FROM VEGAN DONUTS TO CRYSTALS, IT WAS EVERYTHING I DIDN’T KNOW I NEEDED IN A BEACH TOWN

I didn’t know much about Brighton when I decided to go beyond it was a popular seaside town and was the unofficial gay capital of the UK. (Those two were reason enough for me to book it.) I fell in love with the city almost instantly upon getting there.

Here’s some of what I found:

• A feminist bookshop that doubles as a vegan cafe.

• A volunteer run anarachist social club with a radical library and vegan restaurant.

• Several thrift shops along Western Road that all exist to fund non-profits.

• TONS of vegan food options.

• All sorts of holistic health and spirituality shops, including a shop in the Lanes literally called Crystals.

I’ve always been annoyingly crunchy granola - so this place was a pure oasis during my Eat Pray Gay year. And if I wasn’t crunchy enough hitting my bliss there, I finally got to meet a woman who lives nearby in person who I’ve known through a small virtual self-compassion peer group for years. My entire time was a sheer delight.

Because Brighton is a true beach town, I strongly urge against treating it like a tourist attraction hub and instead treating it like a beach weekend. I don’t think any particular place is a must hit - and you’ll be happy just letting your time there unfurl in the important areas.

SPEND TIME ALONG THE BOARDWALK AND LIE AT THE BEACH

The Brighton boardwalk reminded me a bit of a Jersey or Maryland shore - full of ice cream shops and a pier with arcade games and rides. The beach itself is rocky instead of sandy - but the rocks are smooth and I actually found them really pleasant to lie on. It’s easy to spend a whole day there, and if you head north of the pier toward the Lanes, you’ll bump into the Royal Pavillion - one of the few architectural tourist attractions of Brighton. (It’s nice to bump into but I don’t think it’s necessary to seek out or go inside.)

STROLL BRIGHTON LANES AND EXPLORE THE CITY

I strongly recommend leaving the beach and exploring the town a bit to get a taste of Brighton culture. The most famous section is the Lanes, which extends just Northwest of the pier up until the Brighton Open Market. My favorite sections were more north (around North Road). I also enjoyed strolling Western Road - which runs parallel to the Lanes.