Student city guide to Brighton and Hove: top 10 things to do

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Brighton is renowned for being the UK’s bohemian answer to San Francisco, and is just 50 minutes on the train away from the capital. So without further ado, here are the top 10 things to do in Brighton.

1) The Lanes/North Laine

image via welovebrighton

Good for: Shopping, eating and drinking.

What it is: Two sets of windy lanes full of shops, bars and restaurants to suit all tastes.

Why you should go: The Lanes and the North Laine hold a plethora of culture, entertainment and kooky unusual shops. With some of the best bars, shops and eateries residing in these two iconic shopping districts, they represent the epitome of Brighton life.

In terms of the shops, either opt for retro and kitsch (North Laine) or independent and designer boutiques. Make sure you get a chance to explore both areas at a leisurely pace before you get too bogged down with coursework.

2) Brighton beach

image via aboutbritain

Good for: Sunbathing, swimming, drinking and having general seaside fun

What it is: A pebbly patch of the southern coast.

Why you should go: The sun, the sea and the vibrant atmosphere. The iconic Brighton beach is populated with plenty of seaside activities: volleyball, mini-golf, the Sea Life Centre, the British Airways i360 and the famous Brighton Pier.

As well as activities, for those who just want to sun themselves with a pint, the seafront has a bunch of bars and restaurants looking out towards the majestic sea.

And if you fancy a walk or cycle along the seafront towards Hove, you’ll see the famous Brighton Bandstand and the majestic Hove Lawns and Hove Lagoon (here’s your chance to get the famous Brighton beach hut photos too).

3) The live music venues

image via xyzmagazine

Good for: Seeing your favourite bands/artist or discovering new music.

What it is: Various music venues that showcase a huge variety of genres.

Why you should go: Brighton’s music scene is renowned and genre-scaping; from rock, metal, pop, jazz, house, punk, dubstep, reggae and folk, to name but a few.

The city has some of the best (and most unusual) venues in the country, such as the Green Door Store, situated underneath the station (yep, you heard right). Smaller venues like the Hope & Ruin offer quirky intimacy. Meanwhile, Concorde 2 and Patterns (formerly Audio) are famed for both live bands and their incredible live club nights. And if you’re after new music, head to one of the many open mic nights in the city, or wait until May for Brighton’s city-wide Great Escape Festival – Europe’s leading festival for new music.

4) Brighton clubs

image via musictour

Good for: Clubbing, cocktails and losing your phone.

What it is: A variety of nightclubs dotted around the city.

Why you should go: When asked why they chose Brighton, many students say the nightlife – and they’re not wrong. Plus, the diversity of the city is reflected in the huge variety of clubs.

If you’re after mainstream music or a bit of cheese, head to West Street for places such as Pryzm (Wednesday is student night!). The seafront also holds a vast range of mainstream, alternative and LGBTQ clubs, not to mention some of the aforementioned music venues that double up as clubs after dark. Fancy a Jazzy night out? Head to Casablancas. No matter what day of the week it is, you will find somewhere fun to go.

5) The Royal Pavilion (and its gardens)

image via brightonmuseums

Good for: Culture, history, relaxing and ice-skating.

What it is: The Prince Regent (George IV)’s seaside getaway palace.

Why you should go: The Pavilion itself is well worth a tour for the history and majestic architecture, but even from the outside, it offers a poignant landmark for this quirky city.

In the summer, relax in the ornate palace gardens with friends and listen to the coveted buskers. In the winter, head to the Royal Pavilion ‘pop-up’ ice-skating rink – Brighton’s answer to Somerset House in London.

6) The museums and galleries

image via brightonmuseums

Good for: Getting your culture on.

What it is: Various museums and galleries cultivating Brighton’s heritage.

Why you should go: The Brighton Museum and Art Gallery is just next door to the Royal Pavilion and a great place to visit after checking out the palace’s exotic architecture.

Along the seafront, you’ll find the quaint Brighton Fishing museum alongside various unusual seafood outlets. Under the station you’ll find the Brighton Toy and Model Museum. Over in Hove, you can visit the Hove Museum & Art Gallery and the weird but wonderful Booth Museum. There are also various boutique galleries dotted around Brighton, which you can discover here.

7) Theatre, film and comedy

image via theatreplan

Good for: Night-time entertainment that doesn’t get too sweaty.

What it is: The tamer-version of a BNO (Big Night Out).

Why you should go: If you’re keen for a night out, but don’t fancy hitting the clubs, why not dabble in some theatre, catch a film or head down to a comedy night?

Brighton has the usual cinemas, and the unusual. On London Road you’ll find the first ever purpose-built (and longest running) cinema in the country: The Duke of York’s. For all manner of on-stage performances, check out the Brighton Dome, the Theatre Royal and the Brighton Centre. For comedy, the Komedia is renowned for its excellent comedy nights, alongside many Brighton pubs and venues that also host comedy gigs.

8) The pubs

image via restaurantsbrighton

Good for: Drinking, duh.

What it is: The best places to drink, like, ever.

Why you should go: We could probably write an entire article on the pubs of Brighton, but instead, we’ll just list a few of the best. So where should you visit?

The Prince Albert (once home to a Banksy creation, now just a great pub and music venue next to the station)

The Great Eastern (think: 1930s, burlesque & steampunk themes)

The Lion & Lobster (full of nooks and crannies and an awesome garden terrace)

Hand in Hand (it’s snug, warm and brews its own beer in-house).

9) The restaurants and cafés

image via themarwood

Good for: Eating out, take-out and meeting up over coffee.

What it is: A by-no-means exhaustive list of some of the best Brighton food and drink spots.

Why you should go: For coffee, the Redroaster is a Brighton staple, and they’ve been hand-roasting their own coffee beans for over 10 years.

In terms of food, alongside the usual chains, you just have to check out these places.

For burgers: Burger Brothers, Meat Liquor;

For vegetarians: Food for Friends, Terre à Terre, Wai Kika Moo Kau.

Other good stuff: The Chilli Pickle (regional-Indian), La Choza (Mexican) and Pompoko (Japanese).

10) Devil’s Dyke, The South Downs

image via telegraph

Good for: A breath of fresh air from city life.

What is it: A beautiful spot of countryside situated in the National Trust South Downs, just north of Brighton.

Why you should go: If you’d like a nice trip to the countryside settings of the South Downs, head to Devil’s Dyke. It’s easily accessible from central Brighton via bus, car or bike (if you can brave the hills), and a fantastic spot for a picnic, a picturesque walk or a pint at The Devil’s Dyke pub.

Key info about Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove is an extremely popular city, known for its vibrancy, diversity and welcoming nature. The city is especially well-known for its LGBT+ community and has a lot of LGBT+ venues and hosts a large Pride every year. Students in Brighton and Hove can also benefit from the coastal location and the wide range of eating, drinking and partying venues available.