We bet you’ve got your own reasons to holiday in the Blackpool area. If you have, please add them in the comments below. But just in case you had any niggles at all, we thought we’d share our list with you! Make this year the year when you rediscover UK holidays. Here’s our list of great reasons to holiday in the Blackpool area!
Where could be better for your stay-at-home seaside holiday? We’ve got something for everyone, whether you like bright and noisy or quiet isolation. And you can have a bit of both worlds – somewhere in-between!
27% of people surveyed during the pandemic said that they’d do LESS flying after Covid. And with flight restrictions in place and changing regularly, isn’t it better to holiday in the UK?
Take a look at our list of 20 great reasons to holiday in the Blackpool area and enjoy a Fylde Coast staycation. Then browse our places to stay or search for a short break. We’ll help you to find the best place to head to for your next break. There’s a place for everyone here. (Featured above: the Briardene Hotel, Cleveleys)
Reasons to Holiday in the Blackpool area…
- But first… the weather!
- BIG choice of great places to stay
- 20 Great Reasons to Enjoy a Holiday in the Blackpool Area
- 1. Open all year round
- 2. A Friendly Place to Visit
- 3. Entertainment for all – more reasons to enjoy a holiday in the Blackpool area
- 4. So much to see and do
- 5. Plenty of FREE things to do
- 6. Bright lights of Blackpool
- 7. Coast or Countryside
- 8. Fylde Coast in Winter
- 9. Extended Blackpool Illuminations!
- 10. Miles and miles of beautiful views
- 11. Dining Out
- 12. Shopping
- 13. Animals and Wildlife
- 14. Traditional seaside towns
- 15. Quiet Getaways
- 16. History and Heritage
- 17. Rural towns and villages
- 18. Support UK Tourism
- 19. Travel and Logistics!
- 20. Jabs, Diseases and Hygiene
- While you’re here…
But first… the weather!
OK, let’s get it out of the way before we talk about the good points. I’m sorry, but we can’t guarantee the weather!
But don’t despair – it can be just as glorious in winter as summer, in spring as autumn. Just make sure you’ve got the right clothes to wear! And if all else fails there are plenty of places where you can buy a mac…
The Blackpool area doesn’t rely on the weather to give you a good time. So many other seaside resorts and towns really need great weather for you to have a good time. But that’s not the case here on the Fylde Coast! We’re used to poor weather, rain and wind. Our resorts have adapted and given you plenty of things to do – whatever the weather!
And we CAN give you seafront webcams, so you can watch the views (and the weather) from wherever you are.
Fylde Coast Microclimate
Did you know the Fylde Coast often enjoys its own weather? Perhaps it’s the sheltered position behind Ireland and the Isle of Man. Or maybe it’s to do with being between two river estuaries.
Whatever the reason, the Fylde Coast, from Lytham to Fleetwood, often enjoys fine weather contrary to a rainy forecast! You’re often best checking out our local webcams to see what the weather is doing.
Despite the wind, it’s also usually a lot milder here at the coast in winter than it is inland. Snow is a rare sight, and in fact there’s very little frost. Bedding plants even survive for years here, in sheltered gardens.
BIG choice of great places to stay
Take a look at our new Places to Stay section. Find your next great holiday by date or by place, with a great selection of trusted accommodation. From Blackpool to St Annes, we’ve got something for you…
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…for all pockets
There are literally thousands of holiday accommodation properties here on the Fylde Coast. So there’s a holiday here for you whether your bank balance is big or small! From cheap-as-you-like room only, all the way through the scale of price, cleanliness and quality, right up to an increasing number of amazing, five star luxurious stays.
…all ages
We’ve got trendy, boutique style places. Themed places. Traditional places and downright plush and luxurious places. There’s cheap and cheerful accommodation, family friendly, adults only and home-from-home. A number of places are specially designed to welcome disabled guests. Quite a lot of accommodation is also dog friendly.
Want to add your Place to Stay to our List? Find out how to showcase your hotel, bed and breakfast, guest house, or holiday flats with Visit Fylde Coast. Not forgetting self catering properties, caravan parks, campsite, AirBnB – or whatever!
…all tastes
A lot of work is being done to improve the quality of holiday accommodation in Blackpool. Providers are encouraged to take part in one of the nationally recognised quality schemes and become star rated. Plus, there’s the Blackpool Approved Scheme, which doesn’t issue a Star Rating but does give a recognition for a standard of quality.
A number of branded, recognisable hotel names are also under development in Blackpool. Sands Resort Hotel will open on the promenade, and a new hotel is now open at the site of the former Yates Winelodge at Talbot Square. Across the coast there’s plenty of good quality accommodation. Choose from national names and independent hotels, guest houses, self catering properties and bed and breakfast of a high standard.
Happy Campers!
Do you like the freedom of being able to go where you please? Have you got a caravan, motorhome or tent? There are plenty of holiday parks, caravan parks and campsites here on the Fylde Coast too. Along with private sites there are some local authority car parks where you can pitch a motorhome for the night. St Annes has one, and there’s another at Fleetwood.
