Brighton Seafront Walking Tour (Self Guided), Brighton

Established in 1899, the Palace Pier is the third pier to be built in Brighton. The Royal Suspension Chain Pier and the West Pier came before the Palace Pier, but now only the Palace Pier still stands. It is managed by the Eclectic Bar Group. The Palace Pier replaced the Chain Pier which collapsed in 1896.

The Palace Pier remained in operation as a theatre venue until 1975. The theatre was demolished in 1986 and the pier became an amusement park featuring roller coasters. The Pier can be reached at the south end of the Old Steine by the Marine Parade and the Grand Junction Road on the waterfront. It is 1,722 feet long. Can't miss it.

The pier was designed and built by Richard St. George Moore. It cost 27,000 pounds to build and it had 3,000 lights for illumination. It had reading rooms which were replaced by a theatre. Stan Laural and Charlie Chaplin appeared there before their Hollywood days.

In 1984 the theatre was replaced by a dome with an amusement arcade. The seaward end of the pier had thrill rides, children's rides and roller coasters. Entertainment was still popular. The Spice Girls performed there in 1996. The Pier is still a popular tourist attraction in the 21st century.

Sea Life Brighton bills itself as the oldest operating aquarium in the world. It was founded as an independent aquarium in 1872 and purchased by Sea Life in 1991. The original building was designed by Eugenius Birch. It was bombed during World War I, which led to reconstruction.

Sea Life Brighton has three different areas that they call Aquarium Zones. The first of these zones is the Rainforest Adventure. Patrons will see some of the worlds largest snakes, deadliest fish and rescued terrapins.

The Day and Night Ocean Experience is the aquarium's newest attraction. It opened in May 2019 after extensive remodeling of the dolphinarium. The Day and Night Ocean Experience shows the changes in a coral reef over the course of a day. Patrons can walk through an underwater tunnel, look at bio-luminescent algae and see a large number of aquatic creatures.

The aquarium also offers a glass bottom boat experience. Those who choose to visit this zone will see giant turtles and fish swim beneath their feet. They can enjoy watching some of the 3,500 sea creatures that reside at the aquarium.

Volk's Electric Railway runs along the Brighton historic seafront. Built by Magnus Volk in 1883, Volk's Electric Railway is the oldest operating electric railway in the world. The original terminus was Palace Pier, which closed in 1930.

The railway now operates from Aquarium to Black Rock with a stop at Halfway depot. Aquarium Station was rebuilt in 2017 to be a more user-friendly. Visitors can now visit the Volk's Electric Railway exhibition center at Aquarium Station. They can also stop for a bite to eat at the cafeteria.

Halfway Station is located next to Peter Pan's Playground, which has an open-air cafe and children's activities. The final station, Black Rock, is only a five minute walk from the Brighton Marina.

Volk's Electric Railway is not open during the winter months. It also closes during bad weather. Dogs and children under three can ride the train for free with a ticket-holding adult.

Brighton Beach is different. It is a shingle beach. It has no sand. Not a grain. What it does have is pebbles, stones and some rocks. There is lots of wave energy. It is tamed here and there by strategically placed groynes, breakwaters, reaching into the surf. The water here is shallow and clear.

The beach shoreline within the city limits is eight miles long. A little more than five miles is shingle; pebbles, pebbles, everywhere. Brick chalets are available to rent on the Brighton shore. On the east side of the Palace Pier an area of sand is bared at low tide.

In that portion of the beach by Madeira Drive, east of the city center, there are courts for volley ball, ultimate frisbee and other beach games.

The City Council owns all the beaches. The sections of beach are divided by the breakwaters. Each section has a name: Boundary, Norfolk, Bedford, Metropole, Grand, Centre, King's, Old Ship, Volk's, Albion, Palace Pier, Aquarium, Athina, Paston, Banjo, Duke's, Cliff, Crescent, and Black Rock. Alert, Cliff Beach is nudist.

The eastern area of the Brighton seafront is developed and has one of Europe's biggest marinas. all along the front one can find restaurants, sports venues, amusement arcades, nightclubs and yes, bars. "By the sea, by the sea, oh how happy we'll be..."

The Artist Quarter is a series of studios located on the beach between East Street and Kings Road just west of Brighton Pier. There are over a dozen artists' lofts that feature different types of wares for browsing and buying. Look for painters, photographers, sculptors, jewelry makers and crafters with unique and beautiful souvenirs for you to take home.

Offerings and hours vary by studio but most are open from noon to sundown. One of the first spots you can stop at is King's Arch Gallery, which has a revolving schedule of exhibitions. You can then make your way through the Artist Quarter while you walk along the beach of the English Channel.

Along with the various art studios you will see a number of bars and restaurants until you eventually end up at the Brighton Fishing Museum. If you find yourself in the area after dark, there is still plenty to do with several nightclubs located around the Artist Quarter.

The Carousel is part of Brighton Palace Pier. Though it is just one of the many rides available on the pier, it is arguably the most iconic with its classic ponies, colorful decor and brilliant lights. The Carousel is favorite for visitors of all ages.

Along with the Carousel, Brighton Palace Pier offers numerous rides and activities that are fun for the whole family. Some of the rides include a roller coaster, a mega slide, a bouncy castle and even a haunted house. Those who prefer to keep both feet on the ground can enjoy the arcade, have a snack or take a stroll along the pier.

The Carousel at Brighton Palace Pier is open seven days per week. Monday through Friday the Carousel is open 11 AM to 5 PM. It is open from 10 AM to 7 PM on weekends. All other attractions at the pier have similar operating hours. If you plan on visiting on a weekend you should note that the gates do not open early. You can expect long lines during peak season.

