Things to do in Brighton for a Family with Older Children

For families with older children, holidays can be quite a challenge but with a bit of planning, Brighton can offer a mix of things to do which will keep all members of the family happy and entertained for the whole holiday.

Beachmington for all...

If they've already tried all the sports which you can think of, why not try a new one – Beachminton. If your kids have not heard of this already then you're a little bit ahead so get along to The Yellowave Sports Venue. This is a permanent beach sports centre where they can try out the sport and then develop some beachminton skills. This venue is equipped with floodlit courts and offers a range of other alternative sports such as Ultimate Frisbee. While they burn off their energy, you can get some exercise at the cafe/bar before plugging them into one of the beach barbecues put on by the centre. Contact

Tuctuc Round Town

It's great when just travelling around can be fun and even your older kids will just love getting around town by any one of the brightly-painted tuctucs - especially when they hear about their eco-friendly credentials. These are motorised three-wheelers and each one has its own name and identity having been imported from India and had had their smokey two-stroke engines replaced by environmentally-friendly LNG engines running on natural gas. The tuctucs were introduced in 2007, running along set routes in the city but, by using their new CALL-AND-Ride service, you can get picked up from your hotel and taken straight to your destination. Right throughout the summer these fascinating and colourful mini-taxis brighten up Brighton and they transport its visitors. Tickets to travel may be booked at The Brighton Marina and the service is available 24 hours per day. Contact

A Pierful of Thrills

What's better for your adrenaline-soaked youngster than a bit of mechanical shaking about at a few G? You can always pop along to the Brighton Pier and load them onto the Super Booster. This will carry them up to 125 feet, just in time to drop them back to ground level in under 3 seconds. In those few seconds, they'll be accelerated from zero to 60 miles per hour – how's that for G-forces! The Super Booster is the only ride of its kind in the UK so it will certainly give them something to tell their friends about when they get home!

Secrets of the Sea

If your offspring is into sealife and the amazing diversity of living creatures which lurk about in the depths of this watery world, do put a visit to The Sea Life Centre on your itinerary. There's over 150 species to be seen there, arranged in a collection of 57 exciting and imaginative displays.

Dedicated to preserving the world's oceans and to presenting their richness in an accessible yet exciting way, this centre will enable you feel part of the undersea sea world as it envelops you. You're there without the accroutrements of diving but can feel the world of the sea going on around you. It was at this centre, when the present organisation took over that the dolphins of the Brighton Dolphinarium were released back into the wild – after 30 years in captivity.

Taking a Different View - The Camera Obsura

Just a couple of miles to the west of Hove lies another exciting visit for inquisitive offspring in the form of the Foredown Tower Countryside Centre. To be found here is one of the south-east's two operational camera obscuras. This scientific novelty is built into an Edwardian water tower which dates from 1909. Even without the aid of the camera obscura, the views across the Downs are breathtaking views but the camera adds another dimension, assisting in the viewing of the landscape, sun and stars. Also at the centre, you'll find an exhibition along with a number of educational activities which cover both science and the countryside. It's immaterial, therefore, whether it's the astronomy or the environment which proves to be of most interest to your children as you're quite likely to find an event there which will engage their interest. The centre opens from March to October.

The Lanes and Battle Time

Most adults will enjoy a trip to the Lanes and its wide range of shops but if there's a boy in your party, he'll quite likely enjoy one shop in particular - The Armoury. It's a very special shop by any reckoning as it's full with all things military. The volume and variety of material in this shop would put many a museum to shame but here - it's all for sale! The material here spans the period from the bronze age to World War II and contains armour, guns, swords medals and badges. It's a militaria-lovers treat which is unrivalled throughout Europe.

Brighton Museum and Art Gallery
Brighton Museum and Art Gallery offers a conventional view of the art world but one which has embraced modern technology to present the conventional unconventionally. During the £10million of redevelopment work, new educational facilities have been created, along with an educational pavilion with excellent disabled access being one of the key design principles. The opportunity has also been taken to create galleries which reflect the modern-day mix of population in the city, along with thier culture and religions. The museum is part of the larger regeneration scheme which has created a vibrant cultural centre in and around the Royal Pavilion estate in the heart of the new city of Brighton & Hove.

The main galleries are:

• Mr Willett's Popular Pottery
• Images of Brighton
• Exploring Brighton
• Fine Art
• Fashion & Style
• Body
• Performance
• World Art
• Discovery

The museum is open all year round but is closed on Mondays (except public holidays).

Opening times are:
Tuesday: 10am-7pm
Wednesday-Saturday: 10am-5pm
Sunday: 2-5pm
Closed Mondays, except public holidays 10am-5pm
Closed 23-26 December, 31 December 2007 & 1 January 2008
 
Blatchington Windmill
This windmill, which is to be found in Hove, was originally built in 1820 and is now a Grade II listed building which has five floors containing all its original equipment. The tower of the windmill is traditionally built of flint and brick and still retains its adjoining barns. It was imortalised in 1825 when it was painted in watercolour by John Constable. Inside the mill are displays of milling equipment which include a scale model of a Nutley post mill and one of Shipley smock mill. Also on display is a thresher and wire-dressing machine along with other agricultural and milling equipment. The Blatchington Windmill is one of a type which is referred to as a smock mill because of its outside form which resembles the form of the smock worn by millers and shepherds in the early 19th century. However, this mill differs from all other smock mills in that it has only six sides while all the others have eight. In this way, it is unique in the milling world. The mill opens May to September only and on Sundays and Bank Holidays from 2.30-5pm. Contact: West Blatchington Windmill

Mechanical Memories Amusement Museum
All modern children believe that arcades are made for their generation so a trip back to the days of mechanical machines can be a real eye-opener for them. What they'll see is amazingly crude compared to present-day arcade machines but amazingly effective in terms of entertainmant value. The sheer ingenuity of the machines will inspire any mechanically-minded youngster and the sight of many of these may be new to their parents but provide their grandparents with a thoughful trip into the past. For a description: Mechanical Memories Museum

Clay: Model and Decorate Your own Product

If there's a young creative person in your party then they can exercise their talent at a Hands-on pottery session. These workshops are run by an artist in their own studio and will give all the family a chance to get creative and to make something in clay. If clay modelling is not your thing then there's also a possibility of decorating a pre-made item to give it that final artistic touch. For more details click here... Hands-On Pottery Workshop