Tips for visiting Brighton, England
The remains of Brighton’s iconic West Pier.
Brighton is a vibrant, eclectic city synonymous with the beach, but it offers so much more. We spent hours exploring the town before we even made our way to the beach. If you add the beach to all the other things to do, you’ll have an epic day in Brighton.
Whenever we visit London, Debbie and I try to schedule a day trip from the city. London has so many wonderful day trips available.
We are so happy we chose to visit Brighton on our most recent trip. It’s only about an hour by train and couldn’t be easier to visit.
History of Brighton
There is evidence of settlements in the Brighton area dating back thousands of years to the Bronze Age. In the 5th century AD, the Saxons landed in Sussex and founded the kingdom of Sussex, including the village of Brighton.
Over the years, invading armies and challenging storms made life in Brighton difficult.
Brighton really began to develop in the late 1700s and early 1800s. King George IV constructed the amazing Royal Pavilion, and a railroad to Brighton was constructed.
The railroad brought many visitors from London, and the massive growth of the area into a resort town.
How to get to Brighton
The Blackfriars train station has great views.
The vast majority of Brighton visitors travel about an hour on the train from London.
Brighton trains leave London from Victoria, Blackfriars, or London Bridge, so it’s very convenient to find a train close to where you are staying. Our train left from the snazzy Blackfriars station positioned above the River Thames.
We purchased our tickets on Trainline, our absolute favorite way to purchase train tickets in Europe.
Note - This blog post contains affiliate links. If we recommend a product, activity, or hotel, we might receive a small commission if you buy or book from these links. This is done at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we have personally used or have thoroughly researched.
You just scan a QR code at the gates to enter.
There are no reserved seats, so you might have to stand if the train is crowded.
Purchasing tickets on the Trainline app or website allows you to skip the lines at the ticket kiosks.
What to do in Brighton
North Laine area
Just a short walk from the train station is the vibrant North Laine area. North Laine is Brighton's bohemian and cultural center; it offers pubs, cafés, restaurants, and interesting shops.
We visited on a Saturday in August, and the outdoor street flea markets were in full swing. Debbie had been talking about visiting a good flea market, and this one didn’t disappoint.
Brighton offers many excellent dining options. Since we spent so much time browsing at the flea market, we decided to visit The Dorset, located directly at the end of the flea market.
The pub has been open since 1819, so they must be doing something right.
With the large windows open to the vibrant street, we enjoyed a very good fish and chips lunch.
The murals of Brighton
Brighton has developed a reputation as a world-class venue for street murals. While we didn’t spend time tracking down the more famous pieces, it’s hard to miss the murals around town.
Among the best streets for viewing murals are Trafalgar Street, Trafalgar Lane, Gloucester Road, Kensington Street, North Road, and Regent Street.
The Royal Pavilion
The front entrance to The Royal Pavilion.
In Brighton, you’ll walk through a classic British town, and looking around, there is no doubt what country you are in.
Then you turn a corner and catch your first view of The Royal Pavilion, and you will think you have been transported to Asia.
King George IV built the Royal Pavilion as his seaside retreat. He started building the home while still a Prince, and the building continued throughout his reign. Years later, Queen Victoria sold the palace to the city of Brighton after she decided it did not fit the needs of her large family, and the growing popularity of Brighton didn’t allow her enough privacy.
Today, you can visit the Royal Pavilion and get a taste of the royal lifestyle. While not as opulent as Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, the eclectic nature of the Royal Pavilion matches its home, Brighton.
You can buy tickets online or at the door for £19.50.
Highlights include the Banqueting Room and its massive chandeliers, the golden circular Saloon and Music Room, and its lotus leaf-inspired chandeliers. Some of the same lotus leaf chandeliers hang in Buckingham Palace and are now viewable on the new East Wing tour.
Are you planning on visiting Buckingham Palace also? We have an extensive blog post with helpful info:
How to visit Buckingham Palace
Don’t forget to visit the gardens outside the Pavilion (for free). We found a great spot in the shade and lay on the grass for a little break.
Brighton’s Beach
Amazingly, we had such a great time in the North Laine area and the Royal Pavilion, we would have been happy to head home at that point. But we still had the most iconic part of Brighton left to visit.
Since we are from New Jersey, a state known for its beaches, we are very hard graders when it comes to beach towns. Brighton Beach did not disappoint.
Walking along the pebbles on the beach, you can see the iconic Brighton Palace Pier and its amusement rides in one direction, and the skeletal remains of Brighton West Pier in the other direction.
If you get tired of soaking up the sun on the beach, there is no shortage of bars and restaurants lining the beach. It’s a fun party scene.
Further down the beach is the Brighton i360, Europe’s tallest moving viewing platform. For £18.50, you board the large enclosed platform, which then rises 450 feet above ground level.
If you are looking for info about other great day trips from London, here are some of our posts:
A guide to visiting Cambridge: what to do and see
Visiting Windsor Castle: a complete guide
Visiting the White Cliffs of Dover
Brighton nightlife
A few months ago, Time Out magazine named Brighton as the U.K.’s nightlife capital. There is a lot of solid competition for that title, so it’s very impressive.
A singer performs at a beach front bar as the sun sets.
LGBTQ+ clubs and bars first began popping up in Brighton in the 1920s, so nightlife is built into the town’s DNA.
Today, Brighton’s inclusive roots bring gay, straight, young, and old to enjoy DJ performances, theater and dance performances, and all types of music acts.
Brighton even has a Premier League football team. There was a game on the day we visited, and the streets were flooded with jersey-wearing fans.
As you can tell, we had a wonderful day exploring Brighton.
It’s perfectly situated as a day trip from London, but there certainly are enough attractions to keep you busy on an overnight stay. Either way, we highly recommend visiting Brighton.
Brighton area tours:
Note - This blog post contains affiliate links. If we recommend a product, activity, or hotel, we might receive a small commission if you buy or book from these links. This is done at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we have personally used or have thoroughly researched.
Other Britian travel posts:
Brighton is a vibrant, eclectic city synonymous with the beach, but it offers so much more such as the North Laine area and the Royal Pavilion.
If you add the beach to all the other things to do, you’ll have an epic day in Brighton.