Why Brighton is Great for Family Fun All Year Round

When the winter settles in, it is all too easy to find yourself at home, bored and lost for how to spend the eagerly awaited weekend. The winter months bring the cold, the wet and sometimes even snow and ice, but when more than half the year is like this, we have to make the most of our free time in one of the best cities in the world.

Luckily Brighton can look stunning all year round, and although the population is nearly double in the summer, Brighton is well worth a visit through the autumn and winter.

Here are a couple of the great reasons to visit Brighton and East Sussex this autumn/winter.

Day Out at the Zoo

The zoo is a great day out, whether you’re visiting as a family, a couple, or even on your own. In Sussex, the local zoo is Drusillas Park, which is widely regarded as the best small zoo in the UK, and is a favorite for Moms and Dads looking to keep their kids occupied during the holidays and at the weekends. Being an indoor and outdoor activity, you may be thinking “why would I want to spend the day at the zoo in the colder, wetter months?” – Here are a few good reasons to take your family, date or yourself down the zoo this winter:

• Considerably fewer people in the zoo, so you get to see the animals better and get free roam of the zoo.
• Certain animals react better in the cooler months and are more entertaining to watch.
• If you wrap up well, even the coolest of days in the UK are manageable and you can always head to the indoor enclosures if it starts raining.
• Kids go crazy for animals, so if you are planning a family day out then it will be worth it to see their faces.
• Only on the rare occasion when UK weather is torrential, is a day out at the zoo worth a postponing.

Shopping Days Out

Brighton and Sussex are great places for shopping, not just for your classic high street retailers, but also for the out-of-the-ordinary. one-of-a-kind finds. Sussex has some great shopping hot-spots, but Brighton in particular is sighted as the go to place for an alternative shopping experience.

North Laines and South Lanes Brighton

These two areas of Brighton are separate and have their own distinctive feel, and are popular shopping destinations for people from all around the world. In the North Laines you will find many markets selling interesting world foods and handcrafted jewelry. As well as this you will find many second-hand stores where you will be able to get your hands on imports from the USA to the Middle East. Dirty Harry’s and To Be Worn Again are two of the most popular vintage shops.

Amongst all of this you are surrounded with small coffee bars and delicatessens, which are perfect when you need a break from the hustle and bustle.

In the South Lanes you are going to find more of the commonly-found clothes retailers as well as more high-end fashion stores. There is also a lot more restaurants and bars in the south lanes, if you need a breather from the shops.

Many people in Brighton would argue that the two separate areas attract different types of people, though I love spending time in both the North Laines and South Lanes.

Country Walks

Brighton is an interesting city as there are stunning parks and bits of countryside to break up the streets, and give you a perfect place to unwind and relax without being too far from all of the action.

Preston Park

If you like the sound of a country walk on a crisp winter’s morning whilst in Brighton, then Preston Park has to be one of the nicest places for it. Preston Park is a beautiful large open space just outside of the main city center, and it is great for family days out, a romantic stroll, or sporting activities. It is opposite the picturesque ‘Rockery’, where you will find city-wildlife at its best just minutes away from Brighton’s great bus service, which can take you into the city center in moments.

Other great country walks are found at Devil’s Dyke or the ‘Under Cliff’ walks, if you like to look out at the sea as you walk. Devil’s Dyke is the longest dry valley in the UK, visited by people from all over the country looking for a scenic walk with exceptional views whilst surrounded by a huge variety of flowers, insects, and wildlife that you can’t help but be captivated by.

The Under Cliff Walk is from the Brighton Marina to the outskirts of Saltdean, and makes for a great walk when the wind is down, as you get to look across the sea and coastline’s various small towns including Rottingdean and Peacehaven. You will find fitness enthusiasts tackling the 4.5km stretch by foot or bicycle as you walk under the chalk cliffs.