With so much to do in the seaside town, we’ve put together a perfect weekend in Brighton itinerary to make sure you hit the hot spots in a strategic order.
Day 1 Of Your Weekend In Brighton Itinerary
Brighton Palace Pier
The place to start.
Brighton Palace Pier is definitely top of the things to do in Brighton.
Founded in 1899, and 525m in length, it’s THE most popular tourist attraction in the city. From candy floss & churro stalls, to amusements and caricature artists, this is the ultimate seaside haven you’d always imagined.
Take time to enjoy the attractions, dive into the food and drinks, and make sure to budget a large chunk of your weekend in Brighton itinerary to adventuring on Brighton Pier.
A great way to get around all the attractions in Brighton is the City Sightseeing Brighton: Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour.
Walk The Promenade
Once you’re finished with the Pier, the next natural step is to explore the promenade.
The promenade in Brighton is just a beautiful place to be. There’s one main walkway along the southern coastal strip and it runs parallel to the famous pebble beach. Simply come out of the Pier, turn left and head down the steps.
As you walk the promenade, you’ll pass many hipster shops, vibrant outdoor pubs, crazy golf, beach volleyball and more.
The promenade begins at Brighton Pier and runs all the way past the Upside Down House and the British Airways Ai360.
No matter where you stroll, you’ll see colour, happiness and people being nothing but themselves. That’s what’s so lovely about Brighton.
Upside Down House
Towards the end of the promenade is a relatively new attraction, but at £4.50 per person, it’s ideal to add to your weekend in Brighton itinerary!
Fun for the whole family, this unique attraction allows you to take funny pictures to take home with you.
From a photograph the illusion of being upside down is pretty cool, and tops all the selfies you can get from the outside along the sea front.
This art installation has received great feedback from tourists and media for it’s value for money and unique entertainment.
Brighton i360
Brighton i360 is an innovative project that has created an iconic landmark on the famous Brighton seafront at the landward end of the former West Pier.
The tower opened on 4 August 2016.
For the best views over Brighton, this observation deck is where you’ll find just that.
At 162m high, as you can imagine, it’s also one of the best places to watch sunset in Brighton.
The newly installed viewing tower holds many different events and activities from an interesting iDrop experience, to sky dining and yoga in the clouds.
You can book your Brighton i360 Ticket in advance, and even get offers on drinks included from the bar.
Crazy Golf
We then recommend doubling back on yourself and heading back towards the Pier for the evening. However if you have time, not before checking out the old Pier and having a game of crazy golf.
With a couple of options along the seafront, the most popular crazy golf is just to the left of Brighton Palace Pier. It can’t be missed with the large inflatable Slush Puppie dog waving around.
So if you fancy bringing your competitive streak to the forefront, why not add crazy golf to your list of fun things to do in Brighton.
Fish & Chips
After battling out at crazy golf you’ll probably need feeding, and at some point on your weekend in Brighton itinerary you have to have fish & chips!
Whether you’re from the UK or not, you will learn at some point that a standard British meal is fish and chips. If you want to be super traditional, you can have fish and chips at the seaside.
Growing up, fish and chips at the seaside would be a common fun day out with the family and most of us have everlasting memories from these special times.
Like pad thai in Thailand, bratwurst in Germany and croissants in France, fish and chips in the most English seaside town of Brighton is something you have to tick off your bucket list.
Amusements & Rides
By this time it should be nearing sunset, and the most traditional of all the fun things to do in Brighton, is to go on the rides and visit the amusements.
The old, retro style fair ground, located at the end of Bright Palace Pier, is a guaranteed evening of fun.
With many different rides and prizes available for the adrenaline junkies, and also the faint-hearted, there’s something for everyone.
Save up your 2p’s and grab a keyring to take home. It’s tradition.
Day 2 Of Your Weekend In Brighton Itinerary
Walk The Lanes
Day two of your weekend in Brighton itinerary should be dedicated to the quaint town itself.
The Lanes in Brighton are a lively neighbourhood, packed with upmarket restaurants, quaint tea rooms, and traditional pubs serving real ale.
Down the narrow twisty alleyways, you’ll find independent jewellers and tiny, high-end antiques shops.
You can spot anything from quirky wall art to talented buskers in The Lanes, which was once the hub of the old fishing town Brighthelmstone.
Royal Pavilion
As you exit The Lanes you will be lead out almost to the entrance of the Royal Pavilion, also known as the Brighton Pavilion.
The Royal Pavilion is an exotic palace and is a Grade I listed former royal residence in the centre of Brighton. It was built as a seaside pleasure palace for King George IV.
It has a colourful history and visual style of India and China. The palace itself is beautiful to look at from the many surrounding gardens.
If you fancy a look inside you can get your ticket at Royal Pavilion Admission Ticket.
People tend to pack a picnic and sit within or close to the grounds of the Royal Pavilion.
A great spot for photo opportunities!
Wall Art & Galleries
From the Pavilion, head towards North Laine and on the way you should find a few pretty cool wall murals.
Lauren is absolutely obsessed with turtles, so when we spotted this down an alley she jumped at the opportunity for a photo.
However with Brighton homing such a vibrant and artistic community, it’s easy to find incredible pieces of art work when exploring the seaside town.
There are so many galleries scattered around the city and we even picked up a couple of bits to take home.
