Short autumnal seaside break in Blackpool

With the doom and gloom of the credit crunch and financial crisis in the air, cheap short breaks in the UK are becoming more popular and no matter what you have heard about Blackpool, the resort has something to brighten up everyone’s day.

Blackpool is often referred to as the Las Vegas of the North and is a seaside town that still attracts visitors long after other resorts have gone into winter hibernation.

Indeed, official statistics released by the official VisitBritain website, reveal it is the second most visited free attraction in the UK, with 5.5 million guests last year alone.

The town bills itself as "biggest and most popular seaside resort in Europe", and this is certainly true - there are many clubs and bars such as the world famous Funny Girls Show Bar meaning that the resort is popular with stag and hen parties.

However, there is a more innocent side.

The Pleasure Beach, with rides for everyone from tiny tots to thrill seeking adrenaline junkies, is open all year round, and if you fancy something a bit warmer as winter approaches, there is the Sandcastle water park – a large indoor swimming pool heated to tropical temperatures with 18 slides and attractions.

Part of the reason why Blackpool is still attracting visitors at this time of year is due to the famous Illuminations. This ties in perfectly with the autumn half term break from school making for a quick and cheap getaway.

In 1879 an experiment was commissioned by the local Council to run a trial of electric street lighting. Prior to this, gaslights were used and Blackpool’s streets were possibly the first in the world to be lined with electric lamps. On the September 19th 1879 the electric lights were switched on and a national advertising campaign meant that 70,000 to 100,000 people travelled from all over the country to witness the event.

The closest to the modern day displays is when the promenade was decorated with thousands of electric lights for a Royal visit in 1912. Despite attracting a huge amount of visitors, any hopes of turning this into a regular tourist attraction were dashed with the outbreak for the First World War.

The illuminations have since returned on an annual basis.

Today’s illuminations will shine for 66 nights. They will cost £2.4 million to stage and are expected to attract 3.5 million visitors. The dazzling display stretches for six miles and takes forty-five staff including artists, engineers and electricians a year round to put the spectacle together.

This year’s illuminations began on the August 29th and run until the November 2nd and include a 60s pop art-inspired display by Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen of Changing Rooms fame.

When looking for somewhere to stay you are spoilt for choice with an abundance of guest houses and bed and breakfasts in the centre of town close to the pubs and clubs. Rooms are available from around £25 per person per night.

For something more luxurious, the four star Big Blue Hotel, located next to the Pleasure Beach offers rooms from £110 per room per night and offer packages including entry to the Pleasure Beach.

Regular train and coach services mean that transport links are good and the M55 motorway leads right into the heart of the resort and links the town with other major roads.

For a shorter journey, Blackpool International Airport is a small airport located around three miles to the southeast of the town centre. Airlines such as Jet2.com and Ryanair have regular flights to Dublin, Belfast and London Stansted.

Whatever you imagine Blackpool to be: six miles of shimmering lights, dozens of amusement arcades, theme parks, water parks, clubs, pubs and restaurants it has something for everyone.

Owen Tonks