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Blackpool's Great Promenade, Blackpool

Blackpool's Great Promenade (Self Guided), Blackpool

Blackpool's Great Promenade, a vibrant stretch of coastal pathway, is an interesting area to explore. Here you will find a plethora of attractions and sights to behold complete with several amusement parks.

One of the iconic landmarks along this promenade is the Blackpool South Pier, emphasizing adrenaline-producing entertainment, a tradition maintained since 1893. Nearby, Pleasure Beach beckons with its thrilling rides, promising fun-filled adventures for visitors of all ages. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum adds a touch of curiosity and wonder, showcasing an array of bizarre and fascinating exhibits.

As you stroll along the promenade, you'll encounter the mesmerizing High Tide Organ, an innovative art installation that harmonizes with the natural rhythm of the sea. The Swivelling Wind Shelters provide a unique blend of form and function, offering shelter from the coastal breeze while serving as artistic focal points. Meanwhile, the "Desire" sculpture captivates with its provocative elegance.

Keep your eyes peeled for "They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?" – a dazzling Mirror Ball Artwork that infuses the promenade with a sense of whimsy and magic. Glam Rocks and Water Wings add to the eclectic charm, offering delightful surprises at every turn. The Frankenstein Project pays homage to the town's cultural heritage, blending tradition with innovation in a thought-provoking display.

Finally, don't miss out on experiencing "The Sound of the Wind Looks Like This," a captivating sensory journey that engages both sight and sound in a mesmerizing spectacle.

Whether you're a resident or a curious traveler, Blackpool's Great Promenade promises an unforgettable adventure filled with excitement and discovery. So why wait? Embark on your own exploration of this dynamic coastal haven and create memories to last a lifetime.
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Blackpool's Great Promenade Map

Guide Name: Blackpool's Great Promenade
Guide Location: England » Blackpool (See other walking tours in Blackpool)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
# of Attractions: 10
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Author: leticia
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
  • Blackpool South Pier
  • Pleasure Beach
  • Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
  • The Swivelling Wind Shelters
  • Desire
  • “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” (Mirror Ball Artwork)
  • Glam Rocks
  • Water Wings
  • The Frankenstein Project
  • The Sound of the Wind Looks Like This
1
Blackpool South Pier

1) Blackpool South Pier

Originally known as Victoria Pier, South Pier opened in 1893. Its emphasis was on adrenaline-producing rides and entertainment. It has kept to that tradition. It operates from March to November. The South Pier opened on Good Friday 1893 with a choir, two brass bands, and an orchestra. It was 163 yards long and had 36 shops, a bandstand, an ice cream vendor, and a photograph stall.

A carousel was installed in 1896. The Grand Pavilion was replaced by the Regal Theatre in 1963 and changed later into The Beachcomber Amusement Arcade. Since 1998 the pier's focus has been on its exciting rides and stunts. There was the Crazy Mouse roller coaster in 1998, the dodgems, and a spinning Walzer with its G-force rides.

The famous Adrenaline Zone features Skycoaster, a 125-foot high free-falling swing; Skyscreamer, a reverse bungee ride; Spider Mountain, a multi-storied climbable spider's web and; Maxibounce, an acrobatic trampoline. For relaxation, there are the Laughing Donkey Family Bar and the Kiddies Ride Arena.

After all the screaming, thrills, and whizzing about, pop into the Gin House. It has modern decor, drinks, outdoor tables, relaxing music, and great views. The South Pier is open every day throughout the season.
2
Pleasure Beach

2) Pleasure Beach (must see)

Pleasure Beach is a vast amusement park on the south shore of Blackpool. The park was founded by businessman William George Bean and his partner John Outhwaite in 1896 and has been family owned and operated since its inception. The original Pleasure Beach, situated on the dunes by the Promenade, had some roundabouts, a Bicycle Railway, and several Gypsy stalls. Bean and Outhwaite decided to grow the business after visiting Coney Island in the United States.

The park is situated on a site of 42 acres beside the South Promenade. North Park, Nickelodeon Land, and South Park make up the three main sections of Pleasure Beach. Rides of the park are built under, around, and through other areas and attractions.

Rides available are the Avalanche Bobsled; Big Dipper wooden roller coaster; The Big One, a 235-foot steel hyper roller coaster; Blue Flyer, a wooden coaster for kids; Grand National dual track racer; ICON steel coaster with two launches and a barrel roll; Infusion; Revolution; Nickelodeon Streak; and Steeplechase.

Thrill rides include Avatar Airbender, Ice Blast, and Red Arrows Sky Force. There are five water rides, 13 miscellaneous rides, and seven Family rides, including themes like Wallace & Grommet, Alice in Wonderland, and Ghost Train. There are seasonal shows and events, Golf (12 holes), Ripley's Believe It or Not, and the Arena ice rink.

The Pleasure Beach operates daily from April to November. Its slogan is: "We create the fun, you keep the memories."
3
Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

3) Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

Located on Blackpool’s Golden Mile, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is a two-floor museum dedicated to the weird, the wonderful, and the outright unbelievable. Part of the global Ripley’s franchise—founded by cartoonist and explorer Robert Ripley—the Blackpool Odditorium invites visitors into a world where fact outpaces fiction and strangeness is the main attraction.

