10 Best Things to Do in Blackpool in Winter

Blackpool is most widely known as a seaside resort destination, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find plenty of brilliant attractions during the winter. In fact, the colder months are among the best times to visit if you want to take in the fascinating and fulfilling Blackpool culture. You’ll find a wide variety of things to see and do including heritage and historical landmarks alongside fun rides that operate all year long. Take a look at the 10 best things to do in Blackpool in winter.

1. Blackpool Tower

Visit what was once the tallest tower in Britain

Good for: Couples, Families, Photo

Blackpool Tower is a massive structure inspired by the Eiffel Tower that offers brilliant views of the city accompanied by an entertainment complex. This tower reaches 518 feet in height, so you can easily find it simply by looking up from virtually anywhere in town. The Blackpool Tower Eye, which is the observation area, is 380 feet up, so it’s technically not possible to view the surrounding area from the highest point of the tower. Fortunately, though, you can take a lift up so you don’t have to worry about countless stairs. Read more

Location: The Blackpool Tower, The Promenade, Blackpool, FY1 4BJ, UK

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2. Blackpool Illuminations

See the annual lights festival

Good for: Couples, Families, Photo, Budget

Blackpool Illuminations is an awe-inspiring annual lights festival held through several months near the end of the year offering impressive sights as winter approaches. During this festival, strings of lights are set up throughout town totalling 6.2 miles of lighting made of more than a million bulbs. You’ll find the display between Starr Gate and Bispham along the main Promenade. As you travel along the street, you’ll see lights strung between light posts on both sides, and Blackpool Tower itself will be glowing bright with lights along its sides. Read more

Open: Typically from September through November

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3. The Winter Gardens

Visit a massive entertainment complex

Good for: Couples, Families, History, Nightlife

The Winter Gardens is a popular entertainment complex that offers a wide variety of attractions including a ballroom, a theater and even some conference facilities to rent. Unless you’re booking a corporate event, however, the theater is going to be your primary focus. You’ll find 2 theaters within this complex. The first is the Opera House Theater, a massive stage with 3,000 seats dating back to the late 19th century. The second is the Pavilion Theater, which offers a much more intimate experience with 600 seats. You’ll find it all just east of Blackpool Tower. Read more

Location: 64 Adelaide St, Blackpool FY1 4LA, UK

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4. Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Check out the beach

Good for: Families, Adventure

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is a popular theme park in town with a wide variety of coasters and rides the whole family can enjoy right along the shore. While it’s typically a summer attraction, this theme park hosts a winter season as well. Within the park, you’ll find a variety of different coasters including a bobsled coaster and a steel coaster that was once the tallest and steepest in the world back in the ‘90s. Additionally, you can enjoy several thrill rides including some catered specifically toward small children. Read more

Location: 525 Ocean Blvd, Blackpool FY4 1EZ, UK

Open: Hours vary by season

Phone: +44 (0)8712 221234

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5. Golden Mile

Walk this famous stretch of promenade

Good for: Families, Nightlife

The Golden Mile is an iconic part of Blackpool located between the North and South piers that’s home to a variety of amusements the whole family can enjoy. It may be by the beach, but you don’t need the water to find fun, making it one of the best winter destinations. Along the Golden Mile, you’ll find several small amusement rides and arcades with classic games and the latest releases including virtual reality games. Of course, you’ll find plenty of local restaurants and bars as well if you’re looking for a bite to eat and a pint. Read more

6. Heritage Streetcar

Ride on historic restored vehicles

Good for: Families, History

The Heritage Streetcar is a fleet of historic vehicles that have been restored to functionality along the Blackpool Tramway and offer rides and tours for passengers. It’s one of the oldest electric tramways in the world, opening in 1885. The tours available from this streetcar can get you to a variety of different places. An entire fleet of vehicles from generations past can take you around Pleasure Beach and North Pier, among other iconic landmarks. You’ll find stops for this streetcar marked with a green circular sign. Read more

Location: A584, Blackpool FY4 1BB, UK

Phone: +44 (0)1253 209521

7. Blackpool Tower Dungeon

Explore Lancashire’s darkest history

Good for: Adventure

Blackpool Tower Dungeon is an unforgettable experience that will take you through several dark periods of history letting you see these frightening tales reenacted up close. As the name suggests, you’ll find this attraction right by Blackpool Tower. Within the dungeon, you’ll find yourself walking through 11 different sections that each have something special to offer. Each is eerie in its own right, with themes like a dark chapel, a torturer, a plague physician and Pendle witches. You’ll even find a drop ride and a sedan as your last 2 stops. Read more

Location: The Blackpool Tower Entrance, Bank Hey St, Blackpool FY1 4BJ, UK

Open: Saturday–Sunday from 10 am to 4.30 pm (closed Monday–Friday)

Phone: +44 (0)1253 622242

8. Blackpool Piers

Stop by world-famous piers

Good for: Couples, Families, History

Blackpool Piers is a set of 3 piers that let visitors explore the best of the Blackpool coast without having to deal with the cold temperatures of the winter water. The 3 piers are the North Pier, the Central Pier and the South Pier. Each pier has its own unique heritage, but they all sport Victorian charm that dates back more than a century. It’s about 1.6 miles from the North Pier to the South Pier, so you’ll find plenty of space for relaxing strolls along the shore between your visits to each pier. Read more

Open: 24/7

9. Blackpool Big Wheel

Stop by Central Pier’s iconic attraction

Good for: Couples, Families

Blackpool Big Wheel is a massive Ferris wheel on Central Pier that offers picturesque views of the city from the top, along with a relaxing ride. The wheel is especially impressive at night when it’s illuminated with brilliant lights. Riding the wheel will have you reaching 108 feet high at the tallest point, letting you peer out over the city and into the long stretch of water to the horizon. The wheel is located near the middle of the pier, so visiting it will put you close to quite a few other exciting offerings as well.

Location: Blackpool FY1 5BB, UK

Open: 24/7

Phone: +44 (0)1253 623422

10. Venetian Carousel

See North Pier’s most iconic attraction

Good for: Couples, Families

Conveniently located on the North Pier, the Venetian Carousel is an impressive carousel with horses and carriages that adults and kids alike can enjoy. This Italian-made carousel is a double-deck galloper model with intricately designed horses to ride. This carousel is relatively new compared to the Blackpool piers themselves, as it was opened in 1991 and has been continuously operating since. Instead of offering insight into times long past, as the piers themselves do, this carousel may offer nostalgia to travelers who were young during the ‘90s. Read more

Location: North Pier Promenade, Blackpool FY1 1NE, UK

Open: 24/7

Phone: +44 (0)1253 623304

This article includes opinions of the Go Guides editorial team. Hotels.com compensates authors for their writing appearing on this site; such compensation may include travel and other costs.