Among family-friendly seaside resorts, one towers above the rest – Blackpool. And even better, you can get there for a day trip by Stagecoach bus. From Lancaster, catch the 42 Service. Or from Preston, jump on the 61 or 68 Service, and all three routes will drop you off just a stroll away from Blackpool Tower and the North Pier. For the whole of August children up to age 15 travel free with Stagecoach, and with adult single fares capped at £3 you’ll have money left for our top 10 attractions, which are all within walking distance, or a tram ride along the Promenade. Plus, as an added bonus, many attractions are cheaper this summer after the government reduced VAT on tickets for the school holidays.

Blackpool Tower

Ascending Blackpool’s greatest landmark must be the high point of any Blackpool day trip. From 380ft up, Cumbrian visitors might be able to look north and see home, or west to the Isle of Man and south to Liverpool. The intrepid will love the glass skywalk where you look down on the Promenade beneath your feet. And a Tower ticket, costing from £11.81 for children, includes entry to the 4D cinema, which tells of the attraction’s 132-year history. To book, click here.

Comedy Carpet, beside Blackpool Tower

Keeping the kids entertained is no joke, so download the free Showtown Visitor App and get them to find and scan gags, catchphrases and punchlines on the granite Comedy Carpet. Blackpool was famous for its music hall comedy shows and attracted top comedy talent, including Ken Dodd, Les Dawson, Morecambe and Wise and Tommy Cooper. The Comedy Carpet, opposite Blackpool Tower on the Promenade, immortalises them all, and 845 more, across 2,220 square metres of flagstones.

Image: www.blackpoolpiers.com

North, Central and South Piers

Three piers for Blackpool! No day trip would be complete without visiting at least one, and getting covered in candy floss. North Pier was built first in the 1860s and is the longest. Central pier came next and now has a 108ft ferris wheel. South Pier is the youngster, built in 1893, and has a roller-coaster, dodgems, waltzer and other rides. All three have arcades, so pack your pockets with cash.

Photo: Showtown

Silly Summer at Showtown, Bank Hey Street

Showtown is Blackpool’s museum of fun and entertainment, and it gears up for extra silliness during the school holidays. Billy Bracewell, Dorothy Dupoint, Circus Simon and Ringmaster Edward will have activities and surprises for young visitors each day until the end of August. Family tickets cost from £14.58. Showtown also has Happiness! The Ken Dodd Exhibition for the rest of the year, with tickling sticks, costumes and memorabilia. For details, click here and here.

Photo: Art UK

The Return of Linderland, Grundy Art Gallery, Queen Street

The work of Linder Sterling adorns the walls of the Blackpool Council-run art gallery all summer to celebrate the punk artist’s 50-year career. Known for her photomontage cover of Buzzcocks’ single Orgasm Addict, Linder’s work has spanned fashion, music – she was in art-punk band Ludus – perfume, textiles and film. The exhibition also features drawings from L.S. Lowry, on loan from the Lowry gallery in Salford. Entry is free, but the exhibition’s adult themes mean it’s best reserved for over-16s. For opening times, click here.

Photo: Live Blackpool

Madame Tussauds, beside Central Pier

King Charles III, Beyonce, Lewis Hamilton, Jack and Vera… yes, all the world’s mega-stars are here. The attraction is split into crowd-pleasing zones that include Strictly Come Dancing, I’m a Celebrity, Sporting Legends, A-list Awards Party, Royals and more. With over 80 waxworks, the kids’ favourites are bound to be there. And if they’re not, maybe they need to watch more telly! Child tickets cost from £11.81, to book, click here.

Image: Expedia

Sea Life, beside Central Pier

Your kids are no doubt familiar with T-Rex, triceratops and brontosaurus, but do they know their underwater dinos? New for this year is Sea Life’s Jurassic Ocean Tunnel, complete with prehistoric fossils that reveal ancient monsters of the deep. Plus, Sea Life has all the usual crowd-pleasers – piranhas, rays, jellyfish, turtles, sharks and Nemo-lookalike clownfish. For details, click here.

Pleasure Beach, beside South Pier

Rides for thrill seekers, attractions for tiny tots – there’s something to excite everyone here. Grandparents may like a nostalgia trip on the Big Dipper and Grand National wooden roller-coasters. And new for 2026 is Avikas, the UK’s tallest gyro swing at 138ft. There’s water rides, dark rides, a drop tower, the Big One… all with the potential to unsettle the fish and chips you ate before you walked in. And even babies can ride the Ghost Train. For ticket prices click here.