12 Family Friendly Things To Do in Blackpool

So you've booked Empress Hall, you've got the whole family coming, and now someone in the group chat is asking "but what are we actually going to DO?"

Good news. Blackpool is brilliant for families. It's loud and colourful (just like Empress Hall!) and a bit chaotic, and kids absolutely love it. Here's a rundown of twelve things that are worth your time and money, from the big-ticket attractions to the stuff that costs nothing at all. And yes, the last one is back at base.

1. Blackpool Pleasure Beach

If you're coming to Blackpool with kids, it’s got to be Blackpool Pleasure Beach. There's no getting around it and honestly, why would you want to?

For younger children, Nickelodeon Land is the real draw. It's the only one of its kind in the UK, with themed rides based on SpongeBob, Dora, the Rugrats and more, plus character meet and greets. Older kids and teenagers will want to head straight for the big coasters. The Big One, Valhalla and Icon will absolutely sort them out on the adrenaline front.

Book online in advance and you'll save a fair chunk on the door price. Weekdays are significantly quieter than weekends, so if you can be flexible with timing, it makes a big difference to the queues. (And when you book Empress Hall mid-week, it’s also loads cheaper!)

2. Sandcastle Waterpark

Right across the road from Pleasure Beach, Sandcastle Waterpark is the UK's largest indoor waterpark and it's a great shout whatever the weather. There are 18 slides and attractions including Master Blaster (the UK's longest indoor water coaster), a wave pool, a lazy river, and a dedicated splash zone for smaller children.

Children under three get in free, which is a nice bonus if you've got little ones.

3. Blackpool Tower

Blackpool Tower is so much more than just a view from the top, though the view from the top is brilliant. The Tower Eye sits 380 feet above the promenade with a glass-floor SkyWalk that gives anyone who's even slightly nervous about heights a proper ‘eeek’ moment. On a clear day you can see across to the Lake District, Liverpool and the Isle of Man.

But there's loads inside too. The Tower Circus has been running since 1894 and is fantastic for families, with acrobatics, magic and plenty of clowning around. The Tower Ballroom is gorgeous and worth a peek. And the Tower Dungeon goes down particularly well with older kids and teenagers who are after something a bit more theatrical.

4. SEA LIFE Blackpool

SEA LIFE Blackpool is a solid choice for a couple of hours, especially with younger children. There's a walk-through underwater tunnel, sharks, rays, jellyfish, seahorses and over 2,000 creatures in total. There are free talks and feeding sessions throughout the day too, which the kids tend to really enjoy.

5. Blackpool Zoo

If you want a proper day out away from the promenade for a bit, Blackpool Zoo is well worth the short drive (about 10 minutes from the seafront). It's home to over 1,000 animals including lions, tigers, gorillas, elephants, penguins and plenty more. There's a children's farm where little ones can feed and stroke animals, a walk-through lemur enclosure and a dinosaur exhibition that tends to go down very well.

The layout is easy to navigate with prams, there are plenty of picnic spots, and the animal talks throughout the day keep things engaging. 

6. Coral Island

Coral Island on the promenade is one of Blackpool's biggest free-entry attractions, (though it’s not necessarily going to be cheap!) It's a large indoor amusement arcade with everything from 2p machines and classic slots to air hockey, crane machines and modern virtual reality games.

It's a fun rainy afternoon option, even if you will get absolutely rinsed on the 2p machines! Kids love it. AND kids eat free... and the waiters dress as pirates. What more could you want?

7. Stanley Park

When everyone needs a break from the noise and flashing lights (and they will after visiting Coral Island!), Stanley Park is the perfect antidote. It's a stunning 390-acre Victorian park with Italian gardens, a boating lake where you can hire pedal boats, a large children's playground, tennis courts and a great café.

It's peaceful, it's free to enter, and it's the kind of place where the kids can run around properly and the adults can actually have a conversation. There are also events on throughout the year. A really underrated part of a Blackpool trip. And there’s plenty of space in the Empress Hall kitchen to make a fantastic picnic to take with you!

