Madame Tussauds Blackpool

The wax figures here are uncanny enough to make you do a double-take, which is rather the point. Madame Tussauds in Blackpool lines up the famous, infamous, and occasionally bewildering - everyone from the Royal Family to film stars to historical figures frozen mid-gesture in their glass cases. You'll spend a good hour or two wandering through themed rooms, stopping to take photos next to celebrities and grinning at how lifelike (or occasionally off) the detail is.

It works best for families with kids aged six upwards - younger ones sometimes find the realistic faces unsettling, which is fair. Adults tend to enjoy it as a bit of lighthearted nostalgia rather than serious cultural experience. The whole thing is unabashedly touristy, which Blackpool does well.

Admission is paid entry and you'll need to budget accordingly - check their current prices online before you go. The attraction sits right on the seafront, so it slots neatly into a seaside day alongside the Tower and the prom. If you're staying at one of the nearby parks like Haven Marton Mere or Newton Hall, both just 2.4 miles out, it's an easy drive or tram ride into town. On drizzly Lancashire days when you can't face the beach, it's a solid rainy-day option. Don't expect depth or revelation, but do expect entertainment and the chance to stand next to a wax David Beckham without judgment.