Brighton Rocks
I have been to Brighton now twice (once last summer with some girlfriends and this summer with my boyfriend) and although this doesn’t exactly make me an expert on the place, I LOVE it and keep planning my next visit. I can’t get over how it’s “only 1hr15 mins away from London? really??” and it’s not the tacky seaside resort I had initially pictured in my head – sure, yes you get hordes of pot-bellied drunk men who are living it up on their stag do, and girls wearing all kinds of unforgiving outfits on their hen parties – but Brighton is simply a fun, retro and really young beach town with lots more to offer on top of the vibrant party scene. Below are just a few of my ‘Do’s and Don’ts’, because when you visit somewhere for just a weekend, it’s good to have a few pointers.
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| The White House logo |
DO: Stay on the seafront. I can recommend two affordable places. When I came with the girls, we stayed at The Pink Pavilion, which ( I think they even quote this on their website) has no ‘frills’ BUT it is perfectly clean and comfortable. Brighton accommodation is surprisingly expensive, so if you’re looking to budget, this is the place from £60 for a double room. The second time around, Nick and I upscaled to an adorable guesthouse called The White House. It’s run by a young hipster couple who are really on top of everything – our room had sweet touches like an iPod docking, White Company toiletries and the decor was kind of French country. We also had a small balcony.
DON’T: Forget your cardigan… it gets nippy out by the sea.
DO: Head to the pier. You’ll feel like you’ve been sent back to the 70’s, listening to the Beach Boys, walking around the fairground with candy floss… the atmosphere is just very retro and relaxed.
DON’T: Get carried away with all the rides – at £4 a ride, you’ll be out of pocket pretty quickly.
DO: Take the random open-top 77 bus to the Devil’s Dyke for a picnic in an incredibly deep and stunning valley in the countryside.
DON’T: Attempt walking all the way from the Devil’s Dyke to some unpronounceable place called Poynings – this went terribly wrong for us…
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| shopping along the beachfront |
DO: Go shopping. Along the beach front, there are small independent galleries and beach shops, so if you’re a fan of seaside-style trinkets (as I am) get your fix here! Or wander around the winding cobbled lanes to shop in the quirky boutique stores.
DON’T:…Can’t think of one, but needed to keep it even.
And a final DO: Have dinner at Havana, an elegant restaurant, which brings the romantic flair of 1950’s Old Havana to the lanes of Brighton! Every Saturday they have live Jazz which is good fun. From there you’re also close to all the bars where you can carry the night on bar-hopping – Try Lola lo ( it’s like a much smaller version of Mahiki in London).