One upon a time, seeking a sleepier life by the sea for our family, my husband, two children and I moved to Brighton. We soon settled into a routine of playgrounds salty with sea air, long days throwing pebbles at the water and sunset nights with friends on restaurant terraces. But, in time, bad commutes and long office hours conspired against us. All too soon, we found ourselves back in the London suburbs, though my children left a little bit of their hearts in this singularly bohemian seaside city.
Now they have reached double digits, Brighton makes even more sense than it did when they were small. Easy to wander on foot, with a vibrant counter culture and miles of beach, it’s the perfect place for teens and tweens – which explains why we still visit several times a year.
© Getty ImagesSee below for our favourite things to do, places to eat and hotels to stay in.
How we spend our days in Brighton
Though my youngest (age 11) is happiest with a cup full of 2ps and time in the Pier’s arcades, fatigue soon sets in for the rest of us. Along the front, Upside Down House sits on its head on the promenade, complete with inverted interiors made for photos (admission £30 for adults; £20.50 for children aged 4-15).
© Eye Ubiquitous/Universal ImagesJust inland, the little mall at Churchill Square is paradise for teens, featuring Urban Outfitters, Hollister, Bershka and Pull & Bear. For more interesting mooching, however, divert to North Laine where a cross-hatching of roads are jam-packed with vintage markets, cafes and record shops. Make time for Snooper’s Paradise, a labyrinthine space jammed with shelves and cabinets full of curiosities on Kensington Gardens, as well as nearby The Spice Shop, which serves every hot sauce under the sun. Then hop into one of the booths at Photomatic for a souvenir strip of snaps. There’s also Kids Monster on Trafalgar Street, a hotbed of anime, manga and Kawaii merch which sells everything from rare Pokemon cards to Sonny Angels.
© UCG/Universal Images Group via GWalk a little further and you’ll reach the UK’s oldest purpose-built cinema, a grand, turn-of-the-century building on down-at-heel London Road. Ignore the less-than-salubrious surrounds: The Duke of York’s Picturehouse is a great place to while away an unexpectedly rainy afternoon.
If your kids are into period dramas, Preston Manor is worth a stop-off too. This Edwardian pile puts on imaginative events such as August’s Mystery at the Manor weekend, inspired by Agatha Christie. Then there’s Brighton’s most famous building, the kitschy Royal Pavilion. Adorned with ice-cream scoop domes and fairytale turrets, it runs exciting Basement & Tunnel tours to areas of the building that are usually off-limits, for those aged 12 plus.
© Getty ImagesTime for a dip? Brighton’s big pebbles and brown sea can be off-putting, but there’s the chance to jump into the aqua pool at Sea Lanes. Otherwise, take the Coastliner 700 bus the other way towards Lancing for a long line of shingly sand, a good café and a skate park.
Our favourite places for Brighton’s best meals – and ice cream breaks
Breakfasts are best at Cappadocia, a slightly out-of-place Turkish-inspired B&B in North Laine. At its Garden Café, where a jungle of plants dangle from the ceiling and evil eyes sway from a wall, walk-in breakfasts come with avocado on toast, fresh smoothies and Snap-able matcha – with blueberry and strawberry flavours in rainbow hues.
For dinner, Dishoom’s cooler little sister Permit Room serves Indian sharing food that’s perfect for teens in a cosy space carved between Brighton’s high street shops and the Lanes. Samosas, fried chicken and stickily delicious garlic pepper prawns mix with bigger plates such as Dishoom’s famous Chicken Ruby and grilled lamb chops with pomegranate.
© Ellen RichardsonYou’ll need to stroll a bit further to Saero on Hove’s parade of restaurants at George Street – but this no-nonsense place is worth it if your kids are into all things Korean. There’s viral Tteokbokki, bibimbap and fried chicken. Or grab a brilliant burger at old favourite Lucky Beach, the most kid-friendly of Brighton’s seaside spots (at least until the party crowd arrives).
Save room (and time – you’ll need to queue) for ice cream from Love Gelato on Gardner Street, where flavours range from no-nonsense chocolate to sticky toffee pudding. There are doughnuts for chillier days too.
© Getty ImagesThe places we’ve most enjoyed staying
Sharing a room can be tricky once kids hit their teens. Brighton’s newest place to stay, Regency Square Suites, bridges the gap between self-catering and luxury beautifully, with two-bedroom apartments and fully-stocked kitchens, but also White Company toiletries, Hypnos beds and hotel-worthy sea views.
© James FrenchFor great-value deals (as low as £103 per night in peak summer for a family room), Leonardo Hotels are surprisingly good too. There are two of the brand’s four-stars in Brighton but we prefer the brand’s cheaper outpost by the station to the one by the beach. The setting is quieter and it’s convenient for exploring Preston Park and Fiveways (a little villagey neighbourhood away from the sea, with coffee shops, restaurants and an excellent toy shop, as well as a secondhand bookshop). Spend more for the B&B rate and a breakfast buffet of champions.
