Joe Minihane

Brighton isn’t just candyfloss and fairground rides anymore – not that there’s anything wrong with that. Yes, the beach is pebbly and the seagulls are a menace, but there’s a long list of reasons why this colourful, quirky patch of Sussex coast was named one of the best cities in the world for 2025. It’s got funky concert venues, independent shops, slap-up vegetarian food and top-notch pubs as well as seaside cafés, hidden museums, shiny new wellness venues and copious options for good (and I mean really good) fish ‘n’ chips. So, here are the very best things to do in Brighton. How to have the perfect day trip in Brighton Your day in Brighton should start with some proper fuel – head to Flour Pot on Sydney Street for a coffee and one of their donuts, before mooching through the North Laine and up to Preston Street for some lunch (Halisco and Bincho Yakitori are our faves). If you’re lucky with the weather, head down to the seafront for a chill dip or a go at paddle-boarding, and make sure to grab a pint at Fortune of War. For more brilliant day trip ideas, head to our list of the very best day trips from London.  📍 Sleeping over? Here are Brighton’s best hotels and best Airbnbs Liv Kelly is Time Out’s Travel writer, who is originally from Brighton. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our e

Home to the likes of Deal and Margate, Kent has its fair share of gems. But in my opinion, you haven’t really done Kent until you’ve seen Whitstable. Glorious in summer but equally as charming when it’s raining, this seaside town is one of the best in the UK, immacutely designed for drinking, eating, sunbathing and general mooching to your heart’s content.  📍 Updated for 2026: This guide has got a new addition – it’s our favourite restaurant in Whitstable right now, serving up seafood and tapas on the High Street.  Is Whitstable good for a day trip? I would go as far as to say there’s no better place on earth for a day trip – though I am a little biased. It’s small and compact enough to take in its best bits on one sunny afternoon, but with enough brilliant pubs and restaurants to see you through a full week if you find you can’t get enough. For some more less biased recommendations, check out our list of the best day trips from London.  🏘️ RECOMMENDED: Discover the best Airbnbs in Whitstable Ella Doyle is Time Out’s guides editor. She is based in London but her heart (and family) is in Whitstable. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Hastings spent an alarmingly long time getting overshadowed by some of the biggest names in the seaside town industry – but enough is enough. Luckily for Hastings (but unluckily for those of us who wanted to keep it a secret), people have now caught on to why this hilly old place is so worth visiting, and a cultural explosion (partly due to an exodus from London’s art scene) has followed. Despite its newfound trendiness, Hastings’ heart remains very much the same. Famed for the Norman Conquest of 1066 (and the subsequent Hastings Direct advert), the seaside town is full of history. Here you’ll find vintage shops dotted throughout the city centre, an old pirate town, and the rather brilliant Hastings Contemporary gallery, as well as some of the finest Art Deco architecture around. 🚆The best day trips from London Just along the coast, Hastings' little sister, St Leonards has emerged as a creative hub in its own right, with galleries, independent coffee shops and grand Regency buildings aplenty. It is the perfect place for a laid-back wander, a pint in a pub full of local artists, or a browse through antique treasure troves. Here are the best things to do in Hastings and St Leonards right now. RECOMMENDED:📚The best things to do in Rye🏖️The best seaside towns in the UK☀️The best beaches in the UK

  Ponies, horses and deer mellowly wandering around, bike rides through tranquil, lush forests, mystical scenery and knockout spa hotels? The New Forest stretches across three English counties (Hampshire, east Dorset and Wiltshire) and certainly has a whole lot going for it – but where are you supposed to start? That’s what we’re here for. The best parts of the New Forest include anything from fishing to paddle-boarding, quaint tea rooms to local museums, family activities, couple getaways, the lot. Whatever you’re after, whether that’s how to spend a day, a weekend, or a new life among the trees, our list of the best things to do will surely come in handy. Take a look. RECOMMENDED: 🚆The best day trips from London⛰️The best hikes in the UK🍃The best road trips in the UK🌤️The best national parks in the UK ✈️ The best weekend breaks from London

