So you’re thinking of making a trip to Brighton? Whoop! Excellent decision! Go for it! Read this page for an overview of the different parts of the city, how to get here and how to get around. But also be sure to explore all areas of our website for more detailed information on every aspect of your visit! We don’t want you to miss anything we think you’d love or find useful to know.

The different parts of Brighton & Hove

While most of Brighton’s hotels are located on or near the seafront, if you choose self-catering accommodation, you might end up staying in a different part of the city. However, most areas are within a 15 minute bus ride of the centre and the beach, and have their own local shops and cafés to hand. Here’s a quick lowdown.

The Lanes and North Laine areas sit side by side between Brighton Station and Brighton Palace Pier. These neighbouring central zones are packed with restaurants, bars, shops and entertainment venues, and are a short walk to the beach. Kemptown, in the eastern part of Brighton between Brighton Palace Pier and the desirable Sussex Gardens, has plenty of shops, bars and restaurants, and hosts its own Pride Village Party as part of Pride celebrations every August. To the east of Kemp Town and just a short bus ride from the town centre is Brighton Marina, where you’ll find more shops, restaurants and entertainment.

Hove stretches from west of the Brighton i360 on the seafront to around Hove Park further inland. From Western Road to Palmeira Square and onto Church Road and George Street, you’ll come across plenty of independent shops, bars and restaurants all within a stone’s throw of the seafront. Meanwhile, Portland Road in West Hove is just as lively and has its own train station, Aldrington, just one stop from Hove Station. This popular area is just a couple of blocks back from the beach and Hove Lagoon. Other communities with their own clusters of independent shops, pubs and restaurants include Seven Dials, Fiveways, London Road, Queens Park and Hanover.

How to get around Brighton

One of the easiest ways to get around Brighton and Hove is by bus. All buses have disabled-access and can take you all over the city from Hove Lagoon to the Marina, or from Brighton Station to Devil’s Dyke in the South Downs National Park. If you’re heading from Brighton to Hove, there are lots of bus routes that run between the two or you can hop on a direct train (it’s one stop). There are taxi ranks and bike hire points at both stations. In fact, bike hire points can be found all over the city, including the parks, and while many roads have dedicated cycle lanes, one of the easiest and most enjoyable bike rides you can do is along the seafront, where a cycle lane stretches from Hove Lagoon to Volk’s Electric Railway. Check out our online Brighton and Hove cycle map to discover the best routes.

How to get here

Brighton is the last stop on a train line that links directly with London Victoria, Clapham Junction and East Croydon, as well as being linked with London Bridge, London Kings Cross and the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras International on a different line. Journey times vary depending on the number of stops, but from London Kings Cross it takes around 1h 15mins, while from London Victoria it can take as little as 48 minutes. London Gatwick Airport sits about halfway between London Victoria and Brighton, meaning you can get from Gatwick to Brighton by train in approximately 30 minutes.

Brighton is also a 30 minute train journey or a 45 minute bus ride from the nearby port of Newhaven, from where ferries run regularly to Dieppe. It’s also easily accessible from the ports of Southampton, Portsmouth and Dover.

The beach

Brighton beach is a pebble beach, although you may see a bit of sand at low tide. You can find out what time the tides are by checking out the tide timetables. The safest areas to swim are the patrolled areas indicated by red and yellow flags in the summer months. There are public loos at intervals all along the seafront as well as at the station and in the Churchill Square Shopping Centre. Brighton seafront office is open every day of the year and is located at 141 King’s Road Arches, Lower Esplanade, Brighton, BN1 2FN (tel 01273 292716). The office can help with general beach enquiries or in emergencies.

If you’re looking for the naturist beach, you’ll find it at the eastern end of the main Brighton beach – approximately a one mile walk east of Brighton Palace Pier towards Brighton Marina. Signs indicate where the naturist beach commences and large banks of pebbles have been created to provide further screening.