Brighton

Brighton is a classic day trip from London on a nice day.

It’s a combination of old-fashioned seaside resort (with a shingle - pebbly - beach) and an arty, gay-friendly hipster town.

The Royal Pavilion is well worth a visit - an extraordinary royal palace, unlike anything you’ve seen. If you like exploring arty little shops for vintage clothes and vegan cafes, the Lanes are the place to be. It’s also one of the biggest gay cities in the UK.

If you want to experience the brashness of the English seaside experience in all its sunburned drunkenness, Brighton on a hot day can be an education. The beach isn’t really worth the trip unless you share our British compulsion for walking on pebbles in bare feet and swimming in murky cold sea but it has all the usual fish & chips and candy floss and funfair on the pier.

So: a fun day trip from London on a nice day on the train (but it’ll be busy) and it’s also a great place to live, but I don’t really see it as an overnight visit as hotels can be extremely expensive (and some demand two-night stays at weekends).

Hello from a former Santa Rosan!
Brighton is a busy, diverse, open-minded, artsy student city. I lived there briefly in my early 20s and go back fairly regularly so will give you my subjective opinions. It’s a fun place, lots of interesting shops, good restaurants and a thriving nightlife. Also some very nice Regency architecture. The seaside is all pebbles and honestly in my opinion not that exciting, although it’s a nice walk along the shore to Hove. There are also many beautiful countryside areas nearby (South Downs, the coast), with cute smaller towns and great walking opportunities. Nearby Lewes is also worth a visit.

There are few “sights” to see in the city itself though and it is more about soaking up the urban atmosphere. Honestly the city center can be a bit shabby in places, but if you are looking for a fun, vibrant city with quirky shops, you might enjoy it. If you’re more into quaint villages or relaxing seaside towns, you will probably be disappointed. It’s a city and area I really like, but wouldn’t necessarily recommend to friends visiting England if that makes sense! Hope that helps…

I spent several nights in Brighton in 2017. I probably spent about a day there, all told, with the rest of the time devoted to (separate) day trips to Lewes and Arundel, both very nice destinations. I don't remember whether those trips involved buses or trains.

On a hot Summer's day or Bank Holiday it can be a hideous place, overly full with sunburnt drunk people

The Lanes are a delightful area of small passages and great little shops of antiques and collectables. The pier is fairly average these days. The Pavilion is interesting. Lots of food and drink places, fairly arty and cultured at night but also a large student population.

If I was going to a seaside spot from London I would pick Whitstable rather than Brighton

Thank you all for your replies. This information has helped me a lot in making a decision.

If I was going to a seaside spot from London I would pick Whitstable rather than Brighton.

That's an intreesting comment jgdh. Whitstable has hardly merited a mention in the past. Not knowing anything about it (apart from the fact it was famous for its oysters) do please tell us why it is worth visiting and what is special about the place.