Ten Brighton days out checked against their own sites this week: the £1 pier, Royal Pavilion at £21.50 (£16.50 residents), free Devil's Dyke and more.

Brighton’s problem is never finding something to do, it is picking. This page keeps the list short and the details honest: ten places, every price and opening pattern checked against the venue’s own website this week, plus the one famous museum that is currently closed so you do not walk up its hill for nothing. If you live here, note the pattern in the prices: the Pavilion, the museum, the i360 and the pier all treat BN1, BN2, BN3 and BN41 postcodes differently, and the resident deals are worth using.

Decision helper for a Brighton day out: sunny days point to Devil's Dyke, the Undercliff Walk, Volk's Railway and Saltdean Lido; wet days to the Royal Pavilion, Brighton Museum and Sea Life; free options are Devil's Dyke, the Undercliff Walk and One Garden Brighton; the pier costs £1 and is free for Local Residents Card holders

The icons

Royal Pavilion. George IV’s seaside palace, still the most extraordinary building in any English town centre. Adults £21.50, children 5 to 18 £13.00, and residents of BN1, BN2, BN3 and BN41 pay £16.50 with proof of address; tickets are 5% cheaper online and standard tickets are valid for a year. Open 9.30am to 5.45pm April to September, last entry 5pm (prices and hours).

Brighton Palace Pier. Open 10am to 11pm in summer, and since the pier re-introduced its admission charge, entry is £1 per person on charging days, with free entry for Local Residents Card holders, under-2s and anyone with pre-booked ride wristbands (admission fee page). Rides are paid separately; wristbands are about 20% cheaper booked online. If you live in the city, sign up for the residents card once and stop paying the pound.

Brighton i360. The 138-metre observation tower on the Hove seafront, now trading plainly as Brighton i360. A standard View 360 flight is £20.50 for adults with a timed slot; locals in BN1, BN2, BN3 and BN41 get the Fly and Dine package at £31.50 instead of £41.50. Cashless venue, card only (tickets).

Sea Life Brighton. Opened in 1872 and the world’s oldest continually operating aquarium, its Victorian arcade alone worth the visit; the seawater tanks are refilled from the sea twice a day. Online tickets from £17.50; open from 9.30am with last entry 5pm.

Made for a sunny day

Volk’s Electric Railway. The world’s oldest operating electric railway, running along the seafront from the Aquarium to Black Rock since 1883. Reopened for the season on 28 March 2026 and runs daily until 30 September, first public trains 10.15am on most days (council announcement). Full-line fares: adults £5.40 single, £7.00 return, children 5 to 15 £3.40/£4.40, dogs free.

Devil’s Dyke (National Trust). The longest, deepest and widest dry valley in the UK, five miles north of the city, free to visit; parking is £8 all day (free for NT members), and the number 77 bus runs up from the pier and the station, with each paying adult able to take two children free.

The Undercliff Walk. The council-maintained path beneath the chalk cliffs from Brighton Marina to Saltdean, about three miles of traffic-free walking and cycling with cafés at Ovingdean and Rottingdean, access points along the way and the sea crashing below in a blow (council page). Free, always open, occasionally shut in storms.

Saltdean Lido. The restored Grade II listed 1938 art deco pool, one of the finest modernist buildings on the coast. The 2026 summer season runs 1 May to 10 September, 7am to 7pm*, with sessions booked online; under-8s need an adult in the water at a one-adult-to-two-children ratio.

Rainy day, small people, or both

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery. In the Pavilion garden, Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm. Adults £10.50, but residents pay £8.00 with up to four children included, which makes it one of the best-value wet afternoons in the city; Wildlife Photographer of the Year shows until 6 September 2026 (prices).

One Garden Brighton at Stanmer Park. The restored walled garden run by Plumpton College, free to enter and open daily, with a proper café and the whole of Stanmer’s parkland and woods around it. Pair it with the estate village for the cheapest good day out on this list.

Worth knowing before you climb Dyke Road: the much-loved Booth Museum of Natural History is temporarily closed for building improvements (it shut in April 2025 and hosts only occasional drop-in days), so check the museums’ What’s On page before setting out rather than finding the doors shut.

Making a day of it

Getting here is the easy part: direct trains reach Brighton from London in about an hour, and on summer weekends the train beats the seafront traffic comfortably. If you do drive, park once and walk, and check the roadworks page first in case the A27 overnight closures catch your route. Eating out afterwards? The food hygiene ratings round-up covers the latest inspections across the city.

Frequently asked questions

What can I do in Brighton for free?

Devil’s Dyke, the Undercliff Walk from the Marina to Saltdean, One Garden Brighton at Stanmer Park, and the beach itself. The pier is £1 on charging days, free with a Local Residents Card.

How much is the Royal Pavilion?

£21.50 for adults, £13.00 for children, with Brighton & Hove residents at £16.50 on proof of address, and 5% off online. Standard tickets are valid for a year (official prices).

Is the Booth Museum open?

No. It has been closed since April 2025 for essential improvements, with occasional drop-in days announced on the Brighton & Hove Museums site.

Is Volk’s Railway running?

Yes, daily until 30 September 2026, weather permitting, from the Aquarium station near the pier to Black Rock. Adult returns £7.00 (times and prices).

Do Brighton attractions do resident discounts?

Yes, more than most cities: the Pavilion (£16.50 vs £21.50), Brighton Museum (£8.00 with up to four children), the i360 (£31.50 Fly and Dine for BN postcodes) and the pier (free entry with a Local Residents Card).

Sources

Prices and hours were checked against each venue’s own website on 7 August 2026; they change seasonally, so confirm before a special trip.