Activity Ideas for a Family Trip to Brighton

I absolutely loooove holidays, don’t we all! I have been fortunate in the past to have been able to travel to a range of destinations both in the UK and further afield. Although travelling abroad is fun, since having had my children, I have now come to appreciate the more local holiday destinations that do not involve plane journeys considerably more. One of my favourite places has to be Brighton. It is easy enough to get to and from London and has plenty to see and do. It’s perfect for a short stay or even day trips.

How Do We Get to Brighton?

Travelling from London, I’ve found the easiest way to travel to Brighton and back is by train. It makes the journey far more relaxing and much more enjoyable for all of the family. Having also travelled once by car I must say train travel was far better and meant all members of our group could socialise without worry about where to turn next, speed restrictions, avoiding people that can’t drive and finding adequate parking on arrival.

Where to Stay

There are plenty of options but one of my favourites is the Hilton Brighton Metropole. I have stayed there twice now. Once was a weekend break with my eldest and once was a hen weekend. It’s in a great location that’s only a 15 minute walk from the station. That’s with a buggy and suitcase! The hotel looks great, the beds are super comfy and apparently nice and bouncy!

Hilton Brighton Metropole

I’ve revisited this hotel because it’s always been nice and clean. Not something that I can say about every hotel in the area. The room size was good and large enough to swing a child in. It has all the necessities one might need with a good sized bathroom. We had a lovely view of the beach from our room and even the weather was on our side. The hotel has an indoor pool, whirlpool and sauna, health club and spa.

This hotel is located well and you’ll find many places that you can visit with the family are within easy reach. Zena from Zena’s suitcase loves it there too and has written a post about Things to Do in Brighton with Kids that you’ll also enjoy.

The Bar

The staff in the hotel bar were very helpful and whipped us up some delicious cocktails during their happy hour. They even added mini umbrellas for the little one to play with. When holidaying with kids even the little things can make all the difference. The umbrellas kept her happy and distracted for quite a while which was great.

The Restaurant

We also took the opportunity to dine in the restaurant whilst on our visit. I was surprised at the number of people that were dining there that evening. A great indicator of a good restaurant.

My husband chose the chicken pate to start with whilst I opted for the grilled Mediterranean salad with a balsamic dressing, which was healthy and full of flavour. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have made it on a number of occasions since.

For his main meal, my husband chose the steak. Perfectly cooked tender steak with a gorgeous mushroom sauce accompanied by roast potatoes that were nice and crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. My main was the Cod with Risotto. Another healthy yet tasty meal. The fish was soft and flaky and the risotto was very flavoursome having been cooked with tomatoes.

We both had to have the hazelnut and chocolate dessert.Well, it would have been a sin not to! It was deliciously rich and creamy and if I wasn’t so full by then I would have considered sharing another slice.

Things To See and Do in Brighton

The Beach

The location of the hotel was great for the beach, you literally crossed the road and it was in front of you. It’s a pebble beach but can still be great fun especially for little ones. The beach is very popular and can get busy at times. Take a blanket and picnic and you can spend the day there easily.

Shopping

There was a shopping area close called ‘The Lanes’ and apparently it’s quite famous. Riddled with coffee shops, restaurants, antique and jewellery shops and boutiques which kept us interested for ages. For shopping enthusiasts, there is also a shopping Mall – Church Square. Here you’ll find just about everything you need as well as plenty of places to refuel.

The Pier

Stroll along the pier to admire the views. You can even see the remains of the West pier from there. The amusement arcade is very popular and ideal for getting rid of loose change. There are even fairground rides at the end of the pier for the thrill seekers. Whilst there we also bumped into Elvis (yes, apparently, he is still alive and lives in Brighton!), so we stopped to have a little dance as he sang all the old favourites.

Brighton Train and Model Museum

Here you can discover a wide range of toys that go back generations. Their collection is mainly of toys and models toys that have been manufactured in the UK and Europe up to the mid twentieth century. You’ll discover over 10,000 toys and models including dolls, bears, trains and more.

Globalls

Miniature golf but not as you know it. The mini golf is indoors and under ultraviolet light give you a whole new golfing experience. It’s perfect for children and adults. Here visitors will discover two different courses, tropicana and dinosaur. It’s a fun and unique experience for all the family.

Sealife

My eldest’s first trip to a Sealife was when we went to Brighton. This was approximately 15 minutes from the hotel by foot. It was great to see her face light up as she watched the different types of fish swim around the tanks. She was even able to stroke a starfish and a crab. The walkthrough tunnel was very impressive although I realised I had watched ‘Jaws’ on way too many occasions when I saw a shark swimming straight towards us. It was pretty scary!

Kings Road Playground

Situated on the beachfront in Brighton this is the perfect place for parents to take their kids to burn off some of that excess energy. With natural sand, climbing frames and other playground toys for ages 8 and under to enjoy. You’ll also find an old fashioned swimming pool and deck chairs for hire. There are also toilets and changing facilities.

Brighton Marina

Marinas can be lovely to visit and Brighton Marina is Britain’s largest. It’s great to go see the picturesque harbour scenes with the moored boats. There is plenty to do there for all ages from shopping to various forms of entertainment as well as plenty of areas to eat.

British Airways i360 Viewing Tower

Brighton’s answer to the London Eye. This fully enclosed viewing pod allows visitors to enjoy 360 degree views of Brighton and the South Coast. This is a whopping 162 meters off the ground so best avoided if like me you have trouble when standing on a chair.

Escape The Vault

Escape rooms are great fun and have grown rapidly in popularity. This particular one has a bank robbery theme. Available for families of 4 with children 10+years and it takes 40 minutes to complete. The whole family can get involved in robbing one of Brighton’s oldest bank vaults. Fun for the whole family.

There are plenty of things to keep families busy and entertained in Brighton. It’s a fantastic place for a family break and one I hope to revisit again sometime soon.

Have you visited Brighton Yet?

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