by Mimi Smith

The summer holidays are here and with this weather, it is the perfect excuse to get out of London. I absolutely love taking the kids to Brighton; not only can they play on the beach but there is lots of fun to be had on the pier and down the Lanes. Here are a few of my top tips to enjoy Brighton.

How to get there

I would highly recommend the train as it goes directly from Clapham Junction to the middle of Brighton and it takes just over an hour. The trains go regularly and are very easy.

www.southernrailway.com

Alternatively, you can drive via the M25, M23 this can take a lot longer as traffic into Brighton can be fairly hideous! Once there, there are numerous car parks, I use the Trafalgar Street car park in the North Laine area as it is secure and fairly priced £9 for 4 hours. It also gives you the opportunity to walk down through the Lanes and check out all the shops!

Must Visit

Shakeaway Milkshake shop, according to Rosie aged 8 “they are the best milkshakes ever!!” They have every flavour and it is a must visit!

www.shakeaway.com

Fish and chips on the beach is a lovely English tradition, unfortunately, there are loads of horrible fish shops on the beach front. However, I have found a gem called Lucky Beach. The food is local, organic and they have loads of alternatives for children with allergies. It is right on the beach and it is just fab!

www.luckybeach.co.uk

Brighton Pier. It may be touristy but it can also be a lot of fun. They have a lot of rides for all ages and they do a wristband for £25 or £22.50 if you book before. This lets you go on as many rides as you like. There is also a kiddies soft play for little ones for £12. It may be a little tacky but the children had the best day when we went.

www.brightonpier.co.uk

Finally, the beach! All children love the beach and Brighton Beach is really good fun with lots of things going on all the time, from street performers to merry go rounds. I would highly recommend wetsuit shoes as the stones can be a little bit tricky! It is also very safe with lifeguards on duty at all time, just watch out the seagulls don’t get your chips!

Have fun at the seaside!

Mimi x

Mimi Smith started in child care in 2004, looking after her two cousins. In 2011, she completed her Montessori qualifications and worked as a teaching assistant for Dawmouse Nursery becoming a fully qualified teacher working for Pippa Pop-ins in Fulham. She then rose to Deputy head of their new school In Kensington. Mimi is passionate about childcare and loves working with children. She now runs her own company and is Director of Mimi’s Minis.

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