Blackpool: Culture, Shows and Nature

Blackpool brings together listed architecture and a rich stage history with wildlife and nature experiences. When looking for a hotel, your planned activities can help guide your choice: would you like to explore historic event spaces, see a show, or spend time with animals and in green spaces? The range of attractions includes Blackpool Tower, the Winter Gardens, Showtown, the zoo and Marton Mere Nature Reserve. This makes it easy to plan your stay around your interests.

Culture, Architecture and Stages

Blackpool Tower is a Grade I listed building. Its ballroom dates back to 1894 and has a unique sprung dance floor. The Tower also offers a 380-foot ascent to the top, where the views stretch for many miles. Details of the ascent may change, so check before your visit.

Blackpool Tower Circus opened in 1894 and has not missed a season since. Its show combines acrobatics and comedy. Alongside the history of architecture and dance, it offers a stage performance with a different cultural focus.

Blackpool Winter Gardens is a Grade II* listed building. The glass-roofed Floral Hall is designed for strolling; the venue also has an indoor and an outdoor ice rink, as well as the Pavilion Hall for special events. The first Blackpool Dance Festival was held during Easter week in 1920 in the Winter Gardens’ Empress Ballroom. Guided tours of the venue offer another way to explore the Winter Gardens.

At Showtown, visitors can take part in activities such as trying Punch and Judy, magic tricks and circus skills, dressing up, producing a show, switching on the Illuminations and dancing the Blackpool Way. Individual activities may change. This hands-on experience sets Showtown apart from a show or a guided tour.

Zoo, Park and Nature

Blackpool Zoo cares for more than 1,000 animals, including Asian elephants, gorillas, orangutans, lions, tigers, penguins, giraffes and sea lions. The zoo is primarily an outdoor attraction on around 37 acres of flat parkland; much of the site is devoted to the habitats of exotic animals. Bookable animal encounters add to what’s on offer. Here, the focus is on animal species and habitats, while the other destinations mentioned are more focused on architecture, stages and event spaces.

Marton Mere Nature Reserve offers opportunities for quiet recreation and environmental education. It is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its bird population. Its protected status and birdlife give this natural area a different focus from the city’s cultural and animal attractions.

Stanley Park is open every day of the year from sunrise to sunset. Its clear opening hours are useful when planning a park visit as part of your day. Marton Mere, meanwhile, combines recreation with environmental education; both places complement the range of attractions for travellers who want to include nature alongside culture and shows.

Planning Your Stay

Two options are described for getting to Blackpool Zoo: public buses run there during the season, and the zoo is accessible by car. It is ten minutes from the M55 or Blackpool town centre. The bus service is seasonal, so take this into account when planning your visit. You can choose how to get there to suit your plans without overlooking the seasonal bus service.

When choosing a hotel, it may therefore help to prioritise the experiences you have planned: architecture and dance history, a show, hands-on activities, animals or a natural setting each offer a different focus. If you visit the zoo, also check whether the seasonal bus service fits your schedule; Stanley Park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset.

Discover more destinations: Bispham.

Go to the main travel guide: Blackpool.