Today I want to bring you A Lady in London’s guide to things to do in Brighton. This seaside city on the south coast of England is a great place to spend a sunny day in East Sussex.

Things to Do in Brighton

Things to Do in Brighton

On Friday I went with a friend to Brighton for the day. Before leaving we knew little about Brighton save for the fact that from the time of George IV it’s been a town dedicated to partying, eating, and a general sense of conviviality.

It wasn’t hard to sell us on that idea. Sunny but windy, Brighton was the perfect beach day trip from London and a nice escape from the rain and hail that plagued the UK capital throughout the day.

Brighton Architecture

1. Brighton Beach

Our first stop was Brighton Beach, which reminded our inner Californians how much we miss the ocean. It also showed us why this city is one of the most famous places to go to the seaside near London.

We spent some time walking along the rocky shore and gorging ourselves on a healthy plate of fries before heading off to explore the carnivalesque Brighton Pier.

Beach Chairs on Brighton Beach in England

2. Brighton Pier

Brighton Pier was an odd jumble of Victorian architecture-meets-arcade games, something I can’t imagine would have amused the stuffy Queen Victoria. Still, visiting is one of the most popular things to do in Brighton.

We walked through halls of video games and around outdoor waffle and fudge vendors. Eventually we made our way to the end of the pier where the amusement park rides were chugging up their tracks.

Brighton Pier

3. Royal Pavilion

Leaving Brighton Pier, we headed over to the Royal Pavilion, the pleasure palace of the fun-loving partier, King George IV. The Indian-style exterior gave way to the most opulent display of chinoiserie I’ve ever seen.

Chandelier-toting dragons flew across ceilings while snakes wound their way around wall decorations and gilded cockle shells scalloped the domes. It was royal Brighton at its best.

After touring Brighton Pavilion, we headed outside on sensory overload, glad of a little concrete austerity to balance us out. All the same, seeing the pavilion was one of the most awe-inspiring things to do in Brighton.

Brighton Pavilion

4. The Lanes

We spent the remainder of our afternoon in Brighton exploring The Lanes, a series of small streets in the city center. Wandering through them is one of the many fun things to do in Brighton.

The Lanes were packed full of shops, restaurants, and pubs, all of which we availed ourselves of (vanilla toffee fudge, anyone?). King George would have been proud.

Brighton View

Best Things to Do in Brighton

Our sugar highs winding down, we took the train back to London and rode the tide of Brightonian gluttony right to a burrito place in Angel.

Several friends had recommended it and we had been in the UK for just long enough that we threw our strict “never eat Mexican food outside of Mexico or a US state that borders it” rule out the window.

While I can’t say it was the best burrito I’ve ever had, it was certainly the best I’ve had in the UK.

If this were a cautionary tale, now’s the time I would write about the massive heart attack I suffered as a result of my day of gastronomic indulgence in Brighton. Lucky for me it didn’t happen this time.

However, if George IV’s late-life obesity and bad health serve as a warning, I had better take heed before it’s too late.

That said, I have no regrets. I can’t wait to go back and experience more of the exciting things to do in Brighton (not to mention things to eat).

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Things to Do in Brighton

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