Brighton Pier
Brighton's famous pier includes an array of fun activities for all. Whether you love arcade games, enjoy thrill rides (Booster), or simply want to get stuck in with dodgems, the pier is the perfect day out by the sea. Brighton Pier also offers a range of bustling bars and takeaways, as well as the Palm Court restaurant for those wanting a sit down meal.
Opening times vary depending on the activity, are weather permitting, and may be subject to slight variations. But don’t let this deter you from visiting the pier as there are plenty of attractions nearby, or you can admire the pier from Leonardo Royal Hotel Brighton Waterfront across the road.
Brighton Beach
Take a walk along the promenade and pop into a cafe for a refreshing drink before strolling along Brighton’s famous pebble beach. If you’re feeling brave, take a dip in the water, try out some watersports, or simply sit on the beach and watch the world go by.
We recommend: checking out the paintings in the Artists’ Quarter, beneath the seafront arches.
South Downs National Park
Under a half hour drive from Brighton’s coast, the South Downs National Park offers an impressive landscape for adventure lovers to explore. Whether walking, cycling, horse riding, or driving the country lanes, footpaths or fields, the South Downs is home to a myriad of wildlife, visitor attractions and activities, tranquil scenery, quaint market towns, lakes, rivers, and more.
Browse the South Downs attractions map to plan a visit.
Sea Life Brighton
Travel under the water with a trip to Sea Life Brighton! Home of a myriad of underwater creatures, Sea Life lets you explore the world of turtles, rays, octopus, a shark, and more. There’s an interactive rockpool allowing visitors to touch a crab or starfish, a ‘behind the scenes tour’, a Rainforest Adventure area, as well as talks and feeding demonstrations to learn more about the fascinating sea life, making this a great day out for all the family.
The centre is open 10am-5pm and ticket prices vary for ‘on the door’ and ‘online’. Sea Life Brighton is a seven-minute walk from our waterfront hotel.
Arundel Castle
With nearly 1,000 years of history, this impressive castle has many tales to tell! Situated on a hill, Arundel Castle affords breath-taking views of the South Downs National Park and the River Arun, as well as being home to beautiful walled gardens, glass houses, rose garden, organic kitchen garden, and more. Exploring the interior offers fine examples of its history in the décor, artwork, armoury collection, intricate Regency design of the library, and more.
Open March to October, Arundel Castle is a great summer day out exploring beyond Brighton. Most of the attractions are open 10am-5pm but check times before visiting, and ticket prices depend on which castle attractions you would like to see. The castle is a 40-minute drive from Leonardo Hotel Brighton.
Kipling Gardens, Rottingdean
Named after the village's most famous resident "Jungle Book" writer Rudyard Kipling, these tranquil gardens are the perfect place escape to. Considered one of the best parks in England and Wales, the Kipling Gardens are a picturesque oasis that includes a Rose Garden, Herb Garden, and Wild Garden.
The gardens are open seven days a week and are free entry. Rottingdean is a 15 minute drive from Brighton or a 30 minute bus journey.
Preston Manor
Explore more than twenty rooms in this delightful old manor house dating back to 1250. The grand décor and original exhibits transport you back in time to Edwardian living. Preston Manor also has beautiful walled gardens to discover as well as a fascinating pets' cemetery.
The Manor is open April to September on Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm, with reduced hours (2-5pm) on Sundays. Admission costs £6.60 for adults and £3.50 for children (5-15 years). Preston Manor is a leisurely 23 minute walk from Leonardo Hotel Brighton and sits next to the beautiful Preston Park.
Brighton Toy and Model Museum
The Museum is an Aladdin's cave of the finest toys and models, situated under Brighton Station. This ‘treasure trove’ museum specialises in collections of model trains from the 1860s to the present day.
Alongside model trains, the Brighton Toy and Model Museum houses mechanical toys and models; dolls house furniture, puppets and theatres, as well as social, educational and domestic artefacts which date back to the 1790s.
The museum opens Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm (Saturdays open at 11am) with last admissions at 4.15pm. Admission costs £6.50 per adult, £4 per child (ages 4-15) or a family ticket (two adults and three children) for £14. It is a short six minute walk from Leonardo Hotel Brighton to the Toy and Model Museum..
Volks Electric Railway
Unfortunately Volks Railway is closed until the summer 2017 due to heritage lottery works.
Volks Railway is Britain's oldest electric railway built in 1883, and remains today an iconic Brighton attraction that is a ‘must-see’ for visitors. The railway runs for one and a quarter miles along the top of the beach from the Aquarium Station (near Brighton Pier) down to the Marina. The trains run every 15 minutes and a single journey ticket costs £2.90 for an adult and £1.80 for children. There is a cafe and toilets opposite the Aquarium Station and public toilets at the Marina Station.
Volks Railway is open Easter to September, and trains start around 10.15am with the last train at around 5pm, both times vary (by about an hour) depending on the day of the week.
British Airways i360
To get panoramic views of Brighton and across the English Channel, make sure you brave the heights of British Airways i360. The giant glass pod is part of the tallest moving observation tower in the world, and is described as a ‘vertical cable car’.
We recommend: going for an evening drink at the Sky Bar for a magical night time experience.
