The best things to do in Blackpool with kids

There’s no British seaside resort more iconic than Blackpool – and whether you’re looking for traditional fun on the beach, planning to see the famous illuminations or checking out the family attractions, there’s so much to do in Blackpool with kids.

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Finally managing to take my daughter on her first visit aged 10, we hit the sweet spot between still enjoying the activities for younger kids in Blackpool and the ones designed to tempt teens and tweens, plus the sun helpfully shone over the golden sand of the beach as well.

And with everything from the Gruffalo Clubhouse play experience for little ones and a string of other attractions including Sea Life Blackpool, Madame Tussauds Blackpool, the Blackpool Tower Dungeon, the Blackpool Tower Eye and Blackpoool Tower Circus, the only difficulty is working out how many of the things to do in Blackpool with kids you can squeeze in on your family seaside holiday.

Gruffalo Clubhouse

New in May 2023, the Gruffalo Clubhouse is child heaven – aimed at under 10s, even my then 10-year-old embraced her inner preschooler and made the most of being able to play.

There are six themed play areas, including the under-threes Room on the Broom area, plus a castle-style play area themed around Zog, Snail and The Whale ball pit, and a soft play section.

The main central section takes you into the deep dark wood, with statues of some of the characters around, including Mouse, Owl and – of course – the Gruffalo, much to the delight of the other small visitors.

There are also live shows, where you can dance along with the Gruffalo before having your photo taken together, and storytelling from some of Julia Donaldson’s much-loved tales.

For parents, there are comfy chairs overlooking the play areas, and a cafe (let staff know if it’s your child’s birthday for a bonus treat). Do take socks with you, otherwise it’s £1 to buy a pair, and at peak times everyone gets a coloured wristband when you enter – you’re still guaranteed 75 minutes inside, with unlimited play time at other times.

For my full Gruffalo Clubhouse review, check out this post

Blackpool Tower Eye

Modelled after the Eiffel Tower, the Blackpool Tower has stood overlooking the seafront since 1894 when visitors paid sixpence for entry (and another sixpence to use the lifts to reach the top).

And while prices have gone up a bit, the view is as impressive as ever, with the chance to walk out onto the 5cm thick glass floor for an all-round view – the Skywalk viewing platform has been tested to take up to 5 tonnes, so I braved it to look down on the promenade and out at the Irish Sea.

My daughter, decided she’d rather appreciate those views from the nice solid floor at the back!

Your visit starts with a short film in the 4D cinema – I won’t give away everything, but stick to the sides if you want to avoid some of the added effects! After a race through the tower’s history and a bird’s eye view, you then head up in the lifts to experience the real thing.

It’s a 69 second ride up to 380ft, with some quirky facts to discover as you wait, including the fact the tower alone contains 2,493 tons of steel, plus more another 985 in the building at the base. It all takes seven years to paint.

Originally the Tower was only going to be 450 feet high, but the distance to the top of the flagpole is now 518 feet 9 inches. And you can climb up to 412 feet (or the lower section at 401 feet) for an even higher view.

On a clear day, you can see over to the Lake District, down to Liverpool and out to the Isle of Man.

Blackpool Tower Circus

The Blackpool Tower Circus opened back in May 1894 and hasn’t missed a season since, and with afternoon shows as well as evening performances, it’s fantastic for families.

There are regularly new shows – during our visit, the afternoon bill was focused on gentle entertainment from the pair of clowns joking away to some impressive feats of skill, daring and athleticism.

Still easily impressive enough that my daughter’s jaw dropped over and over again, and she tried to work out how the performers were doing these apparently impossible things (however hard she peered, she couldn’t see any wires or trickery though, which left her even more impressed).

Motorbikes raced around a cage, performers juggled fire with their feet, made human pyramids and hung daringly from the heights, plus some audience participation with the clowns, along with a skit using a mirror that’s perfect for making kids (and adults) laugh.

Incidentally if you have kids who don’t like clowns, Mooky and Mr Boo wear low-key make-up and costumes so there are some clowning classics like big shoes, but not the full white face and fright wig.

