Exploring Blackpool Illuminations

While traveling up to Scotland, we decided to stop off and check out the Blackpool Illuniations. I have never been to these illuminations, though we visit a large number of light trails all throughout England, so I was pretty pumped to check them out. Dann had been many years ago, when he was a child, but he didn’t remember it particularly well.

The Blackpool Illuminations are free to see as they are just dotted around the main bit of Blackpool. There isn’t a sort of check in or ticket system and you can often find a lot of cars slowly driving down the road looking at all of the lights out there. We got there just before the lights were switched on and weren’t really sure where to start, so we walked to the big Blackpool sign, which had a long queue waiting. We decided not to wait for a picture and instead started on the walk.

There were tons of lights on the street – sort of reminding me of the lights in London that decorate the main roads. These lights had themes for stretches of road, following British TV shows or showcasing tarot cards or feeling in a particular style. These lights were bright and vibrant, which was fun to see. The Blackpool Tower was also all lit up, which was very fun to see in real life. There weren’t very many big pieces that were apart of the Blackpool Illuminations, instead with the focus being lights along the road and above the street, however, the key places were pretty fantastic. We went through a tunnel of light and took some pictures in giant orbs of light, which changed color.

The real stand out, however, was the strange sea-alien-like light area. I really honestly wish there were more of these! Fog came out of the machines, lights and lasers blasted out, and tons of people were hanging out there listening to the music and seeing what happened. I could have spent forever in these sea creatures. They were very unique and well worth checking out!

Along with the lights, there were some modes of transportation that were appearing along the light walk. A lit up train and a lit up boat on land both traveled through, which were a site to see. These were tours that would allow you to see the entire stretch without actually having to walk around, though Dann and I wanted to see the lights from the various piers that are along Blackpool. As we got to the end of the road, there was also a giant fountain dancing to music. Though it wasn’t as impressive as everyone seemed to make it out to be, there were a lot of lights! I just wish there were more artistic elements, like the sea creatures, to make for a more unique experience.

You can check out our other Days Out to see what else we’ve been up too!