Lancashire's Fylde Coast Seaside Resorts
Out and about for the day in the Northwest of England

Located on the north coast of Lancashire, just over an hour's drive from Manchester via the M6 motorway, signposted after Blackpool and before the English Lake District.
After a multi-million pound regeneration programme in the late 1980s, Morecambe has become a new seaside venue for millions of visitors each year. Its policy of making an extensive use of public art in the form of modern commissioned promenade sculptures has raised the resort to a full international status.
As a major migratory stopover for many species of birds, Morecambe has reflected this in its many bird sculptures, having won the international TERN award - and the bird theme is evident everywhere you walk around Morecambe - there are bird games, including Magpie Hopscotch, which all the family can join in. Indeed, the whole of the central promenade is in the process of redevelopment and will incorporate a whole range of new seafront landmarks.
There is an annual Festival of Light & Water, which attracts thousands of evening visitors, much as do the Blackpool illuminations. This involves colourful dancing waters, with hundreds of jets rising and falling in time to fully orchestrated music.
Morecambe Bay also offers many facilities for the shopper, with its large covered and air conditioned Arndale Shopping Centre, its twice weekly open and covered indoor market, as well as many small delightful shops of a more traditional style in Morecambe's West End.
Nearby are the delightfully picturesque villages of Bare, Torrisholme and Heysham, and within reach is the historic city of Lancaster. Local buses and trains all go to these venues. Lancaster has a Leisure Park with notable antique shops and a popular factory shop, as well as the elegant St Nicholas Arcade. For the sporting enthusiast there are innumerable all-weather facilities, including boating and sailing, windsurfing and water skiing, as well as the Morecambe Seaside Heritage Trail for walkers.
Many large hotels are located centrally, from modest "Approved" up to the most lavish and expensive English Tourist Board 5 Stars. Also many guest houses at modest prices with nightly or weekly rates, as well as self-catering accommodation and caravan parks. Contact Tourist Information Centre (below) to book by phone, or to ask for the free Morecambe Bay Brochure which has details of all accommodation.

The new Festival Market replaces the former outdoor market at Poulton and Morecambe, and is open every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, plus all Bank Holidays, from 9.00am-5.00pm in the season, 9.30am-4.30pm out of season. There are 95 internal stalls selling a range of goods including clothes, DVDs and fabric, plus a café. Access is one-level throughout and there is ample adjacent car parking. The Festival Market can be transformed into a venue for concerts, festivals and other events. There is also an outdoor market which takes place on Saturday and Sunday.

Themed breaks are available in Birdwatching on Morecambe Bay, Golf, Coarse & Game Fishing and Cycling. For more information telephone: 01524-582816
or email: tourism@lancaster.gov.uk
to request your activity breaks leaflet, which includes further details of the activities on offer and detailed accommodation listings. (Please mention this website when enquiring)

Tourist Information Centre,
Station Buildings, Central Promenade Morecambe LA4 4DB. Tel: 01524-582808.
see also www.visitmorecambe.co.uk
and www.morecambe.co.uk.

Across the road from Morecambe bay is Happy Mount Park, one of the resort's most popular recreation and leisure areas. There are extensive floral arrays and ornamental gardens which in peak season are a profusion of colour and perfumes, where one may simply sit and watch the world pass by. Originally created in the 1920s the park has been revived and has activities for all ages including play areas, swingboats, miniature railway, bowling green, miniature golf, putting green, crazy golf, paddling pool, trampolines, roundabout, multi-purpose sports surface, Japanese garden, cafe, ice cream kiosk and picnic area. During the summer there are band concerts given by many of the area's finest musicians. The Park paddling pool, is, regretably, about to be demolished. For more information call Leisure Services on 01524 582845.

Morecambe's new stone jetty

Notable bird sculptures

Overlooking Morecambe Bay to Cumbria and Grange-over-Sands

Happy Mount Park