The Blackpool Tower Dungeon

The dungeons beneath Blackpool Tower are properly grim - all actors in period costume, theatrical gore, and jump scares in the dark. You're herded through various tableaux depicting historical nastiness: plague victims, witch trials, executions. It's got the feel of a Halloween attraction that's been running so long it's earned its stripes, complete with cheesy props and the odd genuinely unsettling moment.

This is unmistakably a family operation, though younger children might find it intense - there's screaming, darkness, and blokes dressed as executioners. Teenagers and adults after a bit of daft fun will get more out of it. Expect to spend an hour, maybe ninety minutes if crowds are thin. The whole thing moves at a pace; you're not left hanging about.

Paying attraction, naturally, though prices vary by season. Check their website before you go because opening hours shift depending on school holidays and whether Blackpool's got events on.

Fit it in during a longer Blackpool visit - it's a filler activity when the weather's iffy, not a reason to plan your whole trip around. Staying at one of the caravan parks within five or six miles - Primrose Bank, Haven Cala Gran, or Broadwater - gives you the option to spend a day at the Tower and dungeons without burning through your holiday budget on town centre accommodation. The Tower itself is the real draw; the dungeon's just something to do when you've queued for the lift.