Blackpool

The rides might grab the headlines, but this stretch of the Fylde coast offers far more than the Tower's shadow. Poulton-le-Fylde sits just inland, a proper market town that's managed to keep its character while the seaside crowds thunder past. The old station connects you straight to Preston and Manchester - handy when you fancy escaping the kiss-me-quick brigade.

Blackpool's famous attractions are a stone's throw away, but you'll find quieter pleasures here too. The Fuzzy Duck Brewery serves up decent pints, while families rate the Thingamajigz Play Centre when the weather turns. Poulton Swimming Pool provides a calmer alternative to the sea.

This part of Lancashire spreads flat and wide towards the coast. Moor Park offers green space for a proper walk, though the landscape's hardly dramatic - think farmland and suburbia rather than rolling hills. Still, you're perfectly placed for day trips to the Lake District if you fancy something more rugged.

Getting here couldn't be easier. The M55 dumps you practically on the doorstep, while Poulton-le-Fylde station puts you on the main Preston line. Blackpool proper is a fifteen-minute drive when you want the full seaside experience.

Staying at one of the holiday parks around here makes perfect sense. You get the best of both worlds - easy access to Blackpool's madness when you want it, plus a base that's actually peaceful come evening. Haven Marton Mere Holiday Village and Newton Hall Holiday Park both offer family-friendly bases without the seafront noise.