Brighton
Bright(on) your day with a day trip!
After a long wait and planning for this trip, the GoLDN team has finally had their first official trip outside of London!
With the chilling wind still blowing across London in June, the team felt the urge to feel Summer, and with the sea only an hour away by train from the city, Brighton was the perfect place to go.
Taking the National Railway Service, Thameslink, to Brighton from Farringdon Station took only an hour. The ride did not feel long, and the train was very comfortable. It took us through the beautiful scenery of England's countryside.
Additionally, train tickets can be purchased online at () or at the station. A day ticket with no return is only 22 pounds, the same price as a return ticket from Brighton.
Although it was a planned trip, it was much more spontaneous than you could imagine.
Upon arrival, it felt like stepping into a whole new country. Colorful homes and being greeted by the seagulls flying around welcoming us to the city.
The city streets are built as if resting on a mountain as we descended to meet our friend who was awaiting our arrival at Cafe Coho.
It is a small but cozy coffee shop located near the station. It felt like the perfect spot to await the train or just the need to get work done.
Before exploring the city, we decided to grab Lunch first.
Every city by the Sea always has one thing in common: the love of fish, and Brighton is no different.
With that being said, we began walking down Gloucester Road.
It was filled with beautiful graffiti artwork on buildings and stores, and it had unique items you might not even find in London.
We kept walking till we reached the Main Street of Marlborough PI, where a beautiful garden laid in the middle, and by the end of the street we were greeted by the Brighton Dome and Brighton Museum & Art Gallery.
RYBKA, a local fish restaurant located in an area that feels like revisiting a Victorian era mixed with a modern one. It is filled with small streets that feel like wandering in a maze, yet each corner is greeted with a Jewellery Shop.
Moreover, the restaurant was located on a not-so-busy street, giving it a fresh feel and comfort. The place has an outdoor and indoor seating area. As it was a beautiful sunny day, we decided to sit outside.
We ordered two different kinds of fish, Cod and Haddock, to get a taste of everything without regret. The dishes came with a side order of tartar sauce, a pot of curry sauce or mushy peas, depending on your choice, and, of course, a side of fries. I recommend sharing it with your friends as the portion is rather big for one person unless you enjoy ravishing a meal by yourself.
The cost for each fish plate is only 19.5 pounds.
As someone who is not into fish, let me tell you, this might’ve been the best fish I have ever had, and the team couldn’t agree more.
The waiter serving us was very friendly, making the experience even more enjoyable than we expected.
After we finished, we decided to explore the local shops located on Kensington Garden streets.
As I have always wanted to visit a record shop, we first decided to enter the Resident Music, a shop filled with record players from every genre you could think of.
They have a library section focused on Music where you can browse freely, whether it is a musician biography or music writing.
Right in front of it is an infamous vintage shop called Snoopers Paradise.
A two-floor store selling every antique item you could ever imagine, ranging from books to written letters and old pictures dated back to the early 1900s. It felt like exploring a museum filled with memories kept within the items displayed.
As places began to close, we discovered the city stores close at 5 p.m. at the latest. We finally decided to head to the beach down King Road.
Rather than being in a European country, it felt like we were teleported to Los Angeles, California.
We went straight to the beach, and the feel of the sea breeze began to hit us the closer we got.
Being a windy day, the sea was roaring with the waves crashing into shore.
We headed to the famous Brighton Pier for a better view.
The Brighton Pier is considered a fairground that accommodates a few outdoor games, and an arcade gaming area is located inside a tent.
The arcade brings a nostalgic feeling as it is filled with games from the 2010s, with the interior built with an early 90s design.
As you approach the end of the pier, you are able to see the coast of England and a head-of-the-view of the wind turbines placed in the sea that you are able to see from the plane when flying into the UK.
Moreover, sun chairs are offered that could be placed anywhere on the pier, giving you the chance to relax while enjoying the view and the sun.
As we felt like we gained enough vitamin D after a short sunbath, we decided to continue our adventure by walking down Madeira Dr Street, where many beach activities are placed for people to take part in, including the gym, yoga, an outdoor swimming pool, and a beach volleyball board court.
After a bit of walking, we found a place that held Mini Golf called Uncle Rumble Adventure Golf.
They offer one round with 18 golf courts to complete or two for 36. We decided to play one round for only 10 pounds, which is only offered to Students.
Its location made it pleasant to play, away from the rowdy roads and crowds, and the sound of the sea was heard. In addition, since we were outdoors, you would expect the sun to be in the way.
However, the timing aligned well with us as the sun prepared itself to set, making it much more relaxing. So, I recommend playing a round in the early stages of the sunset.
After a long day of exploring, we decided to head back to London before it got dark, and we said our last goodbyes to the city as we walked back to the station.
We didn’t get a chance to visit the Brighton Dome, andthe Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, and many other places marked on our list because the places were closing early.
I highly recommend visiting Brighton. The city is easily navigated on foot, and everything is close by.
It was an unforgettable adventure for the GoLDN team and a trip we plan to do again!
If you have already visited Brighton, please recommend places that have not been mentioned or places you would like to see us go!
LOCATION:
Café Coho : 83 Queens Rd, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 3XE
RYBKA : 41 Meeting House Ln, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1HB
Resident Music : 28 Kensington Gardens, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 4AL
Snoopers Paradise : 7/8 Kensington Gardens, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 4AL
The Brighton Pier : Madeira Dr, Brighton BN2 1TW
Uncle Rumble Adventure Golf : 286 Madeira Dr, Brighton BN2 1EN
Written by Fadak Al Kazemi