Located in East Sussex, about an hour south of London by train, Brighton is an English seaside resort town and a popular day-trip destination for all kinds of travelers. The charming and cosmopolitan city has a lot of attractions such as the famous Brighton Pier, the Royal Pavilion, the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, and the North Laine bohemian and cultural quarter. Furthermore, the city is also known for all of its activities, its many restaurants, pubs, its nightlife and its large gay community and, for all of these reasons, Brighton is one city you have to pass by while discovering England. In this article, we’ll focus on 9 top-ranked things to do and see in this surprising town.
1. Royal Pavilion
The spectacular seaside palace of George IV, nowadays known as the Royal Pavilion (or Brighton Pavilion), is surely one of the most dazzling and exotic palaces in England. Mixing architecture from India and China, you’ll be amazed walking through this place, discovering its several wonders such as the Royal Pavilion Tearoom, with the fabulous balcony overlooking the Pavilion Gardens, where you can enjoy sitting on the grass and take a quiet break. If you’d have one only thing to see while passing by the city; this is the one for sure!
Brighton's Royal Pavillon
Address: Royal Pavilion, 4/5 Pavilion Buildings, Brighton BN1 1EE, UK
Website: Royal Pavillon
2. Brighton Marina
This artificial marina features a working harbor and residential housing, alongside a variety of leisure, retail and commercial activities. Less known than the North Lane commercial street, the Brighton Marina is nonetheless a good place to spend time, to shop and to enjoy the various restaurants around while being nearby the sea.
Brighton Marina
Address: Brighton Marina, Brighton, UK
Website: Brighton Marina
3. Brighton Palace Pier
The Brighton Marine Palace and Pier is a Victorian pleasure pier in Brighton’s seafront, which opened in 1899 hosting various food and drink outlets, fairground attractions and the Palace of Fun arcade. You’ll enjoy its huge choice of attractions and games (more than 70 different ones) based on the pier, but you’ll also appreciate sitting, resting, and having a coffee, enjoying the city view of the sea, while your kids are having fun two steps away. This is one of the most famous landmarks of the city.
Brighton Palace Pier
Address: Madeira Dr, Brighton BN2 1TW, UK
Website: Brighton Palace Pier
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4. British Airways i360
British Airways i360 is a new 162-meter (530 feet) high observation tower on the seafront of Brighton, at the landward end of the former West Pier (that burned down a decade ago). Mixing an intelligent architecture with innovating technologies, the world’s tallest moving observation tower will take you to the sky to see Brighton and the whole South Coast from above; a mesmerizing panoramic 360-degree view! A must!
British Airways i360
Address: Lower Kings Road, Brighton BN1 2LN, UK
Website: British Airways i360
5. Brighton’s beaches
As one of Britain’s most popular coastal towns, Brighton is set on the south coast of England, in the center of a shallow bay and is mainly centered on the seafront promenade. As a matter of fact, the town features many beach areas. The beaches in Brighton are made up of mainly pebbles at high tide, while at low tide, it is flat and sandy and you’ll enjoy different spots where you’ll be able to lay down and appreciate the English Channel sea, like at Palace Pier Brighton, Kemp Town Brighton, Brighton Naturist, and Hove. You’ll also appreciate the British summer habit of going to have a barbecue with friends on the beach, enjoying the view and the quietness of the place.
Kemp Town
Website: Kemp Town Beach (Brighton)
6. North Laine
Once a slum area, North Laine is nowadays one of the most famous shopping and residential districts of Brighton, seen as the bohemian and cultural quarter thanks to its many (over 400) pubs, cafés, theaters and museums. Looking for fresh meals accompanied by some live jazz music? Searching for antique stores, jewelers and designer boutiques or simply willing to taste the unique and vibrant atmosphere of this place, home to vibrant street art in the heart of the cultural quarter of the city? North Laine will for sure have something for you.
North Laine
Address: North Rd, Brighton BN1 1YB, UK
Website: North Laine
7. Sea Life Brighton
Built in 1872 and located opposite the iconic pier of the city, Sea Life Brighton is a family-friendly, vast aquarium exhibiting a huge range (around 3,500) of sea creatures. Here you’ll appreciate wandering with friends or family through the wonderful sea turtles and impressive sharks! A worthy attraction to do for those in love with animals and nature.
Sea Life Brighton
Address: Marine Parade, Brighton BN2 1TB, UK
Website: Sea Life Brighton
8. Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery is part of the “Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton and Hove” and is located in the Royal Pavilion garden, at the heart of the city’s cultural quarter. The museum houses one of the most important and eclectic collections outside national institutions and you’ll enjoy getting lost across its several dynamic and innovative galleries of all kinds, ideal for families and groups of travelers looking for history exploring.
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
Address: 12A Pavilion Parade, Brighton BN1 1EE, UK
Website: Brighton Museum
9. Stanmer Park
Close to the University of Sussex at the north-east of Brighton, Stanmer Park is a large open park featuring beautiful woodland walks and extensive open lands. Perfect for a family picnic as it is for a hangout with your friends, the park is also a great location or for a walk nearby the other city’s activities.
Stanmer Park
Address: Lewes Rd, Brighton BN1 9SE, UK
Website: Stanmer Park
Discover the coastal town of Brighton!
There’s so much to do here in Brighton that you obviously need to start somewhere, and these 9 top-ranked attractions will be a good starting point for your discovery of this surprising resort town!
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