Over the years, Brighton Beach has managed to become the centre of several different unique constructions that are usually amusing and sometimes border on the bizarre. Visiting these attractions can be an interesting way to spend your day while on Brighton beach, but the odds are they will find you before you find them.
Brighton Beach Map – All You Need to Know
I have created a super helpful bespoke Google map for all the essentials you need, not only when on Brighton beach, but when organising a great day trip to Brighton beach as well. Set yourself up for a stress-free day trip and save some pennies in the process.
Brighton Beach Huts – Beach Chalets
The colourful Beach Huts along Brighton & Hove city seafront are located in five different areas along the city coastline. Madeira Drive, Hove, Ovingdean, Rottingdean, and Saltdean all have brick constructions. As you may expect. These are made available by the city council. Who lease them out on an annual basis, and there is always a very long waiting list.
Alongside the wooden beach huts found on Hove promenade, these chalets are perhaps some of Brighton’s most unique rental constructions. If you are visiting Brighton Beach, the Beach Huts are a great location to snap some great photos as you pose in front of the different coloured houses.
The ruling is that the top, back and sides must remain the council colours, and you have free will to paint the front door whatever colour you want. Well, not quite. You can paint them all one colour but if you want more than one colour, they must be stripes and can only be horizontal stripes.
Still, they remain in high demand and yet rarely used. very bizarre indeed
Brighton Beach Bandstand
The Brighton Beach Bandstand is one of the finest examples of Victorian bandstands still standing in England today. The Bandstand, located right on the seafront just before the peace statue, was initially designed by Philip Lockwood and was opened in 1884. It became dilapidated in recent decades but was restored back to its original condition in 2009.
The original design also featured a bridge that linked it to the upper promenade. Still, this part of the construction was removed in the late 1970s. For fans of Victorian architecture, this is the most spectacular site on Brighton Beach and is one that you should definitely visit.
British Airways i360
The British Airways i360 is an observation tower that runs 162m tall, right on the seafront of Brighton beach. The observation tower first opened on August 4th of 2016. It was designed by the Mark Markfield Architects, the same team that created the London Eye.
The experience is extraordinary, and visitors can experience a 360-degree view of Brighton from its fully enclosed viewing pod. The structure does not fit its surroundings at all, which makes it all the more of an eye-catching site right on Brighton beach.
Upside Down House – Brighton
The Upside Down House in Brighton is perhaps one of the quirkiest constructions on the beachfront. The open plan layout allows visitors to move around the interior and be amused by the various optical illusions available from different aspects.
This attraction is not only fun for kids but can also be entertaining for adults who try to find the best poses to strike while interacting with the Upside Down house.
Zip Wire on Brighton Beach
The Brighton Zip is the longest and fastest zip wire on all of the South Coast. It runs along Brighton beach and covers a distance of over 300 metres at a height of around 32 metres above sea level. To say that travelling along the Zip wire is one of the most impressive experiences available in Brighton Beach would be an understatement.
The spiral staircase leading to the Zip tower platform is equally impressive, especially on a windy day. Where it has been described as being scarier than the zip wire experience itself. This attraction is definitely one of the most exhilarating ones in Brighton. It is highly recommended for thrill-seekers.
Beach Flint Grotto – Brighton
When it comes to peculiar and fun constructions in Brighton, no list would be complete without the bizarre Beach Flint sculpture garden created by Rory Mc Cormack. Rory became a beach fisherman by trade in 2000. At the time, most fishermen would bring their boats out of the water and leave them on the beach, in the Kemp Town part of Brighton Beach.
As the years went by, circumstances changed, and the area became hazardous for the boats. As such, all the fishermen chose to seek other places to store their boats. Well, that was all but one.
Rory stayed behind and fenced the area around his boat to protect it. In the winter of 2013, he started creating sculptures with cement, flints, and shells that he would find on the beach. The statues still stand there today within the fenced area.
While Rory Mc Cormack has not had any professional artistic training. His eerie sculptures have withstood the scrutiny of the local council, as well as the harsh winds of winter.
This Beach Flint Garden is undoubtedly one of the more bizarre art exhibits you will find in Brighton. If one can call it that, as it’s never open to viewers, but only adds to Brighton’s quirky eccentricities.
Volk Railway
The Volk Railway is today the world’s oldest running electric railway. It was opened on August 3rd of 1883 and created by Magnus Volks to demonstrate to Queen Victoria what electricity could do for England. It was believed then that electricity may just be a fad as it was hard to see its tangible use.
When originally built, the Volk Railway ran close to a quarter of a mile. Since then, the length has been extended. It runs between the Aquarium, by the Palace Pier, to Black Rock, close to the Brighton Marina.
With the railway track running the span of a mile dividing Brighton beach from Madera Drive, the cute little railway line still operates in the summer and brings visitors joy. And just adds to yet another quirky attraction along Brighton Beach.
Final Thoughts
From railways to zip wires to bizarre statues, Brighton beach has many unique sites to explore. It would be a shame to leave the city without visiting at least one of these constructions. From the Victorian Bandstand to the modern i360 tower, Brighton has been a place of design and innovation for centuries, and this list will get you to explore even more of the city.
