Best Beaches in Brighton 2026: Where Locals Actually Go (And Why)
Brighton’s beaches made headlines this year for all the wrong reasons — overcrowding in some spots, emptiness in others, and visitors wondering how the same coastline can feel so hit‑and‑miss.
The truth is simple: Brighton isn’t one beach, it’s many — and locals choose carefully. Get it right and you’ll find calm water, space, and atmosphere. Get it wrong and you’ll leave early. Here’s where people who actually live here go, and why.
Brighton Beach (Central): Energy, Noise, Convenience
This is the beach everyone pictures — pebbles, pier, buzz.
Location: Kings Road Seafront, BN1 1NB
Best for: First‑timers, short visits, atmosphere
Brighton Beach runs directly in front of the city centre and the Palace Pier. It’s loud, busy, and unapologetically urban. On summer weekends it fills early, especially between the West Pier ruins and the Palace Pier.
You come here for people‑watching, cold swims, beach bars, and instant access to toilets, food and attractions — not for peace.
Facilities (2026): Public toilets every 300–500m, deckchair hire (£6–£8 per day), lifeguards in season, beach sports areas, and dozens of food kiosks.
Nearby: Brighton Palace Pier (open daily; free entry, rides extra), SEA LIFE Brighton (winter hours typically 10am–3pm).
West Beach & Hove Lawns: Space, Calm, Actual Breathing Room
Walk west for 15 minutes and Brighton changes.
Location: Hove Lawns, BN3 2FR
Best for: Families, long stays, picnics, sanity
This stretch feels wider, quieter and more local. Hove Lawns holds Blue Flag status and is where you’ll find proper green space backing onto the beach — rare on the south coast.
The newly developed Hove Beach Park (opened 2025) adds accessible paths, toilets, sports courts, skate areas and cafés, making this one of the most practical beaches in Sussex.
Facilities: Cafés, public toilets, accessible paths, changing facilities, volleyball courts, cafés at Lagoon end.
Water: Generally calmer than Central Brighton, better for children.
Kemptown Beach: Colour, Community, Sunrise Views
Location: Marine Parade, BN2 1PE
Best for: Sunrise, LGBTQ+ scene, swimming
Kemptown Beach sits east of the Palace Pier and feels distinctly different. It’s more residential, more expressive, and more relaxed during the day — with a strong local crowd.
This is one of the best spots in Brighton for early‑morning swims and sunrise photography. The sea shelves slightly more gently here, and swimmers tend to cluster in informal groups.
Facilities: Toilets, cafés, nearby pubs, parking along Marine Parade.
Tip: Come early or late. Midday summer crowds spill over from the centre.
Brighton Marina & Black Rock: Cold Water, Quiet Corners
Location: Madeira Drive, BN2 1EN
Best for: Open‑water swimming, space, escape
East of Kemptown lies Black Rock and the Marina stretch — windier, quieter, and favoured by serious swimmers.
Nearby Sea Lanes Brighton, the UK’s National Open Water Swimming Centre, has helped formalise safe sea swimming here, alongside cafés and saunas.
Facilities: Toilets near Marina, cafés, parking, access to Marina restaurants.
Note: Water is colder and conditions change quickly. Check conditions before swimming.
Getting to Brighton’s Beaches (2026)
By train: London Victoria or London Bridge to Brighton — 60–70 minutes. Advance fares from £12.50; peak returns £35–£45. Walk 15 minutes to the seafront.
By bus: Brighton & Hove Buses cover the entire seafront. Single fares are capped at £3 under the national fare cap (in place until at least March 2027). Day tickets from £6.
On foot: You can walk the entire Brighton–Hove seafront in about 90 minutes.
So… Which Brighton Beach Is “Best”?
That depends on what you actually want.
If you want energy and instant entertainment, go Central. If you want space and calm, go west. If you want community and character, head to Kemptown. If you want cold water and focus, choose the Marina.
Brighton doesn’t have one best beach.
It has a system.
Once you understand that, the city stops feeling chaotic — and starts feeling intentional.
