Things To Do In Blackpool On A Tight Budget

[Zaune]

Since it seems to be a theme at the moment...

I've managed to score three nights in a B&B for remarkably little money over the first weekend of July. I last went to Blackpool aged about seven and my memories are vague but pleasant. Besides the obvious stuff like the Pleasure Beach and the illuminations, can anyone recommend some reasonably cheap days out while I'm there?

[madd0ct0r]

oh god, why would you do this to yourself?

anything you do there will be cheap. anyone you do there will be cheap. it's the armpit of the UK (and I spent 7 years there)

[Zaune]

I think you kind of answered your own question there. It's cheap.

Besides, the place certainly has one major redeeming feature. It's not Wellingborough.

[Darth Tanner]

Booze and the pleasure beach theme park. What exactly are you interested in and who are you going with? Group of lads, significant other, family? Do you like theme park rides?

Its a stag/hen destination mostly so its full of scum and shit accommodation. I had my stag party there just to live up to the stereotype.

[Zaune]

I'm going by myself.

[Dartzap]

Have a vintage tram ride? enjoy being by the sea? You are a midlander now, Midlanders don't know what the sea is

[madd0ct0r]

Neither does blackpool, but they've got a lovely area of mud known as the beach.

palace ballroom is worth a look in and the seawall up to fleetwood is a lovely day's walk. likely to be bracing, one of the windiest spots on the coast.
tower is the tower. pleasure beach is the pleasure beach.
set your expectations low, and buy a bottle of scotch.

[Darth Tanner]

If your going the pleasure beach and have Tesco clubcard vouchers look into exchanging for that, you can at least triple their cash value. The Tram is comically expensive as a means of transport but is enjoyable for tourists. You'll miss the illuminations with the date your going.

Blackpool Museum was awful when I was last there but it has a lot of Doctor Who crap now apparently so if your into that?

I think we all want you to have a donkey ride.

[HMS Sophia]

I'd like to note the last time I went to blackpool, I took my two year old. Therefore:
Donkey Rides
Arcades
Horse and carriage journeys (why...)
Sealife centre (yay)

It truly is the armpit of the country. Sex toys in newsagents always makes me giggle. There is a rather good shop for things of an adult persuasion that isn't at all seedy, but the less said about that the better. Avoid stag/hen do's like the plague, they are always there, they are always horrible (sorry Tanner).

[Zaune]

I think I'll be giving the donkey rides a miss. Donkeys bring back uncomfortable memories of that commission-only software sales gig from a while back.

[HMS Sophia]

Huh. I remember that. I didn't realise you were UK based. Fun.

[Hillary]

Well, coincidentally, we just spent the weekend in Blackpool and rather enjoyed it, albeit we probably had a larger budget.

Of course, it all depends on what floats your boat, but here's a list of free or almost free things you can enjoy.

Walk round the Winter Gardens building - it's open most of the day and evening and is a wonderful building, architecturally. It costs nothing to get in and, although you won't be able to access it all, you can spend a good while admiring both the inside and outside of a lovely building.

Ditto the Imperial Hotel, a short walk past the north pier. A marvellous old Victorian hotel which is lovely to walk around. No one is going to stop you looking at all the rooms on the ground floor and it will cost you nothing.

The Tower Ballroom. You can just walk into the Tower building - no entrance fee for that. They do charge for going on to the ground floor of the ballroom, but if you go up to floor 5, you can sneak into the upstairs seats and it is very worth it. When we were there, it was tea dance time - lots of couples ballroom dancing, some to quite a high standard, in the most amazing setting. We were lucky enough to be there when the Wurlitzer organ came up through the floor.

The Tram is not that expensive really. A £3.50 ticket bought in advance will get you free travel all day (and includes buses). Blackpool beach stretches several miles, so you could spend a whole day walking bits of the beach and then jumping on the tram to get to a separate part of it. The beach is wonderful, by the way and you will be able to find a few very lonely spots away from the crowds.

Sit at the end of central pier and watch the sunset. Seriously - at that time of year, it is heavenly and costs you nothing.

Wander round the Comedy Carpet on the prom. It's a massive pavement display of comedy catchphrases and you can spend a good while lost in the history of British comedy.

Go into one of the amusement arcades and play on the tuppenny falls. For a couple of quid you can have a fairly enjoyable hour or so, if you like that sort of thing.

Yes, there are hen/stag parties and the worst of British seaside resort crappery, but you can certainly have an enjoyable time if you want.