Brighton’s best things to do on the perfect London day trip

Deputy Lifestyle and Travel Editor, Audience·NZ Herald·

23 Apr, 2023 05:00 AM2 mins to read

Brighton is the perfect day trip from London. Photo / VisitBrighton

Destination of the week: Brighton

Why you should go

It’s St George’s Day and all eyes are on England. With summer approaching in the northern hemisphere and the King’s Coronation set for May 6, London might be the dangled carrot that lures you in, but it’s the easy day trips that will keep you in the capital for longer.

Boutiques and street art line the streets of North Laine. Photo / VisitBrighton

Departing from multiple London train stations, Brighton is a cheery seaside town that you can reach in an hour or less. A return ticket will cost you little more than NZ$25 (roughly 12 “quid”) if you book in advance.

Brighton Pier tempts punters with fairground rides, arcade games and the beach. Photo / Getty Images

Top spots

Brighton was cool before being cool was even a thing. Its retro seaside aesthetics - including a 12km stretch of beach - merge with remnants of a Victorian heyday. Brighton Pier is lit up like a circus, tempting punters with fairground rides, a helter-skelter and arcade games. Then there’s the crumbling relic that is West Pier; its ruins sit hauntingly on the water. Listen long enough and you’ll hear the ghostly whirs of its long-gone funfair.

The crumbling relic that is Brighton's West Pier sits hauntingly on the water. Photo / 123rf

Brighton is a dream destination for vintage foragers. Cubby-hole boutiques line the laneways of The Lanes and North Laine and on Saturday morning you can peruse the outdoor market on Upper Gardner Street. Eclectic to the very last, The Royal Pavilion is an Indian-inspired palace and home to Pavilion Gardens. The perfect spot for a picnic.

The Royal Pavilion is an Indian-inspired palace and home to Pavilion Gardens. Photo / 123rf

Best eats

The Ivy in the Lanes will give your senses a workout. The maximalist Art Deco interior is a punch to the retinas, while the all-day menu offers everything from a full English breakfast to Champagne dinners. For the quintessential English cream tea in a bijou tea shop, head to small and chintzy Leman Tea Room and tuck into fresh scones laden with clotted cream. Later, save space for a fish and chip supper on the prom.