Moor Park Library

Twenty minutes inland from Blackpool's seafront chaos, this community library serves the residential streets around Moor Park with a quiet efficiency that's rather refreshing. The building itself won't win any architectural prizes, but it does what libraries do best - provides a proper sanctuary from the outside world.

Families staying at nearby holiday parks like Newton Hall or Haven Marton Mere will find it particularly useful on those inevitable rainy Lancashire afternoons. The children's section has a decent collection of picture books and early readers, though don't expect anything too elaborate. What it lacks in bells and whistles, it makes up for in that lovely library atmosphere where even the most restless kids seem to settle down with a book.

The local history section might catch your interest if you're curious about the area beyond the tourist trail. Staff are friendly enough and happy to point you towards whatever you're after. It's free, naturally, though you'll need proof of address to get a borrowing card.

Really, this is one for rainy day refuges rather than holiday highlights. But sometimes that's exactly what you need when you're staying at one of the coastal parks and the weather's turned. A solid hour's browsing, maybe two if the kids are properly absorbed, then you're done.