Kent is home to a hell of a lot of great towns for a weekend break, but if you’ve done enough city stuff and you want to venture a little further than the likes of busy Whitstable and Margate, Dungeness could be the perfect place for your next adventure. This tiny fishing town is found at the southernmost point of Kent, and it feels a bit like reaching the end of the world (in the best way possible).  You’ll find vast stretches of shingle, lined with weathered wood cabins and abandoned fishing boats that look over the wide open sea. It really is a great place to unwind and disconnect, and there are plenty of coastal walks, beach-side beers and fresh-off-the-boat seafood to be enjoyed. So, here are the best things to do in Dungeness. RECOMMENDED: 🚆The best day trips from London🦪The best things to do in Whitstable🏖️The best things to do in Broadstairs🌻The best things to do in Kent🌤️The best seaside towns in the UK At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

From my home in the seaside town of Deal it is eighteen miles to Canterbury, and I’m lured there often by my love of its tangible history and show-stopping 11th century cathedral, ever the marvel no matter how many times you’ve stepped through the magnificent Christ Church Gate. But this isn’t a city stuck in the past. Canterbury University students keep the café and pub scene on its toes, and brilliant new restaurants are opening all the time. So here are its best things to do; from cutesy tea-rooms and classy cocktail bars to wondering through the living museum of its Medieval back streets. –Kate Wickers RECOMMENDED:🎡 The best things to do in Margate🐟 The best things to do in Whitstable🍃 The best things to do in Kent🏖️ The best seaside towns in the UK Kate Wickers is a writer based in Deal, Kent. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Brighton's breezy access from London and its proximity to the rolling countryside of the South Downs has made it an easy go-to for city escapees for decades. And while its myriad pleasures, from chips on the pier to ice cream on the beach, via antiques shopping and trawling for vintage finds in the Lanes, are readily available on a day trip, it's better to make a night of it. Stay at one of Brighton's best hotels and you can kick back with a cold drink in one of the city's excellent pubs and head to a club and party into the small hours without having to make the mad dash for the last train. Whatever your budget, these are the places to spend the night in the UK's coolest seaside city. RECOMMENDED:🏠 The best Brighton Airbnbs👪 The best things to do with kids in Brighton 🍺 The pubs in Brighton for beers and grub Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Brighton is a shopaholic’s dream come true. No matter what you’re looking for, whether it’s an independently produced bottle of natty wine or an independently-run bookshop, on-trend menswear or quirky, pretty knick-knacks, your own personal trove of treasures is nestled in the city somewhere.  And sure, central Brighton is a brilliant place to start, with the main shopping streets of the Lanes and North Laine brimming with antique jewellery, curated second-hand clothing collections and chic, contemporary homeware respectively. However, you’d be a fool to overlook the Seven Dials, the Fiveways, Kemptown and Hove, neighbourhoods which are all home to a lovely selection of shops in their own right. Overwhelmed? Don’t fret, weary shopper – you’ve got a local on hand to guide you through all the aisles, rails and shelves in this town. So, here are the best places to go shopping in Brighton. RECOMMENDED:🦐The best restaurants in Brighton🌃The best things to do in Brighton🥐The best brunch spots in Brighton☕The best coffee shops in Brighton This article was recently updated by Liv Kelly, a writer from Brighton. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Heading on a day-trip to Winchester is like stepping back in time. Best known as the former capital of England, it’s kept its traditional charm, even with all the trendy spots that have popped up there over the years. And that’s what makes it such a great place for a city break – beautiful architecture and winding lanes lead into streets lined with hip bakeries.  Part of its popularity is down to the city only being an hour’s train from London, and a short drive from the New Forest and the south coast, so you can head up for a full weekend, or just a perfect day out. We’ve carved out the perfect itinerary for Winchester, from river walks to brunch spots and indie shops to sunny beer gardens (and you can take it as slow as you like). Here are the best things to do in Winchester right now.  RECOMMENDED:🌳The ultimate guide to Hampshire🌤️The best places to visit in the UK🚞The most beautiful places in the UK✨The best day trips from London

Here at Time Out, we love a good curry. And the best thing about the UK is that every city has a great curry spot – each of them with their own fabulous signature curry. So Time Out editors and contributors have put our heads together to select the very best out there.  Be you a korma person, a balti person, a blow-your-head-off-spicy kind of person or fancy something else entirely, there’s a curry on this list for you. From veggie delights at London’s Rasa to the classic balti at Birmingham’s famous Shababs, here are the best curries in the UK right now. Enjoy!  RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in the UK🍺 The best pubs in the UK☀️ The best beer gardens in the UK📍 The best places to visit in the UK This guide is by the editors and writers at Time Out UK. For all our latest recommendations, check out our travel guides page.   

