WHY GO TO LAS VEGAS WHEN YOU CAN GO TO BLACKPOOL?

At a cursory glance, it might seem that I had somewhat oversold our two-night trip away from home. After all, when most people think of Blackpool, the images that spring to mind are of the Tower, the promenade, the Illuminations... And yes, come the weekend, numerous stag and hen parties in search of a good time. A far cry from the glitz and glamour of Vegas.

But the two locations have more in common that you might imagine. For just as Vegas evolved to serve the 20,000 or so workers who had arrived to labour on the nearby Hoover Dam in the early Thirties, so Blackpool emerged to cater for 19th-century Lancashire cotton workers as the mill-owners began the practice of closing for a week each year to repair the machinery. At the heart of both locations lies the same agenda: to entertain, relax and make you forget about all your woes.

To convince my wife that she didn’t need a long flight to get some Vegas flavour, I carefully planned an evening of entertainment to commence with a ride around town in a chauffeur-driven limo. ‘This one was originally used for Britney Spears’s wedding.’ Reveals Patrick Cuddihy, head driver of local limo service Jet Set limousines, as we climb inside a Lincoln stretch model. As he pours us Champagne and switches on the disco lights, I wonder aloud which other celebrities might have been inside the car. ‘All the greats,’ he deadpans. ‘Frank Carson, Roy Walker and most of the cast of EastEnders.’ Hmm, not quite Sinatra’s Rat Pack, but it’ll do for now.

Settling back against the plush leather seating, we head along Blackpool’s answer to The Strip and take in, not the lights of the casinos and hotels of Las Vegas, but the equally beguiling glow of The Illuminations. The Illuminations season runs from late August to early November, costs a staggering £2.4 million to stage, stretches almost six miles from Starr Gate to Bispham and features more than a million light bulbs. It really is a sight to behold, along with the flashing lights of the resort’s three piers. And once you get near the Tower, practically every shop front is festooned with a vast array of coloured lights. But even without the Illuminations, Blackpool is no slouch on the glitter front.

Richer to the tune of £1.60 we move on to the Blackpool Tower complex. If you’re looking for Vegas equivalents then the Blackpool Tower complex is the jackpot. Upstairs is the Blackpool Tower Circus (the closest thing to Vegas’s Cirque du Soleil), next door is the Tower Ballroom (a glamorously ornate chamber echoing with faded grandeur) and below is the Blackpool Tower Dungeon (an English take on the Mob tours of Las Vegas, complete with comedy gore). And then, of course, there’s the tower itself.

While Vegas has its own mini Eiffel Tower inside the Paris Las Vegas hotel (half the size of the original), it is dwarfed by Blackpool’s iconic monument. Following a £20 million investment, it’s looking better than ever. There’s the Blackpool Tower Skywalk, a glass viewing platform where, much like the Grand Canyon’s Skywalk, visitors can experience the thrill of looking down from 158 metres. Looking out to sea on a clear day it offers views of the Isle of Man, and even if the weather’s not all that great (I doubt if it ever gets cloudy in Vegas), you’ll always be afforded views of Blackpool’s most recent addition and answer to Las Vegas’s Walk of Stars, the Comedy Carpet. At 2,200 square metres, featuring 160,000 individually cut letters spelling out famous one-liners from much-loved British comedians, it’s certain to become a Blackpool favourite.

It would be easy to continue with the Vegas comparisons without risking scraping the bottom of the (beach) bucket. I could compare the thrills of the Vegas Adventuredome theme park with those of Blackpool’s famous Pleasure Beach. Or the stars of The Las Vegas Madame Tussaud’s with those of Blackpool’s.

Its clear Blackpool has a ridiculous amount to offer, but can it really compete with Las Vegas? If you’re there on a scorching day I think you may well be having too good a time to care.

As for Claire and me, having tasted only a fraction of what Blackpool has to offer, I can safely say that while we might still feel tired all the time, it’s good to know that we’ve still (just about) got it.

More Things To Do In Blackpool

If you're looking for more inspiration for a short city break, take a look at our guide of what to do in Blackpool where you'll find details of more things to do, great shopping, eating and drinking, culture and nightlife, plus details of all Best Western Blackpool hotels.