Brighton Rocks

Brighton is a seaside resort on Britain’s south coast bursting with colour and character. It offers a modern pier complete with rides and good old-fashioned British seaside fun, as well as ghost piers, cafes, restaurants, shopping and of course the beach.

Brighton Pier (and old pier)

Brighton Pier (also known as the Palace Pier) is the focus of the seafront. Opened in 1899 it stretches for  out into the sea for 524 metres and plays host to a whole funfair of rides, games and funfair activities. It has something to suit everyone, from the traditional rollercoaster to the nasty newer rides that ‘drop’ you. The Pier also hosts more traditional fun in the shape of pictures with face-holes so that you can pose in them for photos. There are also shops selling candyfloss and, that British seaside favourite (and tooth-destroyer), rock.

The old pier was known as the Royal Suspension Chain Pier and constructed in 1823. It had fallen into disrepair which resulted in the construction of West Pier and the Palace Pier. All that remains of it now is a few stumps and piles that can only be seen at extremely low tide, after a storm in 1896 destroyed it.

The Aquarium

Britain has a host of Sealife centres and the one in Brighton is right by the pier. It is home, rather surprisingly, to clownfish, green turtles, seahorses and octopus. You can even get up close to sharks in the walk through tunnel and touch some creatures in the interactive rockpool. It is a real celebration of life beneath the sea.

Brighton Beach

Nothing beats Brighton beach on a sunny afternoon. There is no sand, it is a pebble beach, but there is plenty of space and there are deckchairs available. Ice creams and candy floss, as well as other seaside favourites like fish and chips and jellied eels (for the brave) which are all available nearby. There is a wide walkway that follows the seashore and it is lined with cafes that are a great place to people-watch on a sunny afternoon.

Shopping in Brighton

Brighton has the normal modern high street seen all over the UK, but also has an older area called the Lanes which is the historic quarter and a maze of narrow alleyways and home to all sorts of independent shops, each different and offering something unique, be it antiques, jewellery, chocolates or something completely random.

All of this is within a short walk from the train station, so Brighton makes a fantastic daytrip escape from London. If you want to hang around a little longer though you should check out the Brighton Hotels and the nightlife. Go on make a weekend of it.