England's very own Daytona Beach

As a Dayton graduate, I have a soft spot in my heart for Daytona Beach, as it was a yearly trip {Dayton 2 Daytona} we ventured on to celebrate the end of a great year and to kick off the summer. So when I found a Daytona right in England, I was thrilled! 

Brighton, a seaside town about an hour south of London, is a quick getaway from the city and offers a "beach" escape from the bustling, city life. Brighton has a pier with carnival rides, food, and games, which attracts tourists and those who like shiny, loud, glittery objects {like me!}. This pier is what brought me down memory lane to Daytona, Florida.

#awkwardfamilyphoto with the pier in the background!

View from the pier

However, unlike Daytona, and much to my surprise, the beach was comprised of rocks, rather than sand. And although I was a bit perturbed by this {I really miss a sandy beach!}, the rocks, much to my surprise {again!} weren't all that bad to lay on. I'd prefer sand, but hey, beggars can't be choosers, right?

Of course I had to snap some pics while walking to the beach. The colorful exteriors get me every time!

Finally, the beach! Wait until you see pictures of the rocks up close + personal. Yikes!

The little pup loved the rocks {you can see her in the background of the chairs above!}.

Oddly enough, the only place with sand was the volleyball court. 

Good think about rocks? You don't have to worry about dragging sand into the stores + restaurants lining the beach... {#glasshalffull}. 

The other astonishing part about Brighton {one that I can't make a connection to Daytona for being similar or different, as let's be honest, we never went to Daytona for the food ;)} is their food scene. Unexpectedly, Brighton has trendy restaurants in their winding and narrow passageways, also known as "The Lanes." From fresh seafood to many vegetarian and vegan-friendly options, to hipster and bohemian decor, the restaurants are a hidden gem in this small town. 

Heading to The Lanes!

Besides restaurants + pubs, The Lanes had unique boutiques + vendors lining the narrow streets.

An eclectic pub, Neighborhood, pictured above.

So much seafood in Brighton that we had to try it! We found a great seafood restaurant, Riddle and Finns, which had a warm ambience and long, farm tables for sharing meals. 

Snails on snails {and no, we did not try them!}

Unlike Daytona, Brighton also boasted beautiful + oddly placed architecture in one, concentrated section of the small city. This is where its museums + gardens were located. 

All in all, while our staycation was a fun adventure, much like Daytona, I've had my fill and don't see myself visiting again. I like my sandy beaches + tropical weather, which is why I cannot wait for our big, relaxing vacation in a few short weeks to Florida!