Brighton

This weekend I took a spontaneous road trip down to Brighton. Originally I was meant to be going to London, but train fares cost the earth here in the U.K. and London is never a cheap day out, so randomly I decided to take a trip to the English seaside and go to Brighton. I’ve never been there before but have heard and seen so much of it on social media, YouTube and other blogs, that I thought I’d go and cast my own options on it.

The drive took no time at all just under 2 hours and was completely effortless. We found a Park and Ride in the Withdean Sports Complex (free parking) and got the city saver bus ticket costing £5. This got us in and around the city on all bus routes. From the Park and Ride it was about 20 minutes to the city centre. Honestly there’s a bus stop every few seconds so be warned. I had been given advice from others who said the station car park is £13 for a day, or park in Hove and get the bus in or park at the Marina and get the bus in, so there are many options to be explored.

Once in the city centre we (obviously had to bring mum to the seaside) went to The Royal Pavilion. If I’m honest I had no idea what to expect. I thought it was a shell of the old building or at most an empty hall and just a general landmark. I could not have been more wrong! It has to be one of the most beautiful and opulent buildings I have ever seen. Previously owned by the royal family, but later bought by the city after plans were proposed to knock it down for redevelopment, it has been fully restored to its former glory. The outside has a very Indian architectural look but inside is all Oriental. The walls are vivid reds, greens and blues. There are some of the biggest chandeliers I have ever seen glittering all over the place, one weighing up to a ton! The art work is so detailed and there is a real focus on the dragon and snake throughout. It was, in a way, pretty overwhelming as you had so much to look at that you almost couldn’t take it all in. I would 100% recommend visiting if you get the chance. Admission is £12.50 and its worth every penny. Sadly no photos are allowed inside.

Following this we went on the search for lunch. Not going to lie at this point I was hangry, like, really hangry. I’d been recommended a place called Marmalade which was about a 20 minute walk from the Pavilion, so off we went. However, I won’t lie we didn’t make it, the call for food was so great that when we stumbled upon this tiny family run cafe called My Coffee Story we went straight in. The sign which said gluten free options outside sold it for us. I had a gluten free hummus, olive and red pepper sandwich, mum had a grilled hallumi and tomato sandwich and we both had orange juice. I also had an incredible take away coffee. The place had a rustic charm, there were seats you could sit on in the window which were like swings and in the toilet there was a little peg bored where you could write messages on toilet roll, slightly weird but fun, and no I didn’t leave a message!

The food hit the spot so next we headed for the iconic pier. We couldn’t have picked a nicer day to go. The sun was shining and there was a nice sea breeze. The sea was turquoise and the pebble beach was full of people. We took a walk along the pier and stopped to sit on a bench. You can if you wish take a seat in a deck chair but non were available. We carried on down the pier past the tradition arcades with penny games, the toy grabber games and dance machines, to the end where there is a funfair. After walking back down the other side of the pier smelling all the hot doughnuts (wish I wasn’t coeliac) and candy floss, we went for a walk on the beach to see the tiny little shops.

To finish the day we took a proper look at the Laines. The Southern Laines were the biggest surprise as they were packed with diamond dealers! Literally so many. If you ever want to get engaged head here and you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for! There is also one of the best chocolate shops ever Choccywoccydoodah! Yes people you read that right. Imagine the most extravagant cakes and they make them. If you have a sweet tooth this is the place to come. They have a store in London near Carnaby Street but Brighton is the original. It’s very cramped but well worth a quick look. They also have a cafe you can go to. I would check to see if you have to book before you go though as it is very popular. I was also advised to check out an independent fragrance store called Pecksniffs. It was a lovely store, well priced and some of the scents were gorgeous.

We then headed to the Northern Laines through the Pavilion gardens. This had a very different vibe. More vintage and retro, more food and coffee shops and a little more spread out and less claustrophobic compared to the Southern Laines. We stopped in at the Bluebird Tea Company! Guys you have to check this place out. I’d seen a lot of it on social media through the YouTubers I watch and was so happy to stumble across it. The guy that helped us was so knowledgeable and super friendly. They have probably every kind of tea blend imaginable. It was described to us as the cocktail making version of tea. We walked away with 3 sample bags £3 each, holding enough tea for about 5 cups. As soon as we got home we made a brew and OMG winning. They ship worldwide and throughout the U.K. definitely go and check them out, I’ll be making orders for sure!

It started to rain so we headed to a cafe called Kooks for a tea. It was a nice place with a cool vibe just a little bit hectic and following this after the rain had stopped we went literally across the street to Gelato Gusto. We’d watched the queue grow whilst having tea so we thought it must be good. We got sorbet, I had elderflower and mum had lychee and rose. Both gluten free and both delicious.

Our day finished with one last walk down the high street before we headed back to get the bus and home. I had a great day, I thought Brighton might be a little more compact than it is but now I know how spread out things are I’m more prepared for next time. I’ll be going back that’s for sure.

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