Sandcastle Waterworld

Water slides, wave pools, and enough chlorine to strip paint - Sandcastle Waterworld sits right on Blackpool's seafront and does exactly what it says on the tin. This is a proper indoor waterpark with the sort of rides that make kids shriek with genuine joy and adults remember why they wore goggles in secondary school.

You've got your standard flumes, lazy rivers, and tropical pools kept warm year-round. The wave machine is the main draw - it's decent enough, though not quite theme park theatre. Families with young children will find gentler pools and smaller slides, while teenagers gravitate straight to the bigger drops. Honestly, it's the sort of place where you'll spend three hours maximum before everyone's waterlogged and hungry.

It's touristy by design - you're paying for convenience more than innovation - but that's Blackpool for you. Go on a weekday if you can stomach the visit outside school holidays; weekends and summer get rammed. Allow half a day, bring money for the inevitable overpriced burgers, and don't expect to find much shade. The waterpark pairs well with the seafront walks and amusement arcades nearby, or if you're staying at one of the holiday parks - Haven Marton Mere is barely 2.6 miles away - it's an easy wet-weather backup plan when the promenade gets tedious.

Worth a visit if you're already in Blackpool with restless kids. Don't make a special trip from Manchester just for this.