Brighton Pier and Beach

Brighton Pier, formally the Brighton Palace Pier, extends from Madeira Drive into the English Channel in Brighton, East Sussex, England, and is the centrepiece of the city's seafront. The Victorian pleasure pier, opened in 1899, has amusement arcades, fairground rides, food stalls and a funfair at its seaward end with rides such as the Booster, a swing arm ride, and a traditional carousel. Admission to the pier is free, and rides are paid for with tokens or individual tickets. Below the pier, the shingle beach is the main public stretch, with deckchairs, bars, volleyball courts and the Brighton Fishing Quarter, a short walk west, where small fishing boats are drawn up on the shingle. The seafront promenade links the pier to the Lanes, the ruins of the West Pier, the British Airways i360 observation tower and Hove beach huts. Inland, the Royal Pavilion, the former seaside palace of George IV with an Indian-inspired exterior, is about ten minutes' walk away. Visitors usually spend two to three hours on the pier and beach, longer with a meal of fish and chips. The view along the coast from the end of the pier and the sunset behind the West Pier ruins are popular photographic moments. Crowds are heaviest on sunny summer weekends and bank holidays, when the beach and promenade become busy and trains from London fill. Weekday mornings and shoulder-season visits are far calmer. The beach is pebbled, so sandals or beach shoes are helpful for swimming. Lifeguards patrol the main beaches in summer. Brighton rewards extended exploration. The Lanes and the North Laine are close, with independent shops, vintage stores, cafes and street food, and the city's LGBTQ+ nightlife and live music scene make evenings lively. The Sea Life Brighton aquarium, the Volk's Electric Railway along Madeira Drive and the Brighton Fishing Museum are further seafront stops. Trains from London Victoria and London Bridge take about an hour, and the station is a short walk from the sea.