The oldest surviving Eugenius Birch pier
Opened in 1863 and Grade II listed, the only one of Blackpool's three piers with that protection.
Mayašleča — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Parrot of Doom — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Michael D Beckwith — CC0 · Sean Chapman 1978 — CC BY-SA 4.0
When this pier opened on 21 May 1863, more than twenty thousand people turned up, in a town of barely four thousand residents. Blackpool was already filling with summer visitors by the trainload, and North Pier is what gave the young resort its landmark and its picture-postcard front. Eugenius Birch, the great Victorian pier-builder, designed it; it is now the oldest of his piers still standing, the oldest and longest of Blackpool's three, and it runs about five hundred metres out over the Irish Sea on cast-iron legs and a timber deck. Understand its character before you go: this was never the funfair pier. It was built for ladies and gentlemen to stroll to orchestra music, and it kept charging admission until 2011 precisely to stay genteel while the Central and South piers filled up with rides. Entry is free now, and the calm remains: the Joe Longthorne Theatre with its seasonal shows, an old-style Venetian carousel the children will love, a small arcade, a cafe, and a long stretch of boards to walk to the end and back. That is all there is, and that is rather the point. The best of it is the sunset. The sea lies straight ahead to the west, the Tower stands a few hundred metres down the Promenade behind you, and the seafront lights up for the famous Illuminations, which in 2026 run from 4 September to 3 January. The deck is level and easy with a pushchair, the tram stops right at the pier gate, and Blackpool North railway station is about ten minutes' walk down Talbot Road. In summer the whole town is packed with English families on school holidays; in winter an exposed deck over the sea is bitterly windy and daylight is short, so pick a clear day and bring a coat. Two caveats. First, a structure this old has survived fires, storms and collisions with boats, and sections are closed for repair from time to time; it was put up for sale in July 2025 and a change of control was recorded in June 2026, so its plans are unsettled. Second, much of what is built on it is bars and restaurants, so the walk, the carousel and the sunset are what is yours here, and they deserve half an hour or so, not an afternoon.
Opened in 1863 and Grade II listed, the only one of Blackpool's three piers with that protection.
Walk to the end before dusk to watch the sun drop into the sea with the Tower lighting up behind you.
A two-tier, old-fashioned carousel the little ones enjoy, on a level deck that is easy with a pushchair.
North Pier, Promenade, Blackpool FY1 1NE
Blackpool IlluminationsIn the autumn of 1879 eight arc lamps were strung along Blackpool's seafront and3 minutes walk4.4
Blackpool TowerWhen this steel tower opened in May 1894 it was the tallest man-made structure a6 minutes walk4.6
Showtown BlackpoolA town that built its entire fortune on spectacle and laughter had no museum at 7 minutes walk4.6
Winter Gardens, BlackpoolBehind a plain frontage on Church Street, two streets back from the Tower, sits 7 minutes walk4.4
Madame Tussauds BlackpoolWax figures have stood on this stretch of Blackpool's Promenade since 1929, but 11 minutes walk4.5If your children want rides, Central with its big wheel and South with its thrill rides are clearly the better choice. North is the quiet one, with a single carousel and a small arcade and nothing more, so choose it for a sunset stroll rather than a full afternoon of entertainment.
Only on a clear day. The deck is exposed over the sea and the wind bites, and the sun sets before four in December, but the Illuminations run into the first days of January and the view from the pier end back to the lit-up seafront is genuinely lovely. Winter hours are short and parts of the deck can be closed, so check before you make the trip.