A gay weekend in Blackpool

This itinerary assumes you arrive by train on Friday afternoon and stay in or near the Rainbow Quarter. Swap things round to suit the night of the week, the season and your energy levels.

Friday

Mid-afternoon: arrive. Walk out of Blackpool North station, drop your bags at your guesthouse, and take ten minutes to walk Lord Street, Dickson Road and Queen Street in daylight so you have your bearings.

4pm: Garlands. Head to Garlands on Talbot Road for the free afternoon drag. It's the gentlest way into a Blackpool weekend, with a camp host, cheap drinks and a room full of people who've just arrived too.

6pm: dinner and a show. Book the three-course dinner at Garbo's, the restaurant inside Funny Girls, and stay for the show. Doors open at around 7pm. If you'd rather eat elsewhere, the Flying Handbag serves food until late.

After the show: Oscars. Upstairs from Funny Girls, Oscars hosts the after-show party with karaoke and live music.

Late: Queen Street. Walk the hundred yards to Queen Street. Sherlock's has DJs and a balcony on Fridays. The Flying Handbag and Kaos keep going until the small hours.

Saturday

Late morning: brunch and a walk. Have a slow breakfast at your guesthouse, many of which do a proper full English, then walk down Queen Street to the Promenade. Head north along the clifftop for sea air, or south to the Tower.

Early afternoon: some culture. Visit Showtown, the town's museum of entertainment, which includes some of Blackpool's queer stories, or the Grundy Art Gallery on Queen Street. Between February and June 2027 both are due to host exhibitions celebrating twenty years of Blackpool Pride.

3pm: Lord Street afternoon. Start at Rendezvous at the station end of Lord Street for an afternoon drink with entertainment, then drift north to Mardi Gras.

Early evening: cocktails. Try a teapot cocktail at DeLovely on Lord Street, or a garden drink at Neon on Yates Street. Have food at Mardi Gras or the Flying Handbag.

Evening: cabaret crawl. Pick a cabaret bar: McGraths on Lord Street, Peek-a-Booze or Lu-Lu's on Dickson Road. Take a photo on the rainbow crossings at the Dickson Road and Springfield Road junction on your way.

Late: the big night. Finish on Queen Street at the Flying Handbag or Kaos, which run latest at weekends. Men looking for a men-only space can try the Growlr Club above the Man Bar.

In season: the lights. From September to early January, walk down to the Promenade at dusk to see the Illuminations before you start the evening.

Sunday

Lunchtime: the roast. Sunday lunch is a quarter institution. The Flying Handbag serves from midday into the afternoon. Mardi Gras serves from early afternoon, and DeLovely takes bookings. Book wherever you can.

Afternoon: Sunday shows. Garlands has drag every afternoon, and Sunday is a good day for the smaller Lord Street bars. Sherlock's opens on Sunday evenings, and Funny Girls runs on Sundays too.

Late afternoon: head home. Trains back to Manchester, Liverpool and Preston run through the evening. If you're staying an extra night, Sunday to Thursday stays are usually the cheapest.

Adapting the plan

• On Pride weekend, swap Saturday's plans for the parade on the Promenade, the festival on the Tower Festival Headland, and the free Rainbow Quarter Street Party on Lord Street.
• On a winter weekend, the Christmas show at Funny Girls and Christmas by the Sea on the Promenade make it feel festive.
• For a quieter weekend, go heavy on cocktail bars, the smaller Lord Street bars and daytime drag, and skip the late clubs.
• On a budget, see our budget guide.

Places mentioned in this guide