The Las Vagas of Northern England, Blackpool is one of the UK’s most popular tourist destinations, with an estimated 18 million of us spending a weekend in the town every year.
With an abundance of bars and tonnes of family-friendly attractions to explore, there really is something for everyone to enjoy in Blackpool.
One of those attractions is the Blackpool Pleasure Beach theme park, which opened all the way back in 1896 and remains family-owned today.
Hiram Maxims Captive Flying Machine is actually the oldest amusement park ride in Europe, having opened in August 1904 – and it’s still as fun now as it was back then (we imagine!).
Today, we thought we’d round up five of our favourite rides from Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Whether you’re a regular at the park or you’re planning your first visit, make sure you tick these five attractions off your bucket list ASAP…
Valhalla
Built back in the year 2000 at a cost of £15 million, Valhalla is one of the world’s best indoor water rides, and a real favourite here at Fuzzable.
Once you’ve boarded a boat, you’re taken on a journey of adventure and discovery through ancient history – and you get soaking along the way!
Featuring rain, fire, and mist, Valhalla even includes a backward drop part-way through the ride, as well as a tunnel of water and a fire explosion finale.
ICON
The park’s newest attraction is ICON, a £16-million double-launch rollercoaster, which opened last year.
Once you’ve taken your seat and you’re strapped in, you’ll be launched through a tunnel and into a 25-meter top hat with some serious airtime.
After that, prepare to be thrown from side to side, interacting with several other of the park’s rides including The Big One, Steeplechase, and The Big Dipper, before finishing with an Immelmann loop.
It’s not for the faint-hearted, and if you’re not a fan of inversions then you should probably avoid this one!
The Big Dipper
No visit to Blackpool Pleasure Beach would be complete without a ride of the Big Dipper, which first opened all the way back in 1923.
Perhaps one of the scariest parts of this ride is that it’s made from wood and it’s very creaky as you climb the lift hill and travel around a circular top track before your first “dip”.
Hold on tight!
Back in 1998, one Big Dipper fan Richard Rodriguez set a world record, riding the Big Dipper for more than 1,000 hours.
Of course, he went home on an evening and came back the next day, but his commitment to riding one of our favourite rides in the park did not go unnoticed – today, there’s a plaque commemorating his achievements in the station.
Nickelodeon Streak
Another wooden classic is the Nickelodeon Streak, previously known as the Velvet Coaster (which is now the name of the nearby Wetherspoon pub – great for a bite to eat halfway through your day).
The ride opened in 1933 and today features an unusual bright orange design – in keeping with the wider Nickelodeon Land theme.
The best part about it?
Streak is suitable for the whole family, and it’s intense enough for adults to enjoy it as much as the kids.
During busy days, this ride’s queue can get pretty long, so head to Streak at the start of the day before the rush.
River Caves
If you were expecting another white-knuckle ride to finish off our top five, you’re out of luck.
River Caves is one of our favourite rides at the park, a classic dark ride that takes you on a journey around the world.
Don’t expect any state-of-the-art animatronics or holograms here – it’s just a good, old-fashioned family dark ride.
Originally opened in 1905, the River Caves is also known as the Tunnel of Love, and the best part is that you don’t need a wristband to ride it – anyone with a Pleasure Beach Pass can take a seat and venture through forgotten times…
What’s your favourite ride at Blackpool? Let us know on Twitter using @Fuzzable and check back for more theme park news and features soon!