Between the Lake District and the Irish Sea, Lancashire is a rural feeling region, with plenty of Areas Outstanding Natural Beauty, including the Forest of Bowland, the Ribble Valley, the Alt Estuaries and the edges of both the Lake District and the Pennines. So many of our recommendations for the best places to stay in Lancashire will appeal to walkers, and outdoors-folk, or anyone looking for a break in the countryside. Lancashire’s coastline has plenty of appeal too! Old seaside charmer, Blackpool is in Lancashire, as are Morecambe Bay, Southport and Lytham St. Annes. County town, Lancaster, has been around since the Romans, but is better known for its Georgian architecture! When it comes to great places to stay, we've discovered charming B&Bs, family friendly seaside properties, boutique pads and country house hotels. In short, there's accommodation here for all tastes and budgets!
Lively, yet genteel, Lancaster is a good base if you’re hoping for an historic mini-break. Its ancient castle holds tales of many monarchs and their plights, but these days it is more of a university city than a seat of kings. Just outside Lancaster are the deep, wooded valleys and heather moorlands of the Forest of Bowland, a spectacular area perfect for walkers and keen anglers. Keen culture vultures should also visit Clitheroe Castle, the ruins of Sawley Abbey and the Judge's Lodgings — once the home of witch-hunter Thomas Covell, who 'caught' the Pendle Witches. Oudoor enthusiasts should add the West Pennine Moors, the Fylde coastal plain, and the Morecambe Bay region.
The Lancashire coast has been a popular holiday destination since Victorian times, when Blackpool was queen of the seaside resorts. The pier, tower, ballroom, 16 hectare Pleasure Beach, model village, zoo, and the annual illuminations still draw a crowd. Many of the best places to stay in Lancashire’s coastal regions are seaside hotels, pubs-with-rooms and guesthouses. If you’re looking for luxury you’re more likely to find it inland, in one of the county's many manor houses. Many now belong to the National Trust, so you can’t always stay there, but you’re most welcome to visit!