Blackpool Tower Ballroom

While you’re visiting Blackpool Tower, make some time to stop in and see the Blackpool Tower Ballroom as well.

As Strictly fans, we couldn’t miss a chance to take a look inside, tiptoe across the edge of the sprung dance floor and gaze up at the gilded decoration and glittering chandeliers above, around the red velvet seats.

You can book in for afternoon tea if you want to make a real event of it, or simply grab a drink from the bar and watch the dancers on the floor.

Even without a special performance taking place, when we visited there was music being played on the Wurlitzer organ and couples whirling around the floor – some looking very expert, some just enjoying the chance to dance here.

Dino Mini Golf

Another fun extra while you’re visiting Blackpool Tower is the Dino Mini Golf on the tower’s 7th floor – 9 holes complete with dinosaurs dotted around.

The indoor mini golf is great if the weather outside is bad, and while some of the holes definitely require a bit of skill or luck, there’s nothing too tricky if you’re visiting with younger kids.

It’s all tucked into one long room, with a few glimpses of the seafront through the windows. Not huge, so you’ll probably be done in around 30 minutes depending how busy it is, so also a great way to fill a bit of time between visiting Tower attractions.

You can book tickets as an add-on if you’re buying online, or pay on the day.

The Hole in Wand

The Hole in Wand wizarding golf is another very fun option if your kids love magic (or just fancy some more crazy golf!) – sister to the attraction in York, it works on a similar basis and you’ll find a nod to the York course here too.

With nine holes to try, you’ll win a prize of a drink at the end depending on your skill level – serpent, basilisk, unicorn or wizard.

Along the way, you’ll brave a forest full of venomous snakes, an ancient castle with a magical fountain, a trip to a train station and have riddles to solve.

Throw in quirky decorations, including dusty skulls, cauldrons, books and some seriously tricky holes to play too – and as it’s indoor, it’s another great option for Blackpool in the rain with kids.

Sea Life Blackpool

Step from the seafront in Blackpool and head under the waves at the aquarium, with over 2,500 creatures to see at Sea Life Blackpool including a giant 5ft green moray eel (called Matilda).

Starting with the touch rock pools, there are 50 displays in all, leading to the big ocean tunnel. Along the way, you can spot native creatures, spy rays in Stingray Adventure, marvel at the colours of a coral reef, take a rainforest adventure and see all four corners of the world, with more themed tanks.

Check out my full Blackpool Sea Life Centre review of a day out with kids here

There are some very fun ways to experience the aquarium’s inhabitants too, including the chance for kids to crawl part-way inside tanks, magnify some of the creatures and get a bit more hands on, feeling a shark’s skin and tooth or stingray barbs.

Staff are around to share more information, plus there are plenty of other facts dotted about, as well as a strong focus on conservation.

If you want to do more than just look, you can even snorkel with the sharks and feed turtles, as some of the VIP experiences. There is also a free trail to follow, while extra family activities often take place during school holidays.

The nearby Peter Rabbit: Explore and Play attraction has now closed if you’re looking for more ideas of things to do in Blackpool with toddlers

Madame Tussauds Blackpool

The Tower Ballroom isn’t the only place to tempt Strictly fans in Blackpool, with a chance to see some of the show’s stars, costumes and even get behind the judges’ desk (and wave those paddles around) at Madame Tussauds Blackpool.

If you couldn’t care less about sequins and glitterballs, there’s plenty for the whole family though, including Doctor Who and I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here to sporting heroes, Marvel superheroes, Coronation Street stars, music legends and more.

My daughter posed with ET, Ant and Dec, Spider-man, the King, Sooty and Kate Winslet to name just a few (and it’s not often you get those names grouped together!) as we strolled from room to room, spending almost 90 minutes inside.

As well as the famous waxworks (and Alan Carr giving an example of how they’re created), there’s some end-of-the-pier fun including classic comedians and a mirror maze – I was very thankful for a few smudgy fingerprints while trying to find my way through!

There are some fun interactive moments as well, including a challenge to lift Thor’s hammer (not one for the easily startled!), photo opportunities galore and even a giant deckchair to climb into.

