10 Top Things To Do In Blackpool With Kids : Family Days Out In Blackpool

Blackpool doesn’t seem to have the best of reputations.  It can often be the butt of everyone’s jokes but as a North West girl, it has a special place in my heart. We spent many a day in Blackpool in my youth and our kids always enjoy our visits. There’s so much to do and a lot of it aimed at families like us. Here are some of our favourite things to do in Blackpool with kids.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

When you think of things to do in Blackpool with kids, Blackpool Pleasure beach is probably one of the first places to come to mind. We visited during our stay at the Big Blue hotel which is right next door and had so much fun. They have the classic rides, the iconic Big One and newer rides such as ICON. The older kids loved going on their first proper rollercoasters whilst our youngest had a great time at Nickelodeon Land meeting some of her favourite characters, including Paw Patrol! There’s restaurants on site, shows and amusements. It’s such a fun day out.

Blackpool Zoo

We love Blackpool Zoo, especially for the younger kids. We’re massive fans of Chester Zoo but due its size, it can be quite tiring on little legs. We find Blackpool Zoo the perfect size whilst also having plenty to see and do. My son was always a huge fan of the Dinosaur Safari where we could venture back in time to find out about prehistoric creatures and discover what happened to them. You have all the main animals our kids love to see, including the big cats, elephants and penguins, and there’s also a children’s farm housing a variety of smaller animals including including ponies, donkeys, goats, pigs and rabbits.

Sandcastle Blackpool

Sandcastle Waterpark is the UK’s largest indoor waterpark with more than 18 slides and attractions. If the weather is a bit grim, as it usually is here “up north”, it’s the perfect day out as the temperature is permanently a tropic 84 degrees. My kids love swimming and The Sandcastle is there idea of paradise! There’s white knuckle rides for the more daring amongst us, and a wave pool and smaller slides for younger members of the family. It’s ideally situated right on Blackpool’s famous promenade and is often the highlight of a trip to Blackpool.

Blackpool Tower Circus

If you’re looking for things to do in Blackpool with kids then look no further than the Blackpool Tower Circus. It’s the oldest permanent circus arena in the whole world and has been running since 1894. We’d heard so many positive reviews praising the circus and it’s easy to see why. My eldest particularly loved the dangerous stunts performed by a daring duo, including knife throwing and walking blindfolded atop a giant circular cage. We’ve all seen dangerous acts performed on TV but it’s such a difference experience watching them live! It really brings home just how dangerous these acts are when they’re happening right in front of you. We all had a fantastic time and wouldn’t hesitate to return next time we’re in Blackpool.

Blackpool Tower Eye

If you’re going to Blackpool, you just HAVE to visit Blackpool Tower. There’s not just the Tower Circus and the ballroom, there’s also Blackpool Tower Eye. Here you can head up to the top of the tower and enjoy the surrounding view. The floor is glass so, if you’re brave enough, you can stand atop the glass and look down at the promenade below. There’s also a short 4D film showing the towers highlights throughout the years.

Blackpool Sea Life

Blackpool Sea Life Centre is situated close to Blackpool Tower on the central promenade. It’s so much bigger than it appears from the outside and the kids love it. There’s a rock pool which is always a big hit with the kids. They can get up close and personal to creature they might not usually get to see. You can spot all kinds of sea life throughout the centre including seahorses, sharks and jellyfish. However one of the main highlights is Lulu, the Giant Green Sea Turtle. It’s always a great day out and teaches the kids not only about sea life but about sustainability and the affects of plastic.

Madame Tussauds

We were unsure whether the kids would enjoy Madame Tussauds as we thought they may not recognise some of the celebrities but we needn’t have worried. There was plenty to see and do and the kids loved spotting Ant and Dec, Ed Sheeran and Lewis Hamilton. There’s waxworks from Strictly Come Dancing, a variety of footballers (and other sporting heroes) and characters from Dr Who. However the big hit with our children was the Marvel Superheroes. They loved seeing all their favourites, including Iron Man, Thor, Groot and Spiderman.

Blackpool Tower Dungeon

The Blackpool Tower Dungeon is great fun for children aged eight and over (parental discretion is advised). My 10 year old loved it. He loves history and anything spooky and scary so it was ideal for him! You are led throughout the dungeon by a series of actors as they teach us about the history of Blackpool and the tower. All the actors were absolutely fantastic and told their stories well with a great mix of humour and creepiness. We laughed and jumped at several points in each room. It’s a clever way of educating visitors about the local history along with the plague, torturers, Vikings, witches and smugglers.

Blackpool Illuminations

We love our annual trip to Blackpool Illuminations during the Autumn. It’s always a lovely evening out. The illuminations usually run from the end of August up until the beginning of November but in 2020 they’re running right through to Christmas. The kids love dressing up warm and walking along the promenade and marvelling at the lights. The Blackpool Tower looks fantastic in all its illuminated glory.

Coral Island

Coral Island is Blackpool’s largest indoor free admission family attraction, with amusements, rides and restaurants. There’s so much to do to keep the whole family entertained. There’s everything from 2p machines and slot machines, to rides and a ghost train. My kids particularly enjoyed the Camel Derby where they could let out their competitive side! There’s restaurants on site where the kids eat free which is a great deal. You could easily spend a few hours at Coral Island.