One Night in Blackpool
And Now, for Something Completely Different...
September 17, 2026
"You never know what you're gonna get"
What We Knew Before We Left
We only know that we are staying at the Big Blue Hotel, which coincidently was booked with Blue Rewards points. We also know that to get here from Liverpool is less than a 2 hour drive, by the 'scenic' road.
What We Didn't Know
Pretty much everything. We had an odd night to fill. You will be discovering Blackpool along with us. Final verdict to come. We also didn't know what kind of weather we would be having.
What We Are Finding Out
Anytime we mentioned that we were going to Blackpool to anyone around here we got a funny reaction. Blackpool, even though it's not far from Lytham once was in despair. It's still not back to its former splendor (if ever).
We are also finding out how windy this place can be. At 15 degrees and 39 mph winds it was told cold and windy to walk the promenade. We ended up driving through the 6 mile strip once in daylight and once while the Illuminations was going on. Because of the weather, almost no one was walking the promenade. We decided to use Blackpool to rest.
At the Big Blue Hotel, we were 'upgraded' to a family room, complete with bunk beds (see below) for the kids and a Playstation to boot. SO we are now resting up for our 3 nights in Manchester in a 'proper' room sans the kiddie section. PS. we had other beds.
Because we had extra time, we visited Lancaster Castle in Lancaster which was about 45 north of Blackpool. It was nice but the weather also cut our Lancaster visit short. Not many pictures as they are not allowed during most of the tour because, for the moment, the court rooms are still in use. That will stop soon, so pictures will probably be allowed.
Tomorrow, Manchester is only an hour away so we won't be in a rush to leave Big Blue, especially if the wind doesn't die down. We will go where the wind takes us.
If you want to read more about the Illuminations, please click here.