Brews Park

Brews Park sits on the outskirts of Blackpool and gives you proper local football territory without the seafront circus. It's a working sports ground - the kind of place where you'll see grassroots matches on a Saturday afternoon, community teams training, and the sort of genuine Lancashire sporting spirit that doesn't need fancy branding.

What you're looking at is an active pitch complex rather than a tourist attraction in the traditional sense. Go if you've got kids who play football, or if you're after a genuine slice of how ordinary people in the area spend their weekends. It's not somewhere you'd dedicate a whole day to, but it's worth knowing about if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Manor House Glamping is only just up the road, and Haven Marton Mere is close enough for an easy drive.

The real value here is the contrast. You can ditch the Blackpool Tower crowds and slot into proper community sport instead. Bring a young footballer and they'll get something out of watching matches or having a kick-around. Families wanting a gentler Saturday will find it peaceful enough, though there's not much here in terms of facilities or things to do beyond watching the game.

I'd suggest ringing ahead to find out match schedules - turning up randomly to an empty park in Lancashire drizzle isn't anyone's idea of a day out. It works best as a side trip if you're staying at Ribby Hall Village or one of the other holiday parks dotted around the area, combining it with the wider attractions Blackpool has to offer.