Things to do in Brighton with family: a day out with kids
Things to do in Brighton with family: pier rides, SEA LIFE with a 30% bus-ticket discount, the i360, Volk's little railway, and why kids love the open-top top deck.
By Oliver Bennett, Brighton bus tour guide & local sightseeing specialist
My niece's verdict on Brighton is fixed: the front seats on the top deck, wind in her face, is the best place in the city. We test it every summer. Brighton is a good town for children because so much of it is squeezed into a small stretch of seafront, and the bits kids actually want (a pier, an aquarium, a little train, a beach to throw stones into) sit within a short ride of each other. Here is how I run a family day, what saves you money, and the one accessibility detail every parent with a buggy needs to know.
What are the best things to do in Brighton with kids?
Brighton packs a family day into a small area: Palace Pier for rides and the arcade, SEA LIFE for the aquarium tunnel, the i360 for a slow glass-pod flight, Volk's little seafront railway, and the pebble beach in between. The open-top bus links the lot, so small legs do less walking and more looking.
The trick with children is to cut the walking, not the sights. Brighton looks compact on a map, but the pier, the i360 and the Marina sit at opposite ends of the front, and a hot afternoon of trudging pebbles wears everyone down. The open-top hop-on hop-off bus turns those gaps into a ride upstairs, which for most kids is a highlight rather than dead time. Below is where I send families, stop by stop.
| Stop | What is there for kids |
|---|---|
| 1 Palace Pier | Fairground rides, arcade, the beach, SEA LIFE a short walk east |
| 2 West Pier / i360 | The glass-pod flight and a good spot for ice cream |
| 8 Royal Pavilion | Lawns to run on, an exterior that looks like a cartoon palace |
| 12 Paston Place | Volk's Electric Railway and quieter Kemptown |
You will notice the Palace Pier and the aquarium both hang off Stop 1, which is why I usually start a family day there and let the bus carry everyone west afterwards.
Is Brighton Palace Pier good for young children?
Yes. The pier is free to walk on, and you pay only for what you ride, so toddlers and teenagers both find their level. Gentle carousels and the helter-skelter sit near the front, faster fairground rides and the arcade are further along the boards. A ride wristband pays off if they want to go round again and again.
What I like about the pier for small children is that it costs nothing to simply be there. You can walk the length, watch the sea through the gaps in the boards, share a bag of chips and never open your wallet, or you can buy a wristband and let them loose on the rides. The arcade at the far end is loud and bright and swallows two-pence coins by the handful, which is either a rainy-day saviour or a warning, depending on your budget. Doughnuts and rock are everywhere. Bring wet wipes.
Is SEA LIFE Brighton worth it, and how does the bus discount work?
SEA LIFE Brighton is the world's oldest operating aquarium, open since 1872, and its Victorian arches and underwater tunnel land well with children. A City Sightseeing bus ticket includes 30% off SEA LIFE entry, the single biggest saving that comes with the tour ticket. Book an aquarium time slot online so you walk in rather than queue.
The building itself is part of the appeal. Opened in 1872, it is the oldest aquarium still running anywhere, and those dim Victorian corridors give it more atmosphere than a modern box would. The walk-through tunnel with rays and small sharks overhead is the moment most kids remember. You can check hours and book a slot on the official SEA LIFE Brighton site, and I would verify the current admission there rather than trust an old figure, since prices move. The 30% discount attached to the bus ticket is the reason a lot of families I meet buy the bus in the first place: two adults and two children saving 30% on aquarium entry can cover a fair chunk of the bus fare.
If your day already has the aquarium, the i360 or the Pavilion in it, the open-top loop tends to earn its place. You can compare what the ticket includes on the bus tour page, and check live availability and prices on Viator before you commit.
Can you take a buggy on the open-top bus?
Yes, on the lower deck. The City Sightseeing lower deck is wheelchair and buggy accessible, while the open-top upper deck is reached by stairs only. With a pram, ride downstairs or fold it and take turns going up top. Most families I see rotate: one adult upstairs with the older kids, one down with the little one.
This is the detail parents most often miss, so I flag it early. The open top is the fun bit, and it is stairs-only, which means a buggy stays on the lower deck. That is not a problem in practice. The lower saloon has space for a pram, the commentary and headphones work down there too, and Brighton is small enough that swapping decks at a stop is easy. If your child naps in the buggy, the smoother lower deck is honestly the better ride anyway. For a fuller rundown of what the ticket covers, the hop-on hop-off guide walks through frequency, stops and accessibility.
What about the i360 and Volk's Electric Railway?
Both suit families. The i360 is a calm 25-minute glass-pod flight to 138 metres, a slow rise for a wide view over the coast rather than a white-knuckle ride. Volk's Electric Railway, the oldest electric railway of its kind in the world, trundles along the seafront between the pier and the Marina for a few gentle minutes of low-key fun.
The i360 divides children by temperament. Thrill-seekers find it too sedate. Nervous fliers and toddlers love exactly that, because the pod climbs slowly and there is room to walk about and press faces to the glass. It stands 138 metres, or 450 feet, and the flight lasts about 25 minutes. You can read timings on the official i360 site and check what the ticket looks like on our i360 guide. Volk's railway is the opposite kind of pleasure: tiny, old, and close to the ground. Running since the 1880s, it is a heritage line rather than a thrill, and a few minutes rattling along the front costs little. Its history is on the Volk's Railway site, and I would check the current fare there.
| Attraction | Roughly | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| SEA LIFE Brighton | Check live price; 30% off with the bus ticket | All ages, rainy days |
| British Airways i360 | Adult £20.50 (timed) or £25 (anytime) | Calm views, nervous fliers |
| Volk's Electric Railway | Check the current fare | A short, cheap seafront ride |
For a wider list of ways to fill a day without spending much, our free things to do in Brighton post pairs well with a family visit, and the wider things to do hub covers the rest.
| Buggy access | Lower deck only; upper open-top deck is stairs-only |
|---|---|
| Best stop for the pier | Stop 1, Palace Pier, with the beach and aquarium nearby |
| Biggest saving | 30% off SEA LIFE with the bus ticket |
| Loop time | About 50 minutes for the full circuit |
| Season | Open-top runs spring to autumn, not deep winter |
Common questions about Brighton with kids
Is Brighton a good day out with children?
Yes. The pier, the beach, SEA LIFE, the i360 and Volk's railway all sit along one short stretch of seafront, so a family can see plenty without long walks. The open-top bus links them and keeps tired legs off the pebbles.
How much does a family pay for the open-top bus?
Adult tickets start from around $20 on Viator, with cheaper child fares and family options, and the price is confirmed at booking. One ticket covers the tour loop and the ordinary city buses for the day, so check the live fare before you buy.
Which stop is best for the pier and the beach?
Stop 1, Palace Pier, is the main boarding point and puts you next to the pier, the pebble beach and a short walk from SEA LIFE. It is where I start most family days before letting the bus carry everyone west.
Is Brighton beach safe for young children?
The beach is pebble rather than sand, and it shelves steeply where it meets the water, so keep little ones close near the shoreline. The upside of pebbles is no sandy mess in the buggy, and there is plenty of room to skim stones.
Can you do Brighton with a toddler and a buggy?
Yes. Ride the accessible lower deck of the open-top bus, the pier boards are flat and pram-friendly, and the seafront path runs level for miles. Fold the buggy if you want a turn on the top deck, which is stairs-only.
Does the open-top bus run in winter?
The open-top service is seasonal, running spring through autumn rather than deep winter, and it does not operate on Brighton Pride day. In peak summer it comes about every 30 minutes, dropping to roughly hourly later in the season.