Date spot in Brighton
Brighton Palace Pier
Stroll out over the sea on the Victorian pier, past the arcades and helter-skelter, with hot doughnuts or fish and chips to share.
Madeira Drive, at the bottom of Old Steine
Address: Madeira Drive, Brighton BN2 1TW- Activity
- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
Why it's a good date: It's free to walk on and pure seaside fun, so it suits a first date as much as an anniversary. Go at dusk when the lights come on, and save a few coins for the 2p machines.
Photo: Arild Vågen, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
More from our Brighton guide
Starlings over the West Pier
The beach by the West Pier ruins, King's Road
Address: King's Road, Brighton BN1 2FL- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Autumn, Winter
- Romantic
Stand on the beach as the sun goes down and watch thousands of starlings swirl in great shapes over the burnt-out frame of the old West Pier before they settle for the night.
Why it's a good date: One of the great free shows in the country, from about November to early March. Get there half an hour before sunset, wrap up warm, and go for a hot drink on the front afterwards.
Photo: NormanofOxfordshire, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
The Royal Pavilion
Pavilion Buildings, city centre
Address: 4/5 Pavilion Buildings, Brighton BN1 1FN- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
Tour George IV's seaside palace, all domes and minarets outside and dragons, hand-painted Chinese wallpaper and palm-tree columns within, then sit out in the Regency garden.
Why it's a good date: Nowhere else in Britain looks like it, and the Banqueting Room alone is worth the ticket. It's a good rain plan right in the middle of town, with the Lanes a couple of minutes away.
Photo: Fenliokao, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized)
The Lanes and North Laine
Between North Street and the station, city centre
Address: Meeting House Lane, Brighton BN1 1HB- Other
- Free
Get lost in the narrow alleys of the Lanes, full of jewellers and antique shops, then cross North Street into North Laine for vintage, records and independent cafés.
Why it's a good date: A whole afternoon of browsing that costs nothing unless you want it to. Pick out something small for each other, and stop for coffee on Kensington Gardens.
Photo: Fry72, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