8. The Blackpool Illuminations

If your visit falls between September and early January, the Blackpool Illuminations are an absolute must. Six miles of light displays running along the promenade, and the best bit is that it costs nothing to walk along and enjoy them. It's one of the largest light shows in the world and genuinely unlike anything else you'll find in the UK.

An evening walk or a slow drive along the promenade with the kids is a proper Blackpool experience. Take snacks, wrap up warm, and enjoy it.

9. The Beach

Free. Massive. The kids will love it.

Blackpool has miles of sandy beach that stretches right out at low tide. It's a proper British seaside beach, and all the classics apply: sandcastles, paddling, running around, someone inevitably getting completely soaked. Pack a windbreak, grab your buckets and spades, check the tide times before you go (the tide does come right up to the steps at high tide so it's worth knowing), and have fun!

It's one of the best free things you can do in Blackpool - but take some spends for ice cream and a stick of rock! .

10. The Gruffalo and Friends Clubhouse

If you've got children under 10 in the group, The Gruffalo and Friends Clubhouse on the Central Promenade is a fab outing. It's an indoor soft play themed around (yep, you guessed it) The Gruffalo, along with other books by Julia Donaldson, with different areas based on the Snail and the Whale, Zog, Room on the Broom and more. There's a ball pit, soft play for different age groups and a dedicated toddler zone. It's not going to take up a whole day but it's perfect for a morning or a couple of hours when the younger ones need something at their pace.

11. Peter Rabbit: Explore and Play

Perfect for the really little ones, Peter Rabbit: Explore and Play is a 45-minute indoor experience based on the CBeebies show, with five themed zones to work through. Kids can splash around in Jeremy Fisher's sensory pond, help Mrs Rabbit get dinner ready in The Burrow, and use x-ray specs to hunt for hidden vegetables in Mr McGregor's Garden. Complete all the challenges and they get the chance to join the Secret Treehouse Club and meet Peter himself. It's best suited to children aged 1 to 5.

12. A Night In at Empress Hall 

Not everything has to involve leaving the house, and when the house is Empress Hall, that's especially true.

After a day out on the promenade, there’s nothing better for families than coming back to a place that has its own games room. The parents get to decompress over cocktails and karaoke, while the kids choose from pool, ping pong, air hockey, pacman, and foosball! Then there's the cinema room. Get the popcorn machine going, pile everyone onto the sofas and pick a film. After a full day of Blackpool, nobody is going to argue with a proper movie night. There's also an Xbox room, a karaoke and jukebox room for anyone who feels the need to perform after dinner, and a dining table that seats the whole group so you can actually eat together, which is rarer than it sounds when you're travelling in a big group.

It's one of those places where you can spend an entire evening without anyone getting bored, which after a busy day out is exactly what you need.

So there you go! 12 family friendly things to do in Blackpool when staying at Empress Hall!

A Few Quick Tips for Families

Getting around: The promenade trams are brilliant and kid-friendly. Modern Flexity trams take prams without folding, and a Group 5-day ticket covers any five people for around £16, which is great value. The Blackpool Transport app tells you exactly when the next one is coming.

Booking: Almost everything is cheaper online than on the door. Sort your Pleasure Beach, Sandcastle and Tower tickets before you arrive and you'll save a decent amount.

Timing: Weekdays and outside of school holidays are dramatically quieter. Peak summer is buzzing and brilliant but you'll need to build in extra time for queues at the big attractions.

Food: There's no shortage of places to eat along the promenade. If you've got a big group staying at Empress Hall and want to save some money, the kitchen is huge and stocking up for a few group dinners in makes a real difference to the budget.

Blackpool is one of those places that delivers. It's been entertaining families for generations and it still does it better than almost anywhere else in the UK. Go in with a plan, book ahead where you can, and you'll have a brilliant trip.