Pulling into a car park on the seafront the rain is coming down in sheets and a family are battling against the wind as they set up their youngster's pushchair. A trip to 'the worst' seaside resort in the whole of the UK - according to consumer magazine Which? - has got off to the worst possible start. It's grey, cold and miserable. I don't want to get out of the car.
It must be at least six years since my last visit to Skegness or SkegVegas as it's become known due to all the slot machines. There's been some changes since then especially around the area leading up to the beach near the Clock Tower.
Wrapped up against the elements we venture out. I spy a new climbing frame. When I say climbing frame, Altitude44 is actually the UK's tallest urban ropes course. Opposite is Skegness Aquarium, filled with tanks of colourful fishes and sea creatures.
If you're brave enough you can swim with sharks. Can you do that at other seaside resorts like Margate, Scarborough or Pwllheli? I don't think so...
Disclaimer: At this point I think it's only fair to say that I might be slightly biased. I'm Skegness born-and bred and spent the first 18 years of my life at the east coast Lincolnshire town before migrating inland for studies and my eventual journalism career. Living there as a child was like being on holiday every day in the summer.
Paddling, donkey rides on the beach and eating a Mr Whippy leave me with fond memories. I loved it but for as long as I can remember Skegness has always been the butt of comedians' jokes on the TV.
Harmless enough you may think, but enough with poking fun at my motherland. After a while it starts to grate. So do the findings of these national surveys, like the one by Which? where Skeg was ranked the worst seaside resort in the UK for the third year running.
I'm not having it. Who are the 4,000 contributors who have taken part in this survey, rating the quality of the beach, local attractions, scenery, peace and quiet, and value for money? Perhaps ask the million or so who visit Skegness each year.
Take a look at my beach photo. Fortunately it had stopped raining but was blowing a gale and absolutely living up to its ' Skegness is so bracing' reputation. Bracing? It was flipping freezing!
Nevertheless, the deserted beach was hauntingly beautiful with soft golden sand beneath my trainers and a patch of sunlight breaking through the the storm clouds. In a few weeks time this beach will be heaving with children building sandcastles and parents and grandparents baking in deckchairs.
The pier is a shadow of what I remember as a child when it stretched way out into the sea until it was wrecked by storm damage and a fire. But last year the Mellors Group announced exciting plans to restore the pier to its 19th century glory and create a state-of-the-art visitor attraction. Clearly the town has nothing going for it if a successful leisure entrepreneur wants to invest.
Attractions from decades ago are still there but they don't look too shabby. In fact the Waterway has been spruced up and the mini driving school for kids is looking really smart.
What else? Natureland has been a firm favourite for eons. We spent a fun-packed couple of hours oohing and ahhing over the adorable rescued baby seals and laughing at the antics of resident seals Fergie, Pixie and Ollie as a keeper threw them fish. We fed the goats - watch out for the greedy one that tries to snatch the bag of food from your hand and checked out the alpacas, meerkats, penguins, and the tropical house, which is home to crocodiles, snakes and creepy crawlies.
Let's look at the other local attractions: an open-air swimming pool, the Embassy Theatre, the Suncastle, Botton's fairground, crazy golf, slot machines, ten-pin bowling, a log flume, the free Fairy Dell splash pool.... but hey, there's clearly nothing worthwhile if Skegness is the worst in the country.
New since my last visit is the Hive, built after a fire destroyed attractions on Grand Parade in 2007. Described as the "biggest nightclub experience outside London", there's seven bars under one roof, each with a different theme - from tiki bar to supercar lounge and coming soon, a new ice bar. I'm sure Bamburgh, the UK's top seaside spot, has much to shout about... but does it have an ice bar? That would be a no.
Resorts in the Which? survey were rated on peace and quiet - if you want to snooze go to somewhere like Weston-super-Mare or Ramsgate. Skegness is lively and fun by order of the Jolly Fisherman.
When it comes to seaside food, Skegness excels, with chippies galore, fresh sugary doughnuts, ice cream, and vodka slush. It's not healthy but so what? We're on holiday.
There's a number of decent restaurants too. If it's a curry feast you're after then The Gandhi in Roman Bank is well worth a visit. The Italian food at Tarantino in Drummond Road (it's still be old bus station to me) is a delight. Or for a sandwich the Cottage Loaf in Hildreds Shopping Complex is a good call.
Oh course the resort's not perfect and the South Parade end of town could do with some TLC. The bowling green is looking neglected since its closure and sadly the original crazy golf has met its demise So has the Model Village, which I adored growing up, but I guess times change and it has been replaced by Jurassic Falls' roaring, snarling dinosaurs.
Nor am I impressed by the 40p charge for the public toilets. Yet despite its faults I fail to see why there's so much hate. Maybe I've swapped my sunglasses for rose tinted specs but Skegness has a lot going for it.