Across eight themed galleries, you’ll find hundreds of artifacts and curiosities that blur the line between natural oddity and human eccentricity. Highlights include a two-headed calf, ceremonial figures from Papua New Guinea, and the legendary African fertility statues, which have reportedly sparked over 1,000 pregnancies while on display. There’s also a life-sized figure of Robert Wadlow, the tallest man in recorded history at 8 feet 11 inches, alongside countless other anomalies.

Ripley’s collection has roots in the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, where the original "Odditorium" drew over 2 million visitors. Today, the Blackpool site continues this legacy with interactive displays, rare items, and storytelling that challenges your sense of what’s possible. Whether you're into biology, anthropology, or just love the bizarre, Ripley’s is where “Believe It or Not” isn’t just a slogan—it’s a dare.
4
The Swivelling Wind Shelters

4) The Swivelling Wind Shelters

Known affectionately as the “Whale Tail Sculptures,” The Swivelling Wind Shelters are among the most striking installations along Blackpool’s South Promenade. Created in 2004 by architect Ian McChesney in collaboration with engineering firm Atelier One, these wind-driven structures are part of The Great Promenade Show—a two-kilometer open-air gallery of contemporary public art.

Standing 8 meters tall and crafted from wood and corrosion-resistant Duplex stainless steel, the shelters are not just sculptural; they are functional marvels of engineering. Their wing-like form—reminiscent of a whale’s tail or an aircraft fin—was shaped by a simple but elegant concept: a single form that acts both as a wind vane and a protective baffle. Mounted on a four-metre-wide dampened turntable, each shelter pivots smoothly to face away from the prevailing wind, ensuring that anyone inside stays shielded from the elements.

Originally, three shelters were installed. Today, only two remain, rotating gently with the coastal breeze. Their motion is subtle but constant, a kinetic ballet that responds directly to the environment.

Commissioned as part of Blackpool Borough Council’s ambitious seafront redevelopment, the shelters stand not only as practical refuges but as enduring icons of design innovation and seaside resilience. A full-scale prototype was tested before installation to ensure the concept could withstand Blackpool's gusty conditions.

Whether you're caught in a sudden squall or just want a moment of rest with a panoramic sea view, the Swivelling Wind Shelters offer both beauty and refuge—proof that architecture can be both playful and practical.
5
Desire

5) Desire

Towering above the South Promenade in Blackpool, Desire is a commanding steel sculpture created by artist Chris Knight in 2001. As part of The Great Promenade Show—an ambitious outdoor art trail—this monolithic work doesn’t just stand out, it bristles. Two jagged steel slabs form a looming heart-shaped void at the center, edged with sharp stainless steel spikes that radiate a sense of danger, tension, and allure.

Knight’s sculpture taps into the idea of desire not as something soft or romantic, but as something risky, even perilous. The use of raw industrial materials and aggressive form plays with themes of attraction and unease, making Desire a conversation piece as much as a visual landmark.

It shares the promenade with other striking installations like the haunting They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? and the musical High Tide Organ, turning a stroll by the sea into a walk-through open-air gallery. For visitors looking to dive deeper, self-guided walking tours are available to uncover the stories behind each piece and the artists who shaped Blackpool’s creative shoreline.

Desire isn’t just a sculpture—it’s a statement. It anchors the South Shore in steel and symbolism, making it a must-see for fans of public art and provocative design.
6
“They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” (Mirror Ball Artwork)

6) “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” (Mirror Ball Artwork)

Set against the sweeping views of Blackpool’s South Promenade, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is a dazzling monument to glamour, endurance, and seaside spectacle. Created in 2002 by artist Michael Trainor as part of The Great Promenade Show, this monumental mirror ball is thought to be the largest of its kind in the world. Weighing in at six tonnes and measuring six meters in diameter, it's clad in more than 47,000 mirror tiles, each one reflecting Blackpool’s shifting skies and ocean light in an ever-changing play of sparkle.

The title is borrowed from the 1969 Hollywood film They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, a drama centered on Depression-era dance marathons. The mirror ball in the film made a lasting impression on Trainor, who translated that symbol of endurance and showbiz glitz into a permanent feature on the promenade.

Designed to rotate slowly, the artwork transforms sunlight by day and artificial light by night into a kinetic, kaleidoscopic experience—like a dance floor that never ends. It stands as a playful yet poignant nod to Blackpool’s long-standing relationship with entertainment, performance, and spectacle.

As part of the two-kilometer-long Great Promenade Show, the mirror ball is one of several large-scale artworks by both emerging and established artists, turning the seafront into a vibrant open-air gallery. It’s not just an art installation—it’s a celebration of Blackpool’s legacy and love for theatrical flair.
7
Glam Rocks

7) Glam Rocks

Installed in June 2001 as part of The Great Promenade Show, Glam Rocks is Peter Freeman’s twinkling tribute to Blackpool’s eternal love of the spotlight. Made from white concrete and smoothed to resemble oversized beach pebbles, the three sculptural forms are anything but ordinary. Each one is studded with hundreds of fiber-optic lights that slowly shift in color as day turns to dusk, casting an ever-changing glow that dances along the seafront.