Where do Brightonians get all their energy from? Is it that healing sea air? The adrenaline from keeping a watchful eye on where the next seagull will swoop from? Perhaps, but the most likely answer is that it’s just from a good old-fashioned cuppa joe.  The residents of this seaside city spend more per head on coffee than anywhere else in the UK, so no wonder they’re all so wired. But take a stroll through the Lanes, the Fiveways or pretty much anywhere in Hove and you’ll realise why. The coffee scene here is the best in the country, and there’s a thriving scene of independent businesses grinding, churning and pouring coffee from all over the planet, as well as from local roasteries. So, with so many to choose from, here is our guide to the best coffee shops in Brighton. RECOMMENDED:🥐The best brunch spots in Brighton🦐The best restaurants in Brighton🌤️The best things to do in Brighton🐟The best fish and chips in Brighton This article was recently updated by Liv Kelly, a writer from Brighton. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Southampton’s proximity to the lovely town of Winchester, the New Forest and the Isle of Wight have made it a popular stop-over destination, but the seaside city deserves its own look-in, particularly because of its prospering food scene.  There’s a myriad of cracking restaurants in Southampton, whether you’re after a classy, sophisticated evening of French flavours or some slap-up pizza from the town’s favourite truck. Be it a celebratory dinner or a quick bite to eat before sightseeing, there’ll be something to hit the spot on the city’s menu – have a look at our handpicked list of the best restaurants in Southampton. RECOMMENDED:🌤️The best things to do in Southampton🏖️The best seaside towns in the UK💕The best things to do in the UK🌃The most beautiful places to visit in the UK At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Brighton’s incredible new beachfront lido is go. Work on the 50-metre pool – the UK’s first National Open-Water Swimming Centre of Excellence – has been confirmed to start this winter, with plans for the first swimmers to take the plunge in summer 2022. The pool is being built by developers Sea Lanes Brighton, close to a dilapidated stretch of seafront. Over the past three summers, Sea Lanes has run a pop-up site close to where the pool will eventually sit on the beach, with local faves Bison Beer running a bar and swim tour operator Swimtrek offering training in a clever ‘endless water’ swimming machine. Beach Box Spa completed the package, offering hardy sea swimmers a chance to warm up in its saunas between cooling dips in the English Channel. Photograph: Sea Lanes The pool, which is set to be fully accessible, is set to be a complete game-changer for this part of town. ‘The pool will provide much needed swimming facilities in Brighton,’ says Sea Lanes director Joe McNulty. ‘It act as a gateway for those looking to gain the confidence to swim in the sea, as well as a training hub for open-water swimming events, triathlon, sea safety and lifeguard courses.’The pool got planning permission back in March 2021 and will be run by South Downs Leisure. As these amazing pictures show, it will sit on the beach itself, with Sea Lanes still operating on the road side. Time to pack your swimming kit and get set for a seaside adventure in 2022. Can’t wait until then? Here are 14 more

For years, the train line between London and Brighton has been a byword for misery. Chronic delays and endless strike action have often meant it would have been quicker to cycle from the capital to the coast. And while many have been spared the pain of dealing with last-minute cancellations and train breakdowns over the past 12 months, there’s one way to experience this famous tourist route in real style: Belmond’s Golden Age of Travel Brighton Belle service. This is train travel as it’s meant to be. The route kicks off at Victoria, with its art deco carriages (including three painstakingly restored cars from the original Brighton Belle) trundling through the South London suburbs and on to a circular route through the Surrey, Hampshire and Sussex countryside. Champagne is served as you settle into your plush armchair, before a leisurely five-course lunch. The train then follows the route of the famous Brighton Belle north to London from the seaside. The Belle ran for 41 years, from 1933 until 1972, and was the world’s only all-electric Pullman train. The services were renowned for their opulence, beyond even the best first-class experience on British Rail, with fancy fittings and at-seat service. Brighton resident Laurence Olivier famously campaigned to have kippers and eggs reinstated to the service’s menu in 1970 after his favourite breakfast option was suddenly removed. Recreating Olivier’s regular trip doesn’t come cheap, with Belmond’s service costing £365 per person for