Southport & Blackpool Illuminations

With miles of coast to explore Southport is the ideal place to take a stroll along the sandy beaches. Home to the oldest iron pier in England and a variety of beaches filled with an amazing mix of wildlife, nature and traditional beach activities. Explore Lord Street with its wrought iron canopies, relaxed atmosphere and its tree-lined boulevard evoking a sense of space or stroll around Wayfarers Shopping Arcade, set in a stunning Grade II listed building, or the bunting lined Wesley Street filled with quaint independent shops.

Enjoy an included excursion to the spectacular Blackpool Illuminations. Every year the Lancashire seaside resort comes alive with the biggest lights festival in the UK, the world-famous Blackpool Illuminations. Featuring over a million bulbs, the display mixes traditional motifs with contemporary displays, to create a dazzling entertainment spectacle that stretches for six miles from Starr Gate to Bispham.What's Included?
- Coach travel with reserved seating- Two nights dinner, bed and breakfast at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Southport- Excursion to Blackpool aftre lunch to enjoy free time in Blackpool and its Illuminations.- Time to enjoy the traditional charm of SouthportThe Blackpool Illuminations -Between September and January, Blackpool shines brighter than any summer's day. The UK's most popular seaside resort holds its annual free light show - and it's the best time of year to visit!

The Prince Of Wales Hotel - With its stunning Victorian features, the Prince of Wales Hotel is located in the heart of Southport, within beautifully landscaped gardens. This elegant hotel overlooks Lord Street, the main boulevard in the town and a fantastic shopping area in this seaside resort.

Southport
The seaside town of Southport, with its tree-lined boulevards, traditional shopping arcades and unspoilt beaches.

Take a stroll around the town and soak up the atmosphere in this popular resort where you'll find the UK's oldest iron pier. Today, Southport Pier is a much-visited attraction where you can step back in time, have fun in the vintage arcade or simply relax and enjoy the views.

Discover the stunning coastline, visiting some of the many beaches. You'll be able to see plenty of wildlife, along with the largest area of wild dunes in Britain. Described as the floral capital of the North West, Southport is home to beautiful parks and gardens, with spectacular flower displays, open green spaces and Victorian features.

Visit Southport's Botanic Gardens and marvel at the floral splendour and the lake winding through it. Admire the themed gardens and ornate fountains at Hesketh Park, a 12-hectare Victorian park, designed by Edward Kemp in the 19th century.

For those that love a bit of retail therapy, Southport is the perfect destination. It has well-known high street stores, independent boutiques and Victorian shopping arcades. You can also watch the world go by with a drink in one of the pavement cafés.

Blackpool Illuminations
Between September and January, Blackpool shines brighter than any summer's day
The UK's most popular seaside resort does not shut its doors in winter. Instead, it holds its annual free light show, The Blackpool Illuminations - and it's the best time of year to visit!


It all began in 1879
8 arc lamps sprung up along Blackpool's seafront in 1879 (the council was experimenting with electric street lighting). This amped up to 10,000 lights in 1912 when Princess Louise opened the new section of the promenade named after her. In 1925, following WWI, the town's light display returned bigger and better than ever.


The Illuminations now feature 1 million bulbs and 500+ designs and features
With new investment and innovation, the scale, density, and content of the Illuminations have improved year on year.

The 3.5 million annual visitors will experience a different Blackpool - a world of lit-up buildings, fairground rides, lamp posts and trams. One where its promenade, three piers and iconic tower are flashing in rainbow colours, lights, and sound. You can even add to the six miles of madness with your own light-up novelty from the prom's street sellers.


The best seat to see the show is aboard one of the illuminated Heritage Trams
The current fleet includes the HMS Blackpool, the Fisherman's Friend Trawler, the Western Train - and even a double-decker. The Illuminations Tour operates each evening from the 'Heritage Tram Tours' stop (over the road from the Pleasure Beach).


Don't miss - Walk through the Tableaux section (at the North end) - it features the oldest illumination still on display, the Teddy Bears Picnic.The Prince of Wales Hotel, Southport The Prince of Wales Hotel, Southport
With its stunning Victorian features, the Prince of Wales Hotel is located in the heart of Southport, within beautiful landscaped gardens. This elegant hotel overlooks Lord Street, the main boulevard in the town and a fantastic shopping area in this seaside resort.

You'll be ideally located to discover all that Southport has to offer, including sandy beaches, golden dunes, the historic pier and vibrant nightlife.

Throughout the reception, lounge and bedrooms, the décor has been carefully kept intact, in keeping with the stylish character of the building. Each bedroom has an en-suite bathroom, TV, telephone, hairdryer and tea & coffee making facilities. The rooms have been tastefully designed to preserve the Victorian style of the hotel.

The Prince of Wales Hotel provides guests with a warm welcome, comfortable accommodation and outstanding hospitality, ideal for a relaxing break in Southport.

Hotel features:


- Bar
- Restaurant
- Lift
- Tea & coffee making facilities
- Wi-Fi facilities