Check out what we thought in my Madame Tussauds Blackpool review

Blackpool Tower Dungeons

Terrify yourself with a trip to the Dungeons, where live actor whisk you through 1,000 truly alarming years of history, plus plenty of special effects and rides to get your heart racing even faster.

Like all the Dungeon locations, the Blackpool Tower Dungeons has areas themed to suit its own history, including the Dark Chapel with a spooky monk telling tales of the Fylde Coast and Lytham Priory, and a visit to the torture chamber of Lancaster Castle.

You’ll encounter smugglers and witches too as part of the 10 actor-led shows, before a drop ride as the final heart-racing thrill.

Recommended for age 10+, it’s not one for younger kids (unless they’re feeling particularly brave) with plenty to make teens and adults jump too.

The Blackpool Tower Dungeon escape room has now closed

Blackpool Beach

Blackpool’s famous Golden Mile is only the beginning if you’re looking to hit the beach in Blackpool with kids. The coast has been tempting visitors since 1840 and it’s still one of the best things to do in Blackpool for free.

There’s actually a huge seven miles of sand along Blackpool seafront, with the main Blue Flag beach between the South and Central pier.

You won’t be short of somewhere to build a sandcastle – especially at low tide when the sea retreats a surprisingly long way, leaving some tide pools to splash in (although it comes right to the sea wall at high tide).

Check the tide times here

You can hire deckchairs during the summer months (including some in the tangerine colours of the town’s football team) plus there are still donkeys giving rides to kids along the sand.

There are no dogs allowed on the beach between North Pier and the giant Mirror Ball beyond the South Pier from May to September, and dogs must be on a lead on the promenade at all times between the North and South Piers.

The Comedy Carpet

One of the largest pieces of public art in the UK, the Comedy Carpet is an expanse of jokes on the promenade at the foot of the Blackpool Tower.

And whether you stop for a quick giggle on the way past, or spend some time wandering around reading your favourite funny bits, it’s a great reminder of some of Britain’s best loved comedians – over 1,000 represented in all.

You’ll find old jokes to make you groan, whole sketches, even songs as well as comedy catchphrases, all divided into sections like a traditional playbill – the lettering is as eye-catching as the content at times. And with 2,200 square metres to read through, there’s bound to be something to make everyone laugh.

Blackpool Piers

What’s a British seaside city without its pier? And Blackpool is lucky enough to have three of them! Each of the city’s Victorian piers has its own unique features and plenty of fun family attractions, from amusement rides and arcades to food stalls and live entertainment.

The North Pier

The North Pier is the oldest of the three Blackpool piers, dating back to 1863. It’s also the only of the three to hold Grade II listed status, so visiting is a must. 

The historic pier doesn’t have any amusement rides like the other two piers, but it does have a traditional gaming arcade, a few restaurants and bars, and a small theatre showing family-friendly shows throughout the year.

The Central Pier

The Central Pier sits at the heart of the Blackpool coastline and is home to the city’s famous “Big Wheel”.

The Ferris wheel has recently undergone a huge £4 million upgrade so it’s now bigger and better than ever too.

The pier also has various other fun fairground rides for both kids and kids at heart, as well as a gaming arcade and the popular Pirate’s Bay Family Bar, with a great kids’ menu and lots of live family entertainment. 

The South Pier

The South Pier is the newest pier in Blackpool and the best for adrenaline junkies of all ages. 

This pier has the biggest range of thrill rides and attractions, including the UK’s fastest-spinning wild mouse ride, the stomach-churning Waltzer, Dodgems, a carousel, and more, so there’s something for the whole family.

Pleasure Beach

If the pier thrill rides weren’t quite enough adrenaline for your family, head over to Blackpool Pleasure Beach, a large amusement park close to the South Pier. 

The theme park is home to 125 rides and attractions, with everything from huge roller coasters suitable for older kids and teens, to more family friendly attractions such as a ghost train, dodgems, water rides, and a miniature railway.

