Brighton: A big, queer friendly city on the southern coast of England.
Ash and I felt right at home here. Although we missed the Pride Celebration that Brighton threw just a week after we left, we were still exposed to the wonderful rainbow flags and party decor hanging from the beach front restaurants and queer clubs.
If you are planning to stay in Brighton, stay city center. We wish we would have done that instead of staying in a neighborhood right outside of the city. Only a five minute drive away, Saltdean is a clean and quiet place. Our AirBnb hosts were very nice, but for us Saltdean felt very suburban. Ash and I live in the city, and avoid the suburbs of Minneapolis as much as we can, so it wasn't really our cup of tea. We would have liked waking up each day with restaurants, pubs, and shops right outside our door.
But Brighton... ah Brighton. We had a great time walking the beach front; taking in views of the ocean and the white chalky cliffs that the south is known for. We only explored this city for one full day, but were able to get a handful of things in. If you are coming to this city for its queer scene, I recommend researching the bars beforehand to figure out what events are going. And if you can make it to England in early August- you will be right in the middle of the Pride fun.
Ash and I happened to stumble upon The Amsterdam Hotel-Bar & Restaurant and ate lunch overlooking the ocean. Afterwards, we made our way around the innards of the city. Although we didn't go in, the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, and Royal Pavilion and Gardens offered some unique architectural beauty. We stopped at random pubs, ice cream parlors, and shops before heading back down to the beach.
I imagine that the beach area was as lively as it was due to the nice weather. People were sprawled out near the water; vendors chatted with passerby's who admired their stalls. Ash and I dodged handfuls of individuals on the Brighton Pier as we ended our day walking up and down the boardwalk. We enjoyed our time by the water, and then called it a night and headed for our car.
If we were to do it again, I would love to see the night life here. There are so many fun clubs and bars that I feel would have been a blast to go to- especially coming up to Pride weekend. Have you been to Brighton and experienced the evening scene? Were you able to go into the Museum and Art Gallery in the Royal Pavilion Gardens? Did you have any other fun experiences we didn't mention? We would love to hear about it, so please share your experience with us!
I do ask that this stays a positive and safe space for readers, so please, no hurtful language or remarks about other's experiences. Thank you.