20 Great Reasons to Enjoy a Holiday in the Blackpool Area
There are some amazing places to stay on the Fylde Coast. Why don’t you make it the destination for your next break?
1. Open all year round
Back in the mists of time, most seaside resorts were seasonal. They were packed to the rafters during main holiday weeks – especially during the ‘wakes’ weeks when a whole town took a week off work. Here’s a photo from our own archive, of the beach in the late 1970’s –
The flip side of this was the deathly silence during the off-peak weeks of winter! Some still are very quiet out of season. There’s an appeal, a fascination, a charm about a seaside town on a wet December day.
2. A Friendly Place to Visit
The friendliness of people round and about is one of the really good reasons to holiday in the Blackpool area. It’s something that’s frequently remarked on, and makes many a holiday go with a swing.
The people who live and work here are a very mixed bunch. It’s a popular place to start a dream business in the sun. And it’s a popular place to move or retire to. So every second person you meet will be an ‘incomer’. You’ll hear a mixed bag of accents from all over the place!
This mixture of people and places makes for a really friendly atmosphere. Throw in the renowned northern warmth and you’ll feel right at home by the time you’ve been here an hour!
Travelling with kids, pets, elderly relatives or disabled people? There’s a warm welcome for everyone.
3. Entertainment for all – more reasons to enjoy a holiday in the Blackpool area
There’s something to do for everyone on the Fylde Coast, whatever your taste! Theatre, shows, attractions, places to go and things to see.
4. So much to see and do
Goodness, where do we start! Whatever your interests and tastes, there’s sure to be something that you’ll enjoy here in the Blackpool area.
There literally is loads to do. In fact, far more than you could do in one holiday! There’s the obvious attractions like The Tower and Pleasure Beach. Theatres and shows, bars, pubs and clubs. Shops and town centres. Beaches, seafronts and walks. Wildlife and peace and quiet.
Love shows and theatre, the attractions, nightlife and things to do in Blackpool? Then it makes sense to stay in Blackpool.
Back in the day when everyone travelled by train, you came to Blackpool on holiday and you stayed in Blackpool. Now, whether you arrive by train, car or coach, you can easily travel around and explore. There’s a great public transport system, or use your car, to visit historic places, quaint villages and different towns.
5. Plenty of FREE things to do
It costs money to go in attractions, but there are plenty of free things to do on the Fylde Coast too!
Rediscover old-fashioned activities, like building sandcastles and going to the park. There are so many free things to do that we’ve written a separate, long post about it!
6. Bright lights of Blackpool
Park your car when you arrive (or arrive on public transport). Then travel everywhere on foot or by bus, tram, taxi or hackney carriage! Everything is in close proximity and on your doorstep. Although the town is big from north to south, it’s not so huge that it’s unmanageable.
7. Coast or Countryside
Whatever your preference, the Fylde Coast has got a place for you. From Fleetwood and rural Wyre in the north, to Lytham and rural Fylde in the south. Between the two rural extremes, are the bright lights of Blackpool, plus family friendly Cleveleys and St Annes.
Explore a little further inland and there’s some beautiful countryside places to stay between the Fylde and the M6.
8. Fylde Coast in Winter
You don’t have to take a holiday in the summer. If you fancy a Christmas or Easter staycation, then look no further. Couples, single people, families, older people – in fact everyone – can enjoy a holiday here at any time of the year. Especially in 2020 with the Lights being extended!
There’s still plenty of life in our seaside coast – plenty of things to do, places to go and (usually) entertainment. We’ll have to see what coronavirus allows this year.
January is probably the quietest month of the year. Christmas is over and the new season is yet to stretch and waken up. The thousands of people who work in the tourism and hospitality industry take a well earned break now, before it all begins again for another year!
9. Extended Blackpool Illuminations!
As we said, Blackpool doesn’t normally ‘close for winter’, but the extended run of Illuminations means that the town will be lively until the New Year!
Don’t forget, the Blackpool Illuminations is extended this year – to 3 January 2022!
10. Miles and miles of beautiful views
Visit at any time of the year and you can enjoy the beautiful views. Sunsets, coast and countryside – there’s a view for everyone!
11. Dining Out
From a sausage roll or a healthier snack on the hoof, to a sit down five star meal. Whatever your definition of ‘Dining Out’ there’s a choice for you here on the Fylde Coast. Plenty of restaurants and cafes now offer a takeaway service, particularly since COVID-19. So you can dine-in in style!
Or you can dine out and enjoy just about every nationality of food you can think of. Food hygiene standards are strict anyway here in the UK. But following COVID-19 you can be sure that everywhere is now super-clean!
12. Shopping
Hands up – we admit that we like a spot of retail therapy here at Visit Fylde Coast!
It might be a different retail experience since the onset of COVID-19, but the Fylde Coasts retail centres are very much open for business.
The great thing about the town centres between Fleetwood and Lytham is that you can combine a trip to the coast with a pootle around the shops. All of the town centres are near to the beach – perfect for a combined visit!
