The Brighton Story Trail

Get to know our city in a new way with the Brighton and Hove storybook art trail. Taking place between September to November 2026, the storybook art trail features over 30 sculptures across the city, alongside a collection of further smaller BookBenches decorated by local schools and community groups. Follow the trail through the streets, follow along on the app, and immerse yourself in the journey.

The sittable BookBenches are designed by artists and sponsored by local businesses, organised by local charity Amaze. At the end of the trail, all BookBenches are sold at auction to raise money for Amaze, which supports families with disabled children in Sussex.

Tours of Brighton

If you really want to get to know the city, you're better off in the hands of a local. You can take a tour themed around any number of areas.

There are tours for people interested in the town's rich LGBTQ history, another for foodies, a tour for donut-aholics, gin fiends, pub lovers, street art fans, history buffs and many more.

Food and Drink

Brighton has too many amazing amazing pubs and eateries to do it justice in a single photo, so to represent the town we've picked the one where brightonSEO began. Brighton is a brilliant town for pub culture which, we're pleased to tell you, is increasingly less about the booze than filling the streets and shooting the breeze.

All you really have to do is follow your nose, but it's worth wandering a little bit away from the seafront and west street to find the best watering holes. If you need some pointers, perennial favourites of ours include the Lion & Lobster, the Prince Albert and the Earth and Stars, otherwise local guide isn't too bad either. For a more unique evening out, Muchies' Cat Cafe, Bar and Turkish Kitchen is definitely worth a visit.

For dining recommendations brightonSEO regular Natalie Arney has a bunch of them. Vegans and vegetarians are as well catered to just as well as meat eaters. If you're looking for a fine dining experience, Maré in Hove was recently awarded Brighton & Hove's first Michelin Star in almost 50 years. Dishes are thoughtfully crafted to reflect seasonal ingredients, inspired greatly by the East Sussex locale.

Our friends at We Love Brighton have also produced this brilliant guide to where to eat and drink in Brighton.

Game for a Laugh?

Brighton is not the kind of town to take itself too seriously and if live comedy is your thing it's got plenty to offer. Komedia is the obvious starting point (and that means you definitely should check out what's on there, not that it'll be too mainstream) but The Forge Comedy Club and the Secret Comedy Club are great options too. Plenty of pubs put on comedy nights as well.

If you're looking for specific events, start off your Brighton trip with a free comedy show at the Pink Moon Comedy Club on the 29th, or a bit more alternatively you can catch a performance of SMOKE, an LGBTQ+ "savage comic-thriller", on the Thursday at Ironwork Studios.

Spas and Sauna

If you really want to unwind after a long day of professional improvement, you can do worse than take (most of) your clothes off, jumping into a jacuzzi or sweating it all out.

Sauna in the Lanes is an offshoot of our friends at Yoga in the Lanes, while Luna Hut in the Sea Lanes offers a Finnish-style sauna experience facing the sea. Yoyo yard is one of Brighton's newest sauna editions, offering a cold plunge pool and a warm heated pool in its hidden garden oasis. A number of spas can also be found in hotels such as the Harbour.

Get Out and About

You don't need any help from us to get you to the beach but it may not occur to you to head a little bit inland and out. Twenty minutes away by bus is the beautiful South Downs valley of Devil's Dyke. The ideal destination for an out-of-town ramble, the artist John Constable described the vista from Devil’s Dyke as 'the grandest view in the world.'

If you can look past Rudyard Kipling's questionable worldviews, the walk along the cliff path to the grounds of his house at Rottingdean is a delight as much for the journey as the destination.

Alternatively take the train a few stops to lovely Lewes (pronounced Lew-Is not Looz) and wander its cobbled streets. 

North Laine and the Lanes

Conflate these two at your peril. At least in conversation with a local.

The Lanes is a network of narrow alleys just away from the seafront, comprising jewellers and antique shops as well as cafes and restaurants. North Laine, which is the part of town on the other side of North Street, is made up of interesting little independent shops and quirky cafes.

Neither is better than the other, and both are worth a stroll.

Museums and Galleries

In case you're not getting enough learning at brightonSEO, there's plenty more to stimulate the synapses nearby. The Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, part of the Royal Pavilion which is also worth a visit, is the best known.

If it's your inner child that would like some quality time, try the Brighton Toy and Model Museum, while Hove Museum and Art Gallery always has something interesting on. Plus it's FREE.

Coffee and Co-Working

Being the modern, buzzy town that it is, it won't come as a surprise to hear that Brighton is home to a great many locations that will welcome you, your laptop and headset if you need to hold or join virtual meetings.
Some options are Plaform9, Projects Club, Wrap Space, PlusXInnovation, Yolk House, Freedom Works, and Werks Group.

If a coffee shop will do the job, or if you just fancy a fine roast, any one of these will more than serve you well:

Bond Street Coffee, Loam, Red Roaster, 44 Poets, Nowhere Man (for the pancakes), and Workshop all come highly recommended.