Old favourite Blackpool is still full of surprises

WHOEVER came up with the phrase familiarity breeds contempt had obviously never been to Blackpool.

Despite frequent trips to the seaside mecca over the years, we always find something fresh to do.

Old haunts are often updated and there are forever new attractions popping up.

One thing we’d never previously done was take advantage of the Resort Pass.

This discount card provides entry to many of the resort’s top attractions, including the Pleasure Beach and the Merlin Entertainment attractions of the Blackpool Tower Eye, Tower Dungeon, Sea Life Centre and Madame Tussauds.

We opted for the Resort Pass Plus, which offers even more choice with the zoo, Sandcastle Waterpark and Model Village included.

Further attractions were available for a discounted price, so, after picking up a travel card giving us unlimited use of the frequent buses and trams, we chose to add visits to the indoor light show Illuminasia, the Tower Circus and the Tower Ballroom with afternoon tea.

There was so much more to choose from but we knew that long list would keep us busy for at least a few days.

Our first stop was the Tower, and we decided to make a day of it by heading straight to the top before working our way down.

The Walk of Faith – reinforced glass that leaves you in no doubt of the sheer drop beneath your feet – was fun, but it was even better going up another two floors and out into the elements.

After having the cobwebs blown off, we made our way down to the famous Tower Ballroom. It was barely noon but already the dance floor was filled with couples reliving their youth to the sounds of the Wurlitzer organ.

We could have whiled away the afternoon at our beautifully laid-out table, packed full of tasty sandwiches, delicious cakes, tea and coffee, but we had a date with the circus down in the bowels.

Adults and kids alike will be enthralled by the show, although those of a nervous disposition might want to look away during some of the daredevil trapeze acts, not to mention the knife-thrower!

After watching those high-flying performers we had worked up an appetite. With a great choice of quality restaurants, Blackpool has come on leaps and bounds in recent years and we popped two minutes up the prom for a nice meal in Mexican chain restaurant, Las Iguanas.

Even better was our lunch the following day across the road in the Beach House Bistro, which occupies a space in the same building as the wedding chapel and Tourist Information Centre.

Our visit coincided with the warmest day of the year, so as temperatures reached more than 30 degrees we sat in the outside terrace, which is covered when it’s not so tropical, enjoying our delicious food while we watched the sun shine on the water and families play on the beach.

It would be easy to spend an entire day at Blackpool Zoo, surely one of the best in Britain. A must-see is the sea lion display, which kids love, while catching the elephant, lion and giraffes up close was also a treat.

While we were in the area we squeezed in a visit to the Model Village, where you’re likely to spend more time than you expect if you take part in the quiz that guides you around the village and gardens.

We had only been in the waxworks once since it became Madame Tussauds and we were pleasantly surprised to see almost every display had changed since our first visit. Kids loved running through the I’m A Celebrity set and posing beside lifelike models of pop stars like Lady Gaga and Olly Murs.

No trip to Blackpool is complete without visiting the Pleasure Beach, which celebrates its 120th birthday this year. Nickelodeon Land would keep the kids entertained with rides dedicated to characters like Rugrats and Spongebob Squarepants, while the theme park also boasts the best collection of rollercoasters in Britain.

The Grand National and Big One are must-rides, while Valhalla is one of the best water rides in the world – you will get soaked!

We had only scratched the surface of things to do, meaning the rest of our holiday would be just as action-packed.

Now, more than ever, Blackpool really does have it all.

So if you’ve not been in a while, do yourself a favour and plan a visit – you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach celebrates 120 years of thrills and spills