, in order to take advantage of passing trade as people moved between their boarding house and the railway station.

The Golden Mile grew and evolved over the decades labeled by The Gazette as "the brightest, most exciting stretch of outdoor attractions anywhere in the country".

Fortune tellers and kiss-me-quick hats have been replaced by professionally run amusement arcades and luxury night clubs - although the old-fashioned staples of candy floss, fish and chips, and slot machines are still very much in evidence, as are the world-famous Blackpool Illuminations, which light up the night with over a million bulbs from late August till early November, and include almost every kind of light you can imagine: lasers, neon, light bulbs, fibre optics, searchlights and floodlighting. This Amazing experience has been a well-established Blackpool tradition since last 19th Century, and thousands of people gather for the Big Switch On, as the summer season draws to a close.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort...

Pleasure Beach, Blackpool remains Britain's number one tourist attraction. With over 6.2 million visitors now travelling to Britain's No. 1 Resort Theme Park every year, no wonder they call it The Entertainment Adventure Capital of The World.

Originally founded in 1896 by William George Bean, whose intention was to create an 'American Style Amusement Park', Blackpool Pleasure Beach continues to be a strong family owned attraction to this day.

Located on the South Shore area of Blackpool on the Fylde coast, Blackpool Pleasure Beach is home to 125 rides and attractions, including one of the world's fastest, tallest, and steepest roller coasters - The Pepsi Max Big One; a casino; a theatre; a hotel; an arena; five car parks; and many restaurants, cafes, and shops.

With so much to see and do, Blackpool Pleasure Beach provides the perfect day out for any age. There are a wide range of spectacular shows including magic shows, talent competitions, musicals, and stage shows perfect for children or adults.

Blackpool Zoo...



Blackpool Zoo is just ten minutes from junction 4 on the M55 and 2 miles behind the seafront of Britain's busiest resort. The Zoo is home to more than 1500 exotic animals that include lions, tigers, Asian elephants, gorillas, orang utans, camels, kangaroos, zebras, red river hogs, sea lions, tapirs, otters, llamas, capybara, large families of rare primates and much, much more. Here you will find a wonderful world of animals and reptiles, also exotic birds in naturalistic environments surrounded by 32 acres of mature parkland and lakes.




Blackpool Trams...



Blackpool was the first town in the world to boast an electric street tramway, in 1885. What's more, it has had trams running through its streets ever since, even though most other cities have abandoned them in favour of buses. Indeed, between 1962 and 1992 Blackpool had the only urban tramway in the UK. The town is justifiably proud of its trams, which form a highly distinctive part of Blackpool's character, and carry over 6 million passengers every year, over 12 miles of track, running from Starr Gate, through the neighbouring resort of Cleveleys to Fleetwood.




The Winter Gardens...


Blackpool Winter Gardens is a large - and architecturally unique - complex of theatres and conference facilities, conveniently located in the town centre, and minutes away from the sea front. Visitors can easily spend a day exploring its vast spaces and intimate corners, delving into the star-studded history of Blackpool's biggest and most awe-inspiring building.

The Winter Gardens were founded in 1875 and officially opened in 1878, designed "to place on the land a concert room, promenades, conservatories and other accessories calculated to convert the estate into a pleasant lounge, especially desirous during inclement days". Although the building has undergone many changes over the decades, this mission statement still holds true, and thousands of visitors a year enjoy this world-class venue, whose twelve different ballrooms, theatres and themed rooms hearken back to Blackpool's golden age as the epicentre of the British holiday and entertainment industry.

The magnificent Empress Ballroom was completed in 1896, and at the time was one of the world's largest. Requisitioned during the First World War for the assembly of gas envelopes for the R.33 airship, it was handed back in 1919 and has since become the home of the world-famous Blackpool Dance Festival.

In more recent years, it has hosted acts such as The Beatles, Oasis and Radiohead, and dazzled guests with its spectacular barrel-vaulted ceiling, sparkling chandeliers, pristine parquet flooring and ornate balconies.The equally imposing Opera House remains the country's largest theatre, with a seating capacity of almost 3,000. Its stage has been graced by Hollywood stars such as Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Bob Hope - as well as Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones and Ronan Keating, all of whose concerts sold out.

The Pavilion Theatre, with its 600 seats, provides a more intimate atmosphere, and is often used for conferences and meetings. It is situated in the centre of the Horseshoe - an indoor promenade and exhibition area - and intricately decorated in a rococo style.20th century additions to the complex include the Spanish Hall - a lavish fantasy venue whose design echoes an Andalusian village - and the imposing Baronial Hall, reminiscent of a medieval castle. Both rooms are ideal to celebrate weddings and civil partnerships - in fact the Winter Gardens are suited to almost any event you can think of, including exhibitions, banquets, concerts, and of course the conferences for which the venue is now famous.

