"People don't still go to Blackpool, do they?"

How we holiday has changed.  The days of two weeks at the seaside, cold and bored, are gone.  Many of us go abroad for our main holidays, but we still come to Blackpool in our thousands.  We come for shorter breaks these days, maybe just for a weekend of fun by the sea.  Blackpool has improved a lot; it has had to.  We're more global and we've got more choice, so we know the best of what the rest of the world can offer us, and we won't make do with second best.  Despite these changes, Blackpool hasn't lost the charm which has made it one of the most popular holiday destinations in the UK.

Old fashioned fun for the young

Traditionally, going on holiday to Blackpool meant sitting on the beach or walking along the prom.  Now most people don't come to Blackpool just for the beach.  There are so many other things to see and do, whatever the weather.  There are amusement arcades, museums, a fun fair and three piers.  In the amusement arcades, you can play on all the latest games.  On the pier, visitors look in souvenir shops, go on fairground rides, eat in snack bars and visit fortune tellers. There's even a theatre at the end of the North Pier. Blackpool also has a Pleasure Beach with one of the highest and fastest roller coasters in the world, named 'The Big One'.  The Pleasure Beach spends millions of pounds making sure it has all the latest rides and attractions. Although modern, these activities are in keeping with the cheerful traditions of the town.

Not everyone will like Blackpool

Blackpool is not to everyone's taste; some complain that some of the attractions are 'tacky' or in bad taste.  It is certainly a very lively resort, with lots of noisy arcades attracting large crowds by day and loud bars and night-clubs full of people in high spirits at night.  If you want to see empty stretches of coastline, then you may not like Blackpool.  If you want to see a town full of people enjoying themselves, you'll probably have a great time.

Still popular all year round

Many attractions used to close in the winter months, but now Blackpool tries to attract people all year round.  The holiday camps have theme weekends, with famous bands or DJs playing all nighters.  The famous Blackpool Illuminations are another attraction that does not depend on the weather or the season.  Over a million lights stretch over 6 miles which are switched on at the end of August and off in November.  Visitors come from all over to see the country's biggest light show.

Las Vegas by the sea

Blackpool is keen to show visitors that it is not stuck in the past, and it certainly has some ambitious plans for the future.  It wants to re-invent itself as a kind of Las Vegas by the Sea. Local gambling laws would be relaxed and new casinos built.  Not everyone is happy with this idea though, as many feel it would damage the character of the town.