Day Trip to Brighton from London

I first visited Brighton when I was 4 and have been back many times. Being a creative myself, I love this quirky city! However, it's not for everyone (I know people who aren't a fan.) Here's everything you need to know to decide if a day Trip to Brighton (direct train from London Bridge) is for you!

Brighton in Sussex is a colorful, creative, quirky city but it's not posh. If you enjoy independent shops and don't mind a bit of scruffiness, then this small seaside town is for you! (If you prefer a more polished and luxurious holiday, you might want to skip it.)

There's enough to do (if you don't mind traveling a bit out of Brighton to nearby sights, such as Lewes (about 15 minutes by direct train), Hastings (direct train around 1h 10 minutes) and the Isle of Wight (via Portsmouth)) that you could even make Brighton a weekend trip!

Itinerary

Based on the assumption that you'll be walking from the Brighton train station (and not taking a bus/ cab), I suggest visiting the (in my opinion) must-see attractions in this order:

• North Laine (because it's the closest to the train station): admire the street art and pick up a tea or cake to refresh yourself after the train ride!
• Royal Pavilion: give yourself some time to explore the gardens
• The Lanes: walk over to grab lunch and hopefully you'll also get to hear some buskers
• You could walk down the seafront, visit the pier, or stroll to Hove (less touristy.)

Note: if you want to take a bike tour of Brighton, you may want to do it at the start of the day so it gives you a better idea of the layout of Brighton.

Things to Do

This is probably the most unique and exotic Palace in the UK, which would be of interest even to people who aren't followers of the British Royal family. The opulent Asian influenced interiors are breathtaking.

Occasionally, it even has candlelight concerts and special events such as "Christmas with Jane Austen" (in 2025.)

If you are on a budget and can't afford the ticket for the Royal Pavilion, you can still admire the gardens in front of the Pavilion.

The moment you walk in, you're amazed that such a beautiful green space exists in the middle of the urban landscape. (If you're in UK in spring, you MUST go see the gorgeous flowers!)

This 2,5 hour tour of Brighton on bicycle will take you to several of the sights I mention in this post: North Laine, the Royal Pavilion, quaint Fishing Quarter, Brunswick Square (Georgian architecture), etc

It's a cute way to explore a quirky city (the cycling is done at a slower pace) and so fun, some people have done this Brighton bicycle tour more than once! (If you're more ambitious, there's even a coastal bike tour from Brighton to Rottindean.)

Located opposite the Royal Pavilion and close to the North Laine (covered below), so you can combine the three.

For a more esoteric Museum, there's the Museum of Fishing along the seafront or Anna's Museum (44 Upper North Street, Brighton BN1 3FH.)

The South Lanes are closer to the seafront, and have more pubs, cafes, and eating places.

A lot of the shops in the Lanes close in the evening, though many eating places stay open.

Not to be confused with The Lanes!

This is super close to Brighton train station- just turn left down Trafalgar Street.

This bohemian quarter is a collection of cool independent shops, street market stalls, restaurants, and cafes but they're situated on regular streets (versus The Lanes, which is more twisting and narrower alleyways.) You'll also get to see a lot of cool street art, and some cute houses.

The main shopping streets are Kensington Gardens, Gardner Street, Bond Street, and Sydney Street.

It's a good place to pick up some vintage items or unique accessories: I still have a pair of earrings I bought over 10 years ago (and was glad to see the shop I bought it from is still around! In fact, I must say that the shops on North Laine seem to have survived the economic downturn better than many other places in the UK.)

You can easily walk down to North Laine from Brighton train station- the road is a little grubby looking but don't let that color your view of Brighton!

Sometimes, graffiti can make me feel less safe in a place (as they can be associated with crime) but the graffiti in Brighton doesn't make the area feel dangerous at all: they're fun and interesting.

There are so many beautiful murals around, it's definitely worth tracking some of them down!

There are eating places- some with live singing- and buskers along the seafront, making it a lovely place for a coffee or stroll.

Tip for London expats: If you need an item from Ikea, the Ikea in Brighton is conveniently located, unlike the ones in London. (Within walking distance of The Lanes.)

Buy Chocolates from Audrey's Chocolate

 Audrey’s Chocolates (28 Holland Road, Hove BN3 1JJ) supplies Fortnum and Mason in London. The latter is always packed and you can skip the queue by going straight to the source!

Lewes in East Sussex is only 6 miles from Brighton- from London, you can only take the (direct) train from London Victoria. (There is a direct train from London Bridge, but it is super irregular- I've only seen it once!)

Since commuting in London can be a pain, you could combine Brighton and Lewes if short on time!

This Oxford, Windsor & Eton tour will also tell you all about the Harry Potter locations!

Do a wine tour

This 1960s vintage bus wine tour takes you from Brighton to 2 nearby vineyards where you'll enjoy wine tastings and lunch.

Tour the Isle of Wight

You'll travel to Portsmouth via air-conditioned bus where you take the ferry to the Isle of Wight. On the trip you'll:

• visit Godshill, a quintessential English village with a lovely medieval church, quaint thatched roofed cottages and cozy tearooms
• Admire the views of coastal cliffs
• See Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower and Historic Dockyard

Visit Seven Sisters

If you want to visit Seven Sisters from London, you'll need to take a train from London Victoria Station to Eastbourne, then get the hop-on-hop-off bus. (i.e. buy 2 tickets so not super cheap. If you prefer to take a Seven Sisters tour from London, click here.) On this Seven Sisters tour, you not only visit the Seven Sisters white cliffs, you'll also:

• Visit Devil's Dyke ( largest dry valley in the UK), admire the views and learn about the legend that gives it its name
• See the giant Neolithic hillside carving of The Longman of Wilmington
• Have coffee at a traditional farm that has been owned by the same family for over 200 years (if the farm is busy, the coffee break will be rerouted to a village)

As I mentioned in my review of London Bridge restaurants, the food here isn't the most groundbreaking, but it's always well cooked and the service is wonderful.

This small African cafe has an admirable position at the top of North Laine. On a sunny day, the terrace is a terrific place to get a bite or drink.

Service is great: even though I was a solo diner, and they were busy, I was still given a (VERY comfortable) booth seat. The staff asked about allergies and were very accommodating!

To be honest, the chicken wrap was tasty but it wasn't the most delicious- probably because I had (wrongly) been expecting it to have more of a spicy, grilled flavor- but I'd be happy to return anytime.

Note: there is also a power socket in between some of the booth seats - perfect for recharging your phone after taking all those Brighton photos!

Regular direct trains from London Bridge train station (on the Cambridge-Brighton route.) Alternatively, there's also a direct bus from London Gatwick.

Brighton Station has a M&S Shop, Superdrug, Cornish Pasty stand, coffee shops, and (free) toilets.

Any questions about visiting Brighton? Let me know in the comments!