Real thrill-seekers (over 1.32m/4.3ft) won’t want to miss The Big One. When it was first opened in 1994, this coaster was the tallest, fastest and steepest steel roller coaster in the world! Today it is still the UK’s biggest roller coaster. 

Other famous coasters at the park include ICON, the UK’s first double-launch roller coaster, and Revolution, Europe’s first 360-degree looping coaster.

You’ll need to purchase a ticket to enter the Blackpool theme park, which includes unlimited rides all day. 

Nickelodeon Land (Pleasure Beach)

There are plenty of rides and attractions in Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach for younger children too, but none are as big a hit as Nickelodeon Land.

The only one of its kind in the UK, Nickelodeon Land is an area of Pleasure Beach especially for toddlers and younger children, with Nickelodeon-themed rides and smaller/no height limits. 

The area has 12 exciting themed rides, including SpongeBob’s Splash Bash, The Rugrats’ Lost River, and Dora’s World Voyage. There are also regular character meet and greets, making it a great day out for little Nickelodeon fans.

To visit Nickelodeon Land, you’ll need to buy a standard Pleasure Beach entrance ticket which gets you in to both theme parks. There are reduced ticket prices for kids under 11.

Sandcastle Waterpark

Just across the road from Pleasure Beach, you’ll also find Sandcastle Waterpark – the UK’s largest indoor waterpark.

With 18 slides and attractions inside a tropical 84-degree climate-controlled building, the large water park is one of the best days out in Blackpool for kids no matter what the weather. 

The waterpark has a wave pool, lazy river, water chute, and splash area for younger children, while older kids can enjoy Masterblaster, the UK’s longest indoor roller coaster water slide, and the waterpark’s many other exciting white knuckle rides.

Coral Island

Coral Island is a large indoor amusement arcade located on the seafront. It’s the city’s biggest free-admission attraction, making it ideal for families visiting Blackpool on a budget (as long as you watch how much you spend inside!)

The arcade has a variety of fun arcade games, from seaside classics like slot machines, air hockey tables, crane machines, and basketball hoops, to several modern virtual reality games.  

There’s also a handful of small kid’s rides, including a spooky ghost train and the Pirate Flyer monorail that flies right above the arcade games.

Coral Island also a pirate-themed restaurant in the arcade, with a kid-friendly menu and children under 10 eat free all day every day (with each paying adult).

Blackpool Zoo

Blackpool Zoo is a large, award-winning zoo located on the outskirts of the city, around a 10-minute drive from the seafront – make sure you allow at least half a day to explore.

The zoo is home to over 1,350 animals from all around the world, including lions, tigers, gorillas, giraffes, penguins, and a herd of Asian elephants. The Big Cat House is a recent new addition, home to three new lionesses Hira, Emma and Narla who arrived from West Midland Safari Park. 

There are plenty of fun and interactive attractions within the zoo for kids. The children’s farm lets little ones stroke and feed friendly farmyard animals, such as ponies, goats, and rabbits. And fans of Madagascar won’t want to miss the walk-through Lemur enclosure, which is home to three species of lemur including ring-tailed lemurs.

Check out my full Blackpool Zoo review here and get tickets with free cancellation

As well as the modern-day animals, the zoo’s Dinosaur Safari lets kids journey back over millions of years and come face-to-face with prehistoric creatures too.

Sound effects and authentic plants and trees also help bring the prehistoric world alive for little ones – plus watch out for the dinosaur spraying water over unsuspecting visitors.

Toddlers and younger kids will also love running around the zoo’s huge three-level play barn, with giant slides, ball cannons, ball showers, and more.

If you want more animal attractions in Blackpool, it’s also around a 15-minute drive to World Horse Welfare Penny Farm where you can meet the horses and follow the activity trail through the farm

Stanley Park

Stanley Park is a large public park in the heart of the city and is one of the best places to visit in Blackpool with kids on a sunny day – it’s right next to the zoo if you want to combine the two.

The 256 acre park has a huge variety of family-friendly activities and kid’s play facilities. You can hire a pedal boat on the large boating lake, enjoy a game of crazy golf, or follow one of the scenic family nature trails. 