All of the shopping areas have gone out of their way to make sure that they’re offering a safe experience when you visit.
We’ve been to visit a few of them, here’s a selection of our videos:
13. Animals and Wildlife
Along with bright lights and ‘seaside stuff’ we’ve also got some great spots for watching wildlife here on the Fylde Coast.
Did you know that dolphins and porpoise are often spotted offshore?
Have you been to Rossall Coastwatch Tower at Fleetwood and watched the birds?
St Annes sand dunes are full of wildlife. Stanley Park in Blackpool is too. Or visit one of the reserves, like Marton Mere.
14. Traditional seaside towns
Prefer the vibe of a traditional seaside town? Cleveleys or St Annes is probably more your thing.
Although still busy, both have a quieter atmosphere than their neighbouring cousin. But they both offer a great break. The beaches are excellent, the town centres are good and they’re well catered for with public facilities.
Like a beach holiday? Pottering about and the simpler things in life (like building sandcastles rather than riding roller coasters)? St Annes and Cleveleys are both ideal.
15. Quiet Getaways
If, on the other hand, you’d like a quiet get-away-from-it-all, you might prefer to stay somewhere quieter, like the Briardene Hotel. Technically in Blackpool, it feels like it’s in Cleveleys. It’s also right against the tramway. It’s a great spot for access to the bright lights of Blackpool. Or the slightly more sedate Cleveleys!
16. History and Heritage
If history and heritage is your thing then you’ll love Fleetwood.
It was one of the first planned towns in the UK, and remnants of it’s long-ago past are still to be seen all over the town. It has three lighthouses. You’ll easily see two of them but can you spot the third? Plus a Museum, one of the first railway hotels and lots of old buildings.
17. Rural towns and villages
We’ve not finished yet! The busy, seaside areas give way as you head inland, to lots of quieter, rural towns and villages. Many of them are tourist destinations, with places to stay and catering for visitors.
Places like Pilling, Hambleton and Knott End are in rural Wyre. At the southern end of the Fylde Coast are Kirkham, Freckleton and Wrea Green.
18. Support UK Tourism
The Covid-19 pandemic has battered the British economy. Closed for more weeks than they’ve been open, Fylde Coast hoteliers are mostly hanging on by their fingertips.
Help our homegrown businesses to bounce back and book your holiday in the Blackpool area this year. It’s an industry that’s vital to the wellbeing of the whole area, supporting thousands of jobs.
19. Travel and Logistics!
For us, the travel and logistics thing is possibly our biggest reason to enjoy a Fylde Coast staycation.
If you have a crisis, medical emergency or a family problem you can go home easily from a UK holiday. It won’t be the first time that we’ve done a dash home early from a staycation holiday!
You don’t need a passport, there’s no queues at airports and no jet lag when you get back. And of course there’s no need for 14 days isolation if you come back from an at-risk country either…
There’s no need to convert your money into foreign currency. Which also means that you can understand exactly what you’re spending!
Travel sick? Or just don’t like planes? Enjoy your Fylde Coast staycation without flying – or sailing!
A holiday in the Blackpool area might not feel as glamorous as a fortnight in Dubai. But on the bright side, it’s going to cut your carbon footprint. With many more people choosing to holiday in the country where they live, it’s got to be better for the planet. And rising fuel costs are also something to think about too.
Prefer public transport? Holiday without a car right here in the UK. Then you can wander wherever the mood takes you. Get yourself a Blackpool Transport pass and the coast is your oyster!
20. Jabs, Diseases and Hygiene
There’s less chance of catching some weird tropical disease!…
Now, call us squeamish, but we’re funny about food. Not about trying different flavours and tastes – but about how and where it’s been prepared!
You can bet your bottom dollar that we’d be the ones to find the food poisoning. The salad washed in unpurified tap water. The prawns which had been languishing out of the fridge…
If you’re like us and have a penchant for finding the food poisoning, you’ll probably appreciate UK Food Safety Rules. Look out for that little green sticker that food vendors have to display by law, telling us how clean their kitchens are.
And of course in this era of Covid, coronavirus is just another bug to worry about! But joking apart, and especially while coronavirus is a worldwide problem. At least if you holiday in the UK you’ve got the marvellous NHS to treat you if you do fall ill.
We think you’ll agree it’s a pretty convincing argument in favour of a Fylde Coast staycation this year. Let us know how you get on!
And your reasons…
The most obvious – and a fairly important addition to the list comes from Calder Dale. They commented on our YouTube video:
“… a great advantage of the Fylde is that of the prevailing wind. Yes it can be blowy , but usually coming from the southwest means clean air is coming in off the sea. If you suffer from hay fever or mild asthma that can be very advantageous. During periods of high pollen count , like in June , the Fylde is the place to be. Another thing I like is that the sea extends to the horizon, which apart from giving wonderful sunsets gives a great feeling of space.”
While you’re here…
Have a look at the homepage of the Visit Fylde Coast website for more of the latest updates.
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