Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Just an hour north of Liverpool and Manchester, you’ll find what is labeled the “entertainment adventure capital of Britain.” And the term is scarily accurate. A mixture of Disneyland, Vegas and an enormous beer garden, Blackpool Pleasure Beach is one of the highest grossing British tourist attractions outside of London.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach tickets are a gateway to a great afternoon. They have just about everything here – heart pounding rides, extensive arcades, haunted houses, a mélange of tourist shops and eateries, not to mention a nice casino attached and the Big Blue, the only Blackpool Pleasure Beach Hotel actually on the park site. Admission to the park itself is free, although this will get you on none of the rides. For that you’ll need a wristband, going for anywhere between 10 and 30 pounds, depending on what time of the year you are visiting. But the rides are the main reason to come here – primarily for those that love roller coasters. There are twelve of them here, the highlight of them all being the Pepsi Max Big One – which lives up to its name by rising 235 feet in the air, the tallest roller coaster in Europe. The rides maxes out at one point at 74 mph – so you know you’re getting the best when you purchase Blackpool Pleasure Beach tickets.

The Infusion roller coaster is another astounding ride – though it had to go through an unfortunate name change because park officials believed its original, the Traumatizer, to be keeping customers away.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach tickets and wristbands will not only get you onto the rides, but admission to one of the park’s hit shows. Hot Ice combines laser shows with ice dancing, the skater always twirling on the edge of danger. Forbidden is the other ongoing performance, an exotic mix of cabaret, gymnastics and showtune-style numbers – and although its title makes the show sound adult-only, it is really acceptable for the whole family.

In fact, parents might want to get tickets for the show, just so they can head over to the park’s north entrance, where the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Casino lies. The screams from the Big One ride meld smoothly into the steady jingling of the casino’s slot machines as you step inside.

For some, one day is just not enough. There are plenty of vacation packages that involve a two day stay here, including a night at the Blackpool Pleasure Beach hotel, Big Blue. A chic and serene hotel, it’s the perfect place to stay, whether you are with your family of just friends or a significant other. The main benefit at staying at Big Blue, though, is the discounted price you’ll get on your room and wristband if you buy them together. Other Blackpool Pleasure Beach hotels are just across the street from the park, so if the Big Blue is not for you, there are still plenty of options available.

The Blackpool Pleasure Beach has just about everything you could ever want in a tourist destination. Open from February to November, as the wind whips through your hair as you hit top speed on the Big One, you’re guaranteed to feel just like a kid again. And possibly a little nauseous.