Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove offers one of the widest ranges of accommodation on the south coast, from grand Victorian seafront hotels to boutique guesthouses tucked into Regency squares and budget-friendly hostels near the station. The seafront between Hove and Brighton Marina is lined with hotels of every style, many with sea views over the pebble beach and promenade, while The Lanes and city centre area puts guests within easy walking distance of the Royal Pavilion, independent shopping and the station for day trips to London or Gatwick. Kemptown, just east of the pier, is home to many of the city's independently run guesthouses and is the centre of Brighton's well-known LGBTQ+ scene, with a lively selection of bars and cafes on the doorstep. Hove itself offers a calmer, more residential alternative, with elegant Regency terraces, seafront gardens and Hove Lawns just a short walk or bus ride from central Brighton. Self-catering apartments are widely available across the city, particularly around North Laine and the marina, and can be a good option for longer stays or larger groups. Given Brighton's popularity as a weekend break destination from London, accommodation books up quickly around summer weekends, Brighton Pride in August and the Brighton Festival in May, so early booking is worthwhile at these times. Outside peak season, rates drop and the city remains an appealing base for exploring both the seafront and the South Downs National Park, which rises directly behind the city and is easily reached by bus or on foot for walking and cycling.

Brighton and Hove packs an unusual amount of variety into a compact area, from royal history to clifftop walking trails. These are the highlights most visitors build a trip around.

• Royal Pavilion — George IV's extraordinary seaside pleasure palace, built in Indian exterior style with a lavish chinoiserie interior, complete with a banqueting hall beneath a vast dragon-carved dome.
• Brighton Palace Pier — the last of the city's three Victorian piers still standing, with amusement arcades, fairground rides and doughnut stalls stretching out over the sea.
• The Lanes and North Laine — a warren of narrow medieval streets and independent shopping quarters packed with jewellers, vintage clothing, record shops and cafes.
• British Airways i360 — a 162-metre observation tower on the seafront where a glass viewing pod glides slowly upward for panoramic views along the coast and inland to the Downs.
• Brighton beach and seafront — miles of pebble beach and promenade, backed by beach huts, bars and the colourful Brighton Beach volleyball courts, with Hove's quieter stretch continuing to the west.
• South Downs National Park — rolling chalk downland starting virtually at the city boundary, with walking and cycling routes including the South Downs Way and views from Devil's Dyke.
• Brighton Marina — Europe's largest marina, with a cinema, bowling, restaurants and a small beach, plus boat trips along the coast.
• Hove Museum and Hove Lawns — a quieter, more residential seafront with Regency squares, seafront gardens and a well-regarded local museum.

Brighton's food scene reflects its independent, multicultural character. The city is regularly cited as one of the UK's most vegetarian and vegan-friendly, with long-standing restaurants such as Food for Friends in The Lanes serving meat-free food since the 1980s. The historic Regency Restaurant on the seafront is a Brighton institution for fish and chips, while the covered stalls and bars of the Brighton Open Market and the studio-lined streets of the Kemptown Carousel offer a more eclectic mix of street food and independent cafes. Hove's Church Road and Blatchington Road have become known for a wave of modern bistros, natural wine bars and coffee roasters, and the seafront itself is lined with everything from traditional seaside chippies to cocktail bars overlooking the water.

Wild camping is not legally permitted in England without the landowner's explicit permission, and Brighton and Hove itself is a built-up coastal city with no campsites within the urban area, so anyone wanting to camp needs to look just outside the city boundary. Fortunately, the South Downs National Park begins almost immediately behind Brighton, and this chalk downland setting, combined with easy access to the coast, makes for some appealing options a short drive or bus ride away. Sites such as Housedean Farm, a working South Downs farm a few miles from Brighton and Lewes, offer both traditional camping and glamping in furnished shepherd's huts complete with wood-burning stoves, while further sites around Lewes, Burgess Hill and along the A27 corridor offer pitches for tents, campervans and touring caravans within easy reach of the city. Closer to Brighton itself, Experience Freedom's glamping pods in East Brighton Park near Kemptown and the marina provide a more comfortable, ensuite alternative without leaving the city, popular with couples wanting a seaside base without a hotel price tag. The South Downs terrain is exposed chalk downland, so conditions can be breezy and changeable even in summer, and most sites are seasonal, typically operating from around Easter through to September or October. Late spring and summer offer the most reliable weather for tent camping, with long evenings well suited to watching the sunset from the Downs before heading back down into Brighton for dinner. Glamping options, including shepherd's huts, bell tents and wooden pods, extend the season further into autumn and are a popular choice for visitors wanting the South Downs scenery without sacrificing comfort. Given the proximity to a major city, many of these sites get busy at weekends and during Brighton Pride and the Brighton Festival, so booking ahead is recommended, particularly for glamping accommodation with limited units. Dogs are welcome at many of the sites around the city, and several are within walking or cycling distance of the South Downs Way, making them a practical base for combining a countryside stay with day trips into Brighton itself.