Blackpool Pleasure Beach
On the Lancashire coast, just an hour or so north of Liverpool, the town of Blackpool is slowly becoming a resort mecca. It’s crown jewel is the amusement park on the sound end of the sandy beach. The name – Blackpool Pleasure Beach – tells you everything you need to know.
It has ten different roller coasters (ranging from family-friendly to scream-worthy), Nickelodeon Land to the world’s first Wallace and Gromit ride to the perfectly named Thrill-o-Matic. It has come a long way from its inception in the late 1800s. Back then the big attraction was a bicycle railway and some arcade stalls. Its early success meant it added swings and a chute water ride was added to great acclaim.
In 1994, the park made headlines worldwide when it unveiled, The Big One. At the time, it was the tallest and steepest roller coaster in the world. Being able to see up and down the beach for miles as you reached heights of 213 feet was incredible. But what goes up, must come down, and you have to be ready for the 200-foot drop at 74 miles per hour.
It was so popular when it first debuted that Pepsi Max paid big money to sponsor the ride. So for the first twenty-five years of its life, it was known as Pepsi Max: The Big One.
Knowing that you will want to make more than a grand day of it – since there are plenty of other exciting and relaxing diversions along the beach. Right up to the Black Tower – you will find a wide range of accommodations right on site, the Big Blue and Blvd hotels.