5 Reasons Why I Love Brighton

Hey Guys,

Last weekend I decided to take some much needed time away from London with one of my best friends. We both agreed Brighton would be the perfect day away, to relax and unwind a bit. The weather was on our side, with 30º heat all day and bright skies. So with our train tickets in hand (less than £9.00 with our 26-30 railcards) we were off to the sea!
5 Reasons Why I Love Brighton
1. Only an hour from London
My journey to Brighton took just an hour from London Blackfriars. Thats about the same time it takes me to get to work on a bad day! I love how a beachy escape is so close to London, and so cheap! It was less than £9.00 return with my railcard and that was on a Saturday! The only negative was the lack of seats on the train. Luckily, Shermin and I were very lucky to be seated the entire journey, but had we have gotten on at London Bridge, we wouldn't have been so lucky!
2. The beach and sea
Of course, living in London, I rarely get the chance to breathe in the magical, salty air that one can only really find by the sea (well technically, the English Channel!) I love watching the waves, sitting on the rocks (no sand in Brighton!) and enjoying the wide expanse of space the water creates that you just can't find in a built up city like London. I guess Brighton also holds a childhood significance as I had many visits as a kid! The beach and the pier were my favourite parts.3. The artsy, liberal, accepting community 

I think it's easy to say that Brighton has a very vibrant, inclusive art scene that I absolutely love. From their annual Pride events, to the fringe theatre and film festivals and the abundance of street art and artists that reside there. Brighton is a welcoming community. Perhaps its down to the two large universities that bring thousands of youthful, creative people to it's doorstep!
4. Brighton Palace Pier 

As I mentioned before, Brighton pier has a soft spot in my heart. It was the setting of my very first "upside down ride", Turbo, which still stands there today, two decades later! It is also the quaint Britishness of the pier, the arcade games, the dodgems, the hot donuts and candy-floss that just makes my heart warm.
5. Food and shops
I get a bit too excited when thinking about the food to be had in Brighton! I mentioned the sweet treats of the pier, but I love being extremely traditional with a big bag of Fish & Chips! If the tourist route isn't your thing, Brighton also has some great choices of restaurants such as the new Ivy, Bills, Wahaca and a few independent places. Shermin and I head to a lovely vegan Indian buffet place just a short walk from the station. Brighton have a great vegan scene. I especially love Boho Gelato. I finally got to try their infamous Carrot Cake flavour (which was incredible) and Shermin seemed happy with her vegan Nutella scoop!Have you ever been to Brighton? Where and what would you recommend?

Eb x

Images by Shermin Hassan

tags:Brighton,Travel,Travel Guide