The Brighton Fishing Museum, established in 1994, is a significant cultural institution located within Brighton's historic Fishing Quarter. This independent museum, created in collaboration with the local fishing community, offers a deep dive into Brighton's rich fishing and seaside heritage. Situated just west of the iconic Brighton Pier, the museum occupies two of the seafront arches along Kings' Road, a site historically linked to Brighton's fishing industry for over a millennium.

The museum provides visitors with a comprehensive understanding of the fishing community's history, traditions, and practices through an array of exhibits. These include a diverse collection of images, artifacts, and full-sized fishing boats. Visitors can also engage with the past through archive footage, contemporary films, slideshows, and audio recordings featuring fishing families discussing their lives and singing traditional songs. These multimedia displays chronicle the evolution of Brighton's sea fishing industry from the 1800s to the 1990s.

One of the museum's unique aspects is its dedication to preserving and restoring traditional Sussex beach boats and marine engines. This work is conducted in front of the museum, where visitors can witness the ongoing renovation of these historical vessels. The completed boats are often displayed on the beach, offering a tangible connection to the past. Inside the museum, model boats further illustrate the technical and cultural aspects of Brighton's maritime heritage.

The museum also plays an active role in the local community by organizing the Annual Brighton Mackerel Fair every May. This event, co-hosted with the fishing community, combines tradition with public entertainment, celebrating the town's enduring connection to the sea.

In addition to its focus on fishing, the museum honors two of Brighton's local folk heroes: Martha Gunn, the famous bathing woman known as the ‘Dipper,’ and ‘Captain’ Fred Collins, who operated the popular Skylark pleasure boat. The Brighton Fishing Museum thus serves as a vital repository of the town's maritime history, preserving and celebrating the community's enduring relationship with the sea. Admission is free, with donations encouraged to support the museum's ongoing efforts.

The Grand Brighton Hotel is a Victorian hotel built in 1864 and designed by architect John Whichcord, Jr. It was built on land that previously held a coastal fort: West Battery at Artillery Place. The building is a local icon and one of the most recognizable landmarks in Brighton.

The hotel featured the first elevator installed in a building in the United Kingdom outside of London. It has hosted many visiting dignitaries and celebrities over the year.

The hotel is infamously remembered for a bombing that took place in 1984. The Provisional Irish Republican Army attempted to assassinate Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher by bombing the hotel during a conference she was attending. Five people were killed in the bombing and many others were injured.

The 201-room hotel was inducted into the Brighton Walk of Fame in 2011. Along with its sleeping rooms and conference rooms, the Grand Brighton Hotel boasts the Cyan Restaurant and Bar, which retains the 155-year-old marble pillars that were installed shortly after the hotel was built. Guests are also welcome at the Victorian restaurant or they can pick up a picnic or tea service to enjoy on the beach.

Regency Square in Brighton is a prominent early 19th-century residential development located on the seafront of the city, now part of Brighton and Hove. This grand architectural project was the brainchild of the developer Joshua Hanson, who envisioned the square as Brighton was rapidly evolving into a fashionable seaside resort. Constructed between 1818 and 1832, Regency Square consists of a three-sided "set piece" of 69 houses, most of which were completed by 1824. The site, formerly known as Belle Vue Field, became a prestigious address attracting the social elite of the time.

Regency Square is notable for its architectural significance, with most of its buildings designated as Listed buildings due to their historical and cultural importance. Forty-seven houses are listed at Grade II*, a designation that highlights their particular national importance and architectural interest. An additional eighteen houses, a war memorial, a nearby inn, and a set of bollards outside the inn are listed at the slightly lower Grade II status.

The square’s most historically significant buildings include the entire west side, listed in 1952, which comprises Saint Albans House, designed by Amon Henry Wilds with interior design carried out by William Izard, and a series of houses from numbers 2–20. The northern side's central section (numbers 26–37) and the surviving original houses on the east side (numbers 51–66) are also listed as Grade II*. Notably, the house at the southwest corner, originally part of Regency Square but now numbered as part of King's Road, shares this Grade II* status.

Later developments in the square include the construction of Abbotts, a small block of flats at the southeast corner, built in 1961–62 by Fitzroy Robinson & Partners. This modern building replaced three original Regency Square houses, which had been converted into a hotel in the early 20th century. Despite these changes, Regency Square remains a significant architectural and historical landmark in Brighton, embodying the elegance and social prestige of its early 19th-century origins.

By the ruins of the old West Pier of Brighton Beach is British Airways i360. It is an enclosed viewing pod that rises over 500 feet on a needle like structure. Visitors to the pod have 360 degree views of Brighton, the South Downs and the English Channel. British Airways i360 pulls in 790,000 visitors every year. The site is owned by the West Pier Trust.

The tower was conceived as a "vertical pier." Italianate ticket booths, salvaged from the West Pier, bracket the entrance to i360. The beachfront building serves as access to the tower and it has a brasserie, cafe and gift shop. The circular rising and descending viewing platform or pod has a capacity for 200 people at a time.

The glass passenger pod was designed by Poma, cable car builders and specialists. The pod is 59 feet in diameter. It moves up the supporting needle to a maximum height of 453 feet and then returns to ground level. It is heated and air-conditioned.

Plans for the tower were submitted in 2006. Construction started in the Netherlands in 2008. Hollandia, a Dutch steelworks firm, made prefabricated steel sections of the tower. The column is 13 feet in diameter. It is the most slender tower in existence.

British Airways i360 opened on August 4, 2016. "Flights" leave every half-hour and last 25 minutes, top to bottom. Happy landings!