Rather than emit lightalonen, the pebbles reflect illumination from Blackpool’s famous promenade, merging natural shapes with theatrical flair. Think: geology meets cabaret. The result is a quietly mesmerizing spectacle that captures the spirit of the town—equal parts coastal charm and unapologetic glamour.

Glam Rocks forms part of The Great Promenade Show, an open-air gallery of ten large-scale public artworks stretching south from the South Pier. Within this constellation of creative installations, including the rotating Glitter Ball, the wave-activated High Tide Organ, and the breezy Swivelling Wind Shelters, Glam Rocks holds its own—sparkling with understated showbiz confidence. It’s Blackpool, but make it cosmic.
8
Water Wings

8) Water Wings

"Water Wings" is a striking piece of public art located on Blackpool’s South Promenade. Created in 2001 by artist Bruce Williams as part of the Great Promenade Show, this installation blends sculpture, photography, and motion to create a quietly moving experience for viewers on the go.

The work takes the form of a gently curved screen, about 8 metres long, made from laser-cut stainless steel. Etched into the metal is the silhouette of a swimming child—a symbol of freedom and innocence. As people pass by on foot, by car, or aboard the tram, the image subtly emerges and fades with their movement, designed specifically to be experienced in motion rather than from a fixed vantage point.

The changing sky visible through the screen plays an essential role in the sculpture’s impact. Depending on the weather and light, the background shifts—cloudy or clear, sunlit or grey—giving the illusion that the child is swimming through a different body of water each time, merging the artwork with its coastal environment.

"Water Wings" is part of a larger initiative by Blackpool Borough Council to turn the South Promenade into an open-air gallery. The two-kilometer stretch features ten major permanent installations, and Williams’ work stands out for its poetic simplicity and interaction with the natural world.
9
The Frankenstein Project

9) The Frankenstein Project

The Frankenstein Project is a striking piece of contemporary public art by British artist Tony Stallard, permanently displayed on Blackpool’s Promenade since 2001. Weighing in at seven tonnes and stretching twenty-four feet long, the sculpture is constructed from a repurposed gas tank donated by British Gas and designed to resemble a diver’s decompression chamber.

Peering through its round portholes, visitors will encounter an eerie underwater scene: glass skeletons and the skull of a killer whale, all bathed in the eerie glow of blue neon light. Inside, a tangle of industrial pipes and valves evokes the feel of a deep-sea environment—and of something more unsettling. The installation’s haunting atmosphere draws direct inspiration from the Victorian-era freak shows that once characterized Blackpool’s seaside amusements.

Stallard’s creation was part of the larger Great Promenade Show, a four-part public art initiative commissioned by Blackpool Council and collaborating arts organizations, with a total investment of £500,000. The Frankenstein Project was the most ambitious of Stallard’s career at the time, taking six years to fully realize.

More than just a dramatic spectacle, the work offers a powerful reflection on the consequences of human interference with nature—a theme as chilling as it is timely. Whether seen by day or glowing by night, the sculpture stands as a surreal, thought-provoking landmark along the ever-changing face of the seafront.
10
The Sound of the Wind Looks Like This

10) The Sound of the Wind Looks Like This

Marking the southern tip of Blackpool’s Great Promenade Show, The Sound of the Wind Looks Like This is a striking blend of art, weather, and technology. Created by Glasgow-based artist Stephen Hurrel and unveiled in 2003, this kinetic sculpture transforms the invisible forces of nature into a pulsing, illuminated experience.

Six sleek aluminum poles—each nearly 20 feet tall—stand like sentinels on the South Shore promenade. Fed by real-time data from a nearby wind turbine, the artwork responds to the ever-changing seaside breeze. As the wind shifts direction, the color of the lights changes; as the wind picks up speed, the height and rhythm of the lights intensify. What results is a constantly evolving display—summer’s gentle breath might paint the poles in soft glows, while winter gales send surges of vivid light spiraling through the air.

Costing £40,000 and powered by wind alone, the piece is both a technical marvel and an homage to Blackpool’s iconic illuminations. Visitors are encouraged to walk among the poles, to stand inside the artwork and quite literally feel the wind as they watch its presence take form through light. It's not just public art—it’s the atmosphere itself, visualised.

As the final installation on the two-kilometer Great Promenade Show trail, The Sound of the Wind Looks Like This brings the exhibition full circle, merging nature and human creativity in one quietly powerful spectacle.

Walking Tours in Blackpool, England

Create Your Own Walk in Blackpool

Create Your Own Walk in Blackpool

Creating your own self-guided walk in Blackpool is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Blackpool Introduction Walking Tour

Blackpool Introduction Walking Tour

Between the Ribble and Wyre rivers on the west coast of England was a strip of sandy beach seven miles long. It was a pleasant place, where streams would run through peat bogs before emptying into the sea, turning the water dark. People called the place "Black Pool." Since early days, folks sought the benefits of fresh sea air and water.

Blackpool became a tourist magnet in the 1840s....  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles