It has always been a dream of mine to visit Brighton so I decided to take a day trip outside of London and visit this seaside town. It was a quick 1 hour train ride into Brighton and the weather was quite windy and chilly as it was March (and by the beach) but well worth the visit!
There was so much to see and do while in Brighton and a day is definitely enough time to see everything. My favorite attractions were the Royal Pavilion, Brighton Palace Pier (of course!), and the Sea Life Brighton Aquarium. The Lanes is a shopper’s paradise with higher-end fashion stores located on Dukes Lane.
Before I get into the individual attractions themselves, I wanted to touch on the street art and graffiti around Brighton. Normally I am not a fan of graffiti since I feel it sometimes ruins the aesthetic of an area but the murals and art in the Brighton alleyways are absolutely stunning. I found out that Brighton is one the biggest centers for street art in the UK and if you mindlessly walk around the city you will find some fantastic pieces. I wish I had spent more time looking for the street art but instead I was too anxious to get to the Royal Pavilion.
Table of Contents
Royal Pavilion
The beautiful Royal Pavilion is an asian-style palace built for King George IV to be a seaside pleasure palace. Walking around I could only imagine being invited to his grand parties! Construction started in 1786 and the palace was redesigned in 1815 to the Indian style that can be seen today. Unfortunately, photographs are not allowed inside the palace which means you have to see it for yourself! It is a self-guided tour for only £15.00 and well worth the price.
Brighton Palace Pier
As Brighton is a seaside town, the Brighton Palace Pier is the quintessential attraction! Featuring a large indoor arcade and numerous carnival rides, the Brighton Palace Pier is a must-stop during the warmer months. Visiting in March made for some windy, chilly weather so most of the carnival rides were closed. Brighton Palace Pier jets out into the lovely English Channel and provides beautiful views of the Brighton coastline.
Sea Life Brighton Aquarium
The Sea Life Brighton Aquarium is a wonderful underground aquarium and the oldest operating aquarium in the world! The colorful Victorian Arcade is a must-see as the original architecture is from 1872. The walk-through ocean tunnel is another highlight and has just reopened this past spring. The ticket price is only £19.00 and includes so many things to see and do.
The Lanes
The Lanes is a large outdoor pedestrian shopping area that houses upscale restaurants, tea rooms, and tasty pubs. You can definitely lose track of time as you wander the narrow streets looking at antiques, jewelers, and independent shops. If you are looking for a great pub, I would recommend the Seven Stars. It is a fully restored traditional English pub with amazing drinks on tap and great pub food.
Brighton is a very easy walkable city and perfect for that day trip from London.
Until next time,
Leave a Comment