Stanley Park, Blackpool (must see)

Stanley Park is Blackpool’s premier public green space, located about 1.5 kilometers northeast of the town center, between the residential areas of Great Marton and Layton. Spanning over 260 acres (104 hectares), the park is a Grade II* listed site and appears on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England. It was designed in the 1920s by renowned landscape architect Thomas Mawson, who envisioned a multi-purpose recreational landscape combining sport, formal design, and nature.

The park is laid out across four distinct zones: the northern and western sections feature formal gardens, including an Italian Garden with a marble fountain, classical statues, and the famous Medici Lions. These are overlooked by a striking Art Deco café, also designed by Mawson. To the east lies a large boating lake, ringed by woodlands and a protected wildlife area. An open-air amphitheater with a bandstand borders the lake.

At the heart of the park is a central crossroads marked by a clock tower dedicated to William Cocker. Nearby are extensive leisure facilities: tennis courts, all-weather pitches, a BMX track, a skate park, and a large children’s playground. Sports enthusiasts can also enjoy a 5,000-seat cricket ground, a sports center, an athletics track, and an 18-hole golf course designed by Alister MacKenzie. The park also includes a model village attraction.

Stanley Park is managed by Blackpool Council and has held the Green Flag Award since 2008. In 2017, it was named the UK’s Best Park by Fields in Trust, as voted by the public. Open daily from dawn to dusk, it draws more than two million visitors annually and remains a beloved symbol of civic pride and landscape design.