Brighton Palace Pier

Brighton Palace Pier is a proper old-school seaside attraction: part promenade, part amusement arcade, part sugary temptation. Reviews mention a mix of gentle children’s rides, more thrilling attractions, token and coin-pusher games, and the usual Brighton soundtrack of machines, music and shrieking joy. For families, the big wins are the variety and the atmosphere. There’s plenty to do even if the weather turns, with the arcade staying open and the pier keeping its shape in rain as well as sunshine. Parents also liked the sea views, the classic Victorian feel, and easy add-ons like fish and chips, doughnuts and ice cream. The catch is that it’s a pier, so expect pay-per-play rather than a tidy all-in price. Several reviews imply the attractions are weather-dependent, and while there is seating, this is not a calm coffee-and-watch-the-world-go-by sort of place. Coffee quality is unknown from the reviews, but the food is very much seaside standard rather than special.