I’ve wanted to visit Brighton since reading about it in a travel guide. At the time, I was preparing to be a volunteer for the London 2012 Olympics, and Brighton seemed like a fun day trip. Sadly, I was so busy during that trip that a visit to Brighton wasn’t in the cards. But this visit, I couldn’t wait to go!
Maybe I’m drawn to this seaside town because I grew up in New Jersey, and being in Brighton reminds me of the Jersey Shore, with its carnival atmosphere and arcades. Either way, Brighton is a lovely day trip if you want to see something outside of London, and best of all it doesn’t require too much effort.
My travel mate for this trip was my friend, Elizabeth. She’s a colleague of mine in the States, who met and married a Brit (lucky girl!) and moved to a town called Horley, outside of London. Funny enough, this was actually the first time I’d met Elizabeth in person, but her advice and assistance as I planned my London trip was invaluable. So, on a Friday morning, I took the Tube and train to Horley where Elizabeth picked me up at the train station with her adorable two-year-old daughter, Briton, and we drove about 20 – 30 minutes to Brighton.
First stop was the stunning Royal Pavillion, an elaborate, exotic palace right in the heart of Brighton.
The Royal Pavillion hosts a wonderful garden which was in full bloom during Jolly Britain’s June 2016 visit. The sun came out just long enough for to enjoy its splendor!
The architecture of the Royal Pavillion is more reminiscent of something you’d see in India, not the British Isles with its domes and minarets. King George IV had it built as a seaside retreat, and the Royal Pavillion once served as a Royal palace. Even today, many works of art are on loan to the building thanks to Queen Elizabeth II. The Royal Pavillion also has a stunning garden which was in bloom.
Obligatory selfie with Elizabeth outside Royal Pavillion
We made our way to one of Brighton’s well-known shopping districts, North Laine, and perused all the unique shops. You can find everything from consignment clothing to antiques, to jewelry. We also found a gun shop. Not that we were looking for guns, but they had Hunter boots in the front window, so we stopped in so I could try on a pair. (Since I didn’t pack rain shoes, I figured I’d buy something when I got to the UK, and Hunter boots seemed like a good ‘investment’! Didn’t have my size, though)
For lunch, we headed to a fantastic chain I’d been wanting to try called Nando’s. Their PERi-PERi chicken was to die for! I hope Florida is in their expansion plans!
After lunch, a good chat and some time to rest our feet, we were off to explore more of the quaint little seaside town. Since both Elizabeth and I have lived in Florida, she was keen to get my reaction to seeing a British ‘beach.’ Brighton is on the English Channel and as we strolled up to the water, I was a bit dismayed to find out that a sea of tiny pebbles is what the English call a ‘beach.’ No sand. Just pebbles! How on earth do people walk on the sand barefoot? But the atmosphere is charming, with chairs that locals and tourists can rent, and vendors who sell cockles (still have no idea what that is) and mussels, and other seafood along the shore.
No visit to Brighton is complete without a visit to the world famous pier. This is where the comparisons to New Jersey come in! There’s a big arcade with video games and games of chance, and stuffed animals and other trinkets to be won. If you’re lucky, you’ll see some carnival acts, or indulge in a silly photo to mark Queen Elizabeth’s long reign.
We finished the afternoon with a stroll of the boardwalk, admired the wonderful views and enjoyed my favorite ice cream treat- a “99” – vanilla ice cream cone with a Flake candy bar stuck inside.
The perfect ending to a fun-filled day by the sea.