You don’t have to search far and wide to find the stunning Instagram backdrops of Brighton.
Locals and tourists alike, stop and admire all the artwork scattered around the town. The colours, along with the talent behind the art, gives off a real motivational and happy vibe.
Shop North Laine
One of the highlights of our weekend in Brighton itinerary. So much so that we went back twice!
North Laine is a shopping and residential district of Brighton, representing a colourful mixture of small and diverse shops and independent traders.
Whether you’re looking for clothing, fashion, gifts, services, arts, crafts, entertainment, shops, pubs, bars and cafes you’ll find it all in the North Laine area of Brighton.
Once a slum area, its many pubs, cafes, theatres and museums now make it seen as Brighton’s bohemian and cultural quarter.
Snoopers Paradise
We won’t delve too much in the North Laine shops specifically, but if there’s one spot not to miss it’s Snoopers Paradise.
We were bombarded with recommendations to visit this old antique hunters haven, and it didn’t disappoint! It sells vintage EVERYTHING!
Whether it’s to fit in amongst the colourful, diverse crowd of Brighton, or to take something home, this little gem can’t be missed.
Situated in North Laine Bazaar, Snoopers Paradise is the most renowned flea-market in the South of England.
Inside you’ll find over 90 different stalls offering a wide range of antiques, collectables, jewellery and vintage, retro clothing.
Prince Albert Pub
An easy way to end Day 2 of your weekend in Brighton itinerary is to finish up in an English pub!
Well situated on Trafalgar Street, is Brighton’s Prince Albert Pub – also known as The Home of the Free.
On the side of the building, you’ll find colourful, graffiti paintings of world-famous rock stars that have passed away. There’s even a scribble from Banksy on there too.
The iconic pub and its bold presence is sure to strike visitors making their way down from the train station to the North Lain area of the city.
Inside, and The Prince Albert is a maze of drinking dens, an antiquated sitting room and a small music memorabilia.
Up stairs there is an events room with it’s own bar, that hosts plenty of live music gigs.
It’s a pub with a sense of purpose and community, that so many towns and cities now completely lack.
Eat, Eat, Eat
The trendy seaside town of Brighton has no shortage of great places to eat and drink.
Brighton has evolved over the years to become one of the hippest holiday hangouts in the country.
Some of my favourite places to eat are:
Happy Maki:
The best sushi burritos around. With a vegan menu and great ethics, Happy Maki makes truly feel good food.
Happy Maki have a takeaway on Pool Valley and a 50 seater restaurant on Sydney Street North Lanes.
Crunch & Co:
If you are looking for more of a snack, Crunch & Co sell artisan grilled sandwiches and speciality soups to take-away or eat-in.
Also located in the North Laine area of Brighton, they have a tasty selection of interesting sandwich fillings.
Bonsai Plant Kitchen:
For delicious, South East Asian inspired vegan food this is THE spot. Located in Baker Street, and serving small plates of plant based food, this friendly restaurant with a cool vibe is a great place to eat, even if you are not vegan!
White Rabbit:
This popular and established pub in the North Laine area offers an awesome roast dinner along with lots of other tasty food. All served in interesting and quirky surroundings, fitting of this vibrant area of Brighton.
Nowhere Man:
If you’re looking for some super tasty, as well as vegan, pancakes, then this friendly and funky little eatery will definitely hit the spot.
Located in Upper North Street Brighton, this cafe serves delicious American pancakes and bagels along with coffee, tea and milkshakes.
Alternatively, you could be guided to all the best spots with the Brighton: Walking Food Tour.
Where To Stay In Brighton
Luxury – The Grand Brighton
The Grand Brighton has a magnificent location on Brighton’s seafront and is just a 10-minute walk from Brighton Pier.
The rooms have high-quality furnishings, including Egyptian cotton bed linen and bathrobes.
Each room includes free WiFi and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels and some Sky channels.
With uninterrupted views of the seafront, the stylish cocktail bar and terrace serves traditional Sussex cream teas. Guests can also enjoy fantastic seafood in the GB1 restaurant.
In the heart of vibrant Brighton, this iconic hotel is a 5-minute walk from The Lanes shopping streets and a 10-minute walk away from the Royal Pavilion.
Mid-Budget – Jurys Inn Brighton Waterfront
Overlooking the seafront, Jurys Inn Brighton Waterfront is just 450 yards from the Brighton Pier and the Royal Pavilion.
It offers free WiFi throughout, a restaurant with sea views, a pool and a spa.
The air-conditioned rooms at the Jurys Inn Brighton Waterfront feature a Dream bed, a flat-screen TV and an en suite bathroom with free toiletries.
Guests can use the Health & Leisure club free of charge. Facilities include an indoor swimming pool, steam room, sauna and a fully equipped gym.
Budget – Home Brighton Backpackers
This backpacker’s accommodation is centrally located, just a 10-minute walk from Brighton Coach and Train Stations.
Home Brighton is a famous bar and music venue, in which The Cure and Jimmy Hendrix has previously performed.
There’s live music and DJ’s, food and drinks in the bar. Free high-speed WiFi is provided throughout the whole building.
Each morning Home Brighton offers free pancakes at breakfast. There is also a double fridge and a dry storage area provided in the kitchen and lounge.
For more places to stay in Brighton, you can check the latest prices on Booking.com.
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