There are plenty of sporting facilities in the park too, including trampolines, bowling lanes, a trim trail, a high-ropes course, and a brand new skatepark and BMX track.

Plus keep an eye out for events and activities taking place in the park, with the likes of guided walks, special kids activities, and live entertainment happening throughout the year.

Blackpool Model Village

Whether you love the miniature world or just fancy pretending to be a giant, don’t miss Blackpool Model Village inside Stanley Park.

Spanning over 2 acres of beautiful gardens, the model village has a range of miniature buildings and landmarks from all over the UK, from a Scottish castle and a traditional Tudor village to a modern shopping centre and a working model railway. 

You’ll also find plenty of tiny figures all around the village depicting scenes from British life, from a community cricket match to farmers herding their cows.

There are also regular family events and activities at the model village, including hunts and challenges with prizes for little visitors.

Spitfire Visitor Centre

If you’re looking for some history, the Spitfire Visitor Centre is a family-friendly museum in Blackpool dedicated to the history of the Spitfire plane and its use during the Second World War. 

Located in a real hangar at Blackpool Airport, the museum has five Spitfire replicas, as well as a collection of wartime RAF Airfield vehicles and equipment. 

Kids can sit in the cockpit of a Spitfire for some cool photos, while learning all about Lancashire’s wartime history on an informative tour of the facility.

The museum is also home to the UK’s only full-size Spitfire flight simulator, so you can experience what it was really like to fly one of these impressive planes.

The visitor centre is open on Saturdays from April to October.

Blackpool Illuminations

Attracting visitors from all across the UK, the famous Blackpool Illuminations are an annual light festival that takes place in the city each autumn. 

The festival runs from late August/September until the end of the year, and sees the town’s seafront promenade illuminated with over six miles of dazzling lights displays and sculptures. 

The illuminations are completely free for everyone to attend, making it the biggest free light show on the planet and a great time to visit Blackpool with kids.

Blackpool Heritage Trams

Other cities have open-top bus tours – Blackpool has open-top trams plus other vintage trams for a fun way to explore riding one of the Blackpool Heritage Trams.

Great if you’re looking to sightsee without too much walking, there are several different routes to take. The hour-long Promenade tour takes you along the Prom between North Pier, Bispham & Pleasure Beach, so it’s also a fun way to get from A to B.

Or you could try the two-hour Coastal tour, which goes along the Prom and out to Fleetwood past the Fylde coastline, with 40 minutes to stop in Fleetwood, before returning to Blackpool again.

When the Illuminations are showing, you can also take an Illuminations tour (in an illuminated tram!), which travel from Pleasure Beach past all three piers to the end of the lights at Bispham.

There are extra themed tours running during the year as well. Tickets cost from £6 for adults, half-price for kids aged 3-15 (free for under 3s, if they don’t have a seat of their own).

Enjoy an ice cream

If you’re looking for the best ice cream in Blackpool, the title has been held for years by Notarianni’s Ice Cream – serving home-made vanilla ice cream for over 90 years, to an Italian family recipe, you can choose from an array of sundaes as well as classic cones, plus toppings galore.

It’s around 5 minutes from the South Pier (around a 20-minute walk from the Central Pier) but this is one Blackpool institution not to miss.

If you’re looking for other flavours than vanilla, Scoop Ice cream on the seafront near the Central Pier has lots of quirky choices plus milkshakes.

Eat fish and chips

You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to places to buy fish and chips in Blackpool, with countless options along the seafront.

Venture just a little way off the main promenade, and you can find places serving the best fish and chips in Blackpool – Lily’s Fish and Chips, a stone’s throw from the Central Pier is a great option.

Just a few minutes from the sand if you want to eat on the beach, or there are tables inside.

Disclosure: Paid collaboration with Merlin Entertainments: all opinions on the best things to do in Blackpool with kids are my own. This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission

Tram/Stanley Park courtesy of Depositphotos, Pleasure Beach/Coral Island/illuminations courtesy Picfair, all other images copyright MummyTravels

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