The Winter Gardens are regularly used for the UK's most prestigious annual events, including trade union and party political conferences, and the owners claim that every British prime minister since the Second World War has made a speech in the Empress Ballroom.With all this, as well as numerous shops and restaurants, a vibrant and fascinating history and more different sorts of architecture than you'll often find in an entire city, make sure that the Winter Gardens are a part of your visit to Blackpool.




Blackpool Tower...




Blackpool Tower (official website) is one of the UK's most famous tourist attractions and is visited by thousands of people each year.Inspired by Paris's Eiffel Tower, Blackpool Tower is 158 metres tall and can be seen from anywhere within a 30 mile radius. The originator of the tower was Mayor John Bickerstaffe who, in the late 19th Century, decided he wanted Blackpool to have its own landmark. He was so impressed by the Eiffel Tower during a visit to Paris that he returned to Blackpool and set up a committee of businessmen and designers to create a similar structure. In 1891 the foundations were laid and on May 14th 1894, after the construction of five million bricks, 2,500 tonnes of iron, and 93 tonnes of cast steel, Blackpool Tower was officially opened to the public.

The pivotal point of Blackpool's Golden Mile, Blackpool Tower has been used for many purposes over the years including a radar station for the RAF during the Second World War. The tower continues to be a popular attraction regularly featuring in TV programmes and films.Blackpool Tower is spectacularly lit up during the annual illuminations along with the display of lights scattered around the town and the length of the six mile long promenade.The Tower Ballroom and the Tower Circus are two buildings which are regularly used as part of the attraction.

The beautiful Tower Ballroom has been used as a dancing venue since 1899. Many popular TV series have taken place in the ballroom including the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing and Come Dance. There are now a number of regular themed nights which take place in the Tower Ballroom and resident dance bands providing entertainment for locals and tourists.The Tower Circus is situated at the bottom of Blackpool Tower and was opened to the public in 1894. Some of the world's greatest circus stars have performed in the spectacular building. The circus ring can be lowered into a pool of water holding 42 gallons, allowing a spectacular display of Dancing Fountains. The Tower Circus is a popular attraction for circus goers and it is also used to perform pantomimes at Christmas time.

The Tower Top is one of the most popular parts of the tower. With three different levels and home to Britain's highest post box, visitors can enjoy panoramic views on a clear day that span North Wales, The Lake District, Furness Peninsulas, and Bowland Fells. In the lower platform of the Tower Top visitors can see through the glass floor to the streets below. On a windy day, the tower can sometimes sway slightly.Other attractions surrounding Blackpool Tower include the Tower Aquarium, home to 57 species of salt water and fresh water fish; Restaurant 1894; Jurassic Walk; Charlie Cairoli Exhibition; Tower Lounge Bar; Tower Heritage Trail; and Jungle Jim's Towering Adventureland. Blackpool Tower and its surrounding attractions provide a fun day out with entertainment to suit every age.




Blackpool Illuminations...




Blackpool Illuminations is a festival which takes place each year in during the autumn months, lighting up the town and dark skies with an array of magical colours and displays.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to witness the impressive display each year and many celebrities have been given the honour of switching on the lights over the years. They include: Shirley Bassey, the Bee Gees, Westlife, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Terry Wogan, Status Quo, Ken Dodd, Tom Baker, Frank Bruno, Cast of Top Gear, and Chris de Burgh.

At a time when the rest of the UK is closing down after the summer months, Blackpool is coming alive with light and colours lighting up the autumn nights. The Blackpool Illuminations have become more and more popular over the years and the attraction is frequently referred to as the 'Greatest Free Show on Earth'.





World Fireworks Championships...


A Definite must see if they are on during your visit..



Top firework companies from around the globe will be invited to stage pyrotechnical displays, bringing an International flavour to Central Promenade during the opening weeks of Blackpool’s World Famous Illuminations season.


To out-shine their opponents, entrants must demonstrate cutting edge pyro-musical design with a display that represents the style or traditions of their country. Each competing company will launch fireworks particular to their homeland and showcase their own pyrotechnical expertise, to win the public vote.





Light & Music Show (Birley Street)


It's great to see how people react to Brilliance.

"People appear out of nowhere on even the dampest, darkest night and just start dancing! It has become a tourist magnet already.

"What we have created is not only a light show, but an arena for events."

Six steel arches, each 11 metres in height and fitted with amplifiers and projectors make up Brilliance, which has been funded by European money, the Government and the Northwest Regional Development Agency.

Work has been dogged by technical problems, which meant the arches had to be redesigned. Eventually the street will be flagged in the same block paving that has been laid in nearby St John's Square.

The plaza is also lit up, with the stained glass windows of St John's Church magically illuminated from within, The Wave sculpture emitting a bluey-green glow, and the multi-coloured dancing fountains all combining to bring the area to life after dark.