Travel Review: Blackpool

Blackpool Tower, the Pleasure Beach, the Illuminations – they have been there for literally decades.

But now is the time to think again, particularly families, because Blackpool is changing – and it is 10 times better than I remembered!

Where else can you find such a huge concentration of often unique attractions, activities and family fun? The slogan is Blackpool Has It All – and I think they may be right.

My family and I spent a weekend at the seaside resort coinciding with the switch-on of Blackpool Illuminations. Dame Barbara Windsor carried out the big switch-on and there was a fantastic concert beforehand.

The Vamps, Fatman Scoop, Fleur East and Diversity headed a list of acts which, on a lovely evening, attracted huge crowds. It was quite magical to watch the Golden Mile skyline suddenly light up. I don't think you ever lose that sense of awe at those amazing displays.

You can't visit Blackpool without visiting the iconic, 518ft tall tower. It was always exciting enough just to go to the top. Now you first enjoy a 4D 'bird's eye' cinema experience (Tip: You will get wet) before taking the lift up.

A highlight is standing on the glass Skywalk – it is quite a rush to look at the clear 350ft drop below.

Dating back to 1894, the Tower Ballroom has always been a draw – helped even further by Strictly Come Dancing – and is well worth a visit. It is a trip back in time sitting in the sumptuous surroundings watching the graceful dancers waltzing by.

For a real treat enjoy afternoon tea – a quite quintessential English experience.

Great evening/afternoon entertainment is Blackpool Circus. Although the circus opened with the tower in May 1894 – and has never missed a season since – this is the 25th year of the Endresz family at the helm.

Clown Mooky and brother Mr Boo head a breath-taking show of often death-defying stunts, amazing acrobatics and comedy capers – good, clean family fun.

Merlin Entertainments have brought that extra touch of magic to the tower – they carried out a major refurbishment in 2011, and indeed Blackpool, having such attractions as Madame Tussauds and Sea Life Blackpool on the seafront.

Tussauds is tremendous fun and very popular.

Despite the crowds there are so many waxworks that you are sure to get a snap with the 'stars'.

You can enjoy a drink in the Rover's Return with Deirdre Barlow or take an I'm A Celebrity bug challenge, meet the Royals, join The Beatles on Abbey Road, greet your sporting heroes or even sit on the couch with Simon Cowell.

You can be a Take Me Out contestant, meet Shrek, or hang out with Olly Murs, Michael Jackson and One Direction. Some of the waxworks are so lifelike you might be able to trick your friends.

Close by is Sea Life Blackpool which has 50 displays in 10 themed zones and more than 2,000 aquatic creatures.

You can actually touch some of the rockpool inhabitants while sharks swish past your head in the ocean tunnel and youngsters get to Find Dory, and Nemo, in one very colourful display.

A highlight of the weekend for my children was, perhaps not surprisingly, Blackpool Pleasure Beach. This has been an attraction for 120 years but continues to grow and thrill.

You literally step from one amazing ride to another whether it be The Big One, the stomach-churning Red Arrows Skyforce or The Revolution.

My favourites are still the old classics, the bone-shaking Big Dipper, Steeplechase and the Wild Mouse. There are lots for younger ones too such as Nickelodeon Land.

To help with the holiday budget, you can pre-book your wristbands for the rides and there is also an 'All you can Eat' wristband which enables you to get lunch, tea or snacks from several outlets across the park. Turns out we can eat quite a lot – though be wary of going on the rides straight afterwards.

Visiting all the attractions is easy with the Blackpool Resort Pass which is the size of a credit card and gets you into various main attractions. As well as saving you money on entrance fees, you can also book this beforehand and not need to keep dipping into your spending money.

Eating out in Blackpool is no longer just fish and chips –although you should have these on the pier at least once. A choice of major chains can now be found on or near the front offering much more variety.

We opted one night for Las Iguanas. This restaurant, serving Latin American food and a tempting variety of cocktails, has a lovely sea view and is a large, airy restaurant with a menu serving up enough choice for even my fussy children.

We went to Nando's which also seemed to be a hit with the stars.

Teen heartthrob Conor Maynard had been at the restaurant just before we arrived and, to my son's delight, while we were there, Walsall FC supremo Dean Holden visited with his family.

Nando's is always a popular choice and our tasty chicken arrived very quickly.

There is, of course, a wide selection of accommodation in Blackpool for any budget or requirement. However, families looking for a little refuge from the intensity of the town should look to the Ribby Hall Village.

A short drive out of Blackpool, this park is a little haven for families nestled away in 100 acres of Lancashire countryside.

The clusters of cottages and lodges make up a 'secret community' with all the facilities you need for a home-from-home whether it be a supermarket, bars, parks or leisure.

Our 'Ruby' two-storey cottage had a double and two twin rooms, an en-suite, TVs in every room, a large bathroom and kitchen.

Ribby has a range of exciting activities on offer for every member of the family. My children had their first venture out on Segways and – despite my daughter's initial nerves – came expertly whizzing back from a woodland trail.

They also took part in an archery session and we even had our own mini golf championship. There was too much to fit in over the weekend with other activities including a climbing wall, laser tag, tennis, squash, exercise classes, body zorbing and you can hire both bikes and boats!

The price of the holiday includes free use of the pools, hot tubs and saunas, and aqua aerobics classes. There are two pools – a family fun pool and an adult pool.

The fun pool is undergoing a makeover as part of a £1 million investment in the business and from next spring will be a tropical lagoon style attraction.

For smaller children there are activities such as music time, baby ballet, messy play and mini fencing, as well as soft play areas.

There is also now the Wild Discovery animal centre at the village which opened this year.

When it comes to dining, the nine options range from the Bar & Grill which is perfect for families offering reasonably priced meals, or you could spoil yourselves with the more exclusive Restaurant and Cocktail Bar.

The Tea Room does a lovely breakfast and there is a Starbucks and pizza takeaway. To name but a few.

Evening entertainment ranges from bingo, to jazz, to live cabaret.

You don't have to be a family to make the most of Ribby Hall. There is an adult-only Spa Hotel on site – with the signature Aqua Thermal Journey available for a real pampering session. There is also a golf course on site.

We welcomed a rural retreat after our busy days along the Golden Mile – thank goodness for the frequent trams!

There is so much to see that we simply didn't have time for Blackpool Zoo, the Sandcastle Waterpark, Ascent Trampoline Park and more. But no worries, Blackpool is less than two hours up the M6 for us Midlanders so we can do that next time!

By Diane Davis