Things to do in Brighton

Things to do in Brighton

Brighton is the best city in the UK. Of course we're biased. Of course we'd say that. But we wouldn't if we didn't have plenty to back up that claim. While we think the world's greatest digital marketing conference is a good enough reason on its own to pay us a visit, we understand that you might want a little bit more to justify forking out for a trip in October. We've come up with a brief guide to some of the cultural and culinary highlights of the town we call home. There's something for everyone, we reckon.

Even more things to do, in map form, here

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 this Time Out list isn't too bad either.

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.

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

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.

Get Your Gig On

Brighton is lots of things, and not least of which it is a live music town. Artists and acts you might have heard of who our town can claim as its own include The Kooks, Bat for Lashes, Fatboy Slim, Sea Power, and Casetteboy.

Any night of the week you will offer you a bunch of live music options at venues ranging from intimate, such as The Hope and Ruin to midsize spaces like the Old Market and larger concert halls such as the venerable Brighton Dome. It's got a good arena too, but we hear that something else is happening that week. (It's us, we're what's happening at the Brighton Centre.)

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.

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, is the best known and while it's currently closed for repairs, it's reopening in September. The first major exhibition on there is the Wildlife Photographer of the Year which should satisfy your inner Attenborough.

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.

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 Beach Box is an all year round wood-fired public beach sauna. Saunadelic is Hove's equivalent of the same, while a number of spas can be found inside hotels such as the Harbour.

On your bike

Brighton is about as walkable as any town its size, but if you want to go further, or faster, you can easily take to two wheels with the town's hire-and-hop-on bikes by Beryl.

There are 35 docking stations in the Brighton area, covering the seafront, the Marina, and around the city centre. Hove has a further 29, with a few more further out of town. All in there's 120 normal bikes and 275 electric to help flatten those hills.

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, street art fans, history buffs and many more.