Brighton Marina: what to do there and how to get there
The Marina sits a good way east of the pier, below the cliffs, and most visitors underestimate the walk. Here is what is down there and the painless way to arrive.
Written with Oliver Bennett, Brighton bus tour guide & local sightseeing specialist
Short answer
Brighton Marina is a large waterside development at the east end of the seafront, with restaurants, bars, a multiplex cinema, boat trips and a superstore around the boardwalk. It is a long walk from the pier, so the open-top bus (Stop 11) or a local bus is the sensible way to get there.
Walk east from Palace Pier and the crowds thin out fast. Past Kemptown the promenade drops below the chalk cliffs, the beach huts give way to a working boat yard, and after a mile or so a whole small town appears at sea level: pontoons, apartment blocks, a boardwalk lined with places to eat. That is Brighton Marina, and plenty of people who set off to walk there turn back before they arrive. It is further than it looks. Here is what waits at the far end, and the way to get there without the trek.
What is there to do at Brighton Marina?
Brighton Marina is a large waterside development at the eastern end of the seafront, built around one of the biggest marinas in the country. You come for the boardwalk restaurants and bars, a multiplex cinema, ten-pin bowling, boat trips from the pontoons, a big superstore, and the simple pleasure of watching the yachts come and go.
The Marina is less a single attraction than a place to spend a slow half-day. Built from the 1970s on reclaimed shore below Black Rock, it counts among the largest marinas in the country, as its Wikipedia entry records. The boardwalk along the water is the heart of it, a run of restaurants and bars with tables looking out over the moored boats. Behind them sit the practical draws: a Cineworld multiplex, a bowling alley, a large Asda that stays open late, and the walkways out along the pontoons where the private yachts live. It has a different mood from the rest of Brighton, quieter and more open, with real sea light because there is nothing between you and the harbour mouth.
For the full picture of opening times and current tenants, VisitBrighton keeps a rundown of what is trading, since the mix of shops and eateries shifts over time. What tends to stay constant is the shape of a Marina visit: eat by the water, catch a film or a boat, then head back into town.
Can you take a boat trip from Brighton Marina?
Yes. Boat trips run from the Marina's pontoons in the warmer months, typically short coastal cruises along the Brighton seafront and mackerel-fishing trips out into the bay. Operators and timetables change by season, so check who is sailing on the day rather than relying on a fixed schedule.
This is the thing you cannot do from the main beach: get out on the water. From the Marina you can look back at the whole city from the sea, the cliffs, the two piers, the i360 needle rising over the front. Sailings are weather-dependent and seasonal, and the operators turn over, so I never quote a price or a departure time here. Ask at the pontoon kiosks or check the boards when you arrive. If the sea is up, trips get cancelled, so a calm morning is your friend.
| Where it is | East end of Brighton seafront, below the cliffs past Kemptown |
|---|---|
| Bus tour stop | Stop 11 on the City Sightseeing Red Route |
| Main draws | Waterside restaurants and bars, Cineworld cinema, bowling, boat trips, large superstore |
| Walk from Palace Pier | Roughly 30 to 40 minutes along the lower promenade, further than most expect |
| Best for | A relaxed meal by the water, a film, or getting out on a boat |
| Cost to wander | Free to walk the boardwalk and pontoons; pay only for what you do |
How do you get to Brighton Marina?
The Marina sits at the far east of the seafront, well beyond comfortable walking distance from the centre for most people. The open-top sightseeing bus stops there at Stop 11, a local Brighton & Hove bus runs there frequently, or you can walk about 30 to 40 minutes east along the lower promenade if the weather is good.
This is where the loop earns its keep. The Marina is the one route stop that is genuinely awkward on foot from the pier, and the seafront walk, while pleasant, is long enough that families and anyone short on time regret starting it. The City Sightseeing open-top bus drops you at the Marina as Stop 11, then carries you back up through Kemptown and into the centre without a second thought. You check live availability & prices on Viator before you go, and the same ticket covers the ordinary city buses too, so the Marina hop is doubly easy.
| Way to get there | Time from the pier | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Open-top bus tour (Stop 11) | Part of the ~50-minute loop | Sightseeing on the way; ticket also covers city buses |
| Local Brighton & Hove bus | Around 15 minutes | Frequent; covered by the tour ticket or a day pass |
| Walk the lower promenade | 30 to 40 minutes | Scenic in good weather, long with tired legs or kids |
| Volk's Electric Railway | Seasonal, part-way | Runs to Black Rock beside the Marina in the warmer months |
If the Marina is one of several stops in your day, the open-top loop threads it together with Kemptown, the Pavilion and the pier so you are not doubling back on foot. Ride it out to the water, take your time, then jump on the next bus back.
Is Brighton Marina worth visiting?
It depends what you want. For a waterside meal, a film, a boat trip or a quiet break from the busy central seafront, the Marina is a genuine draw. If you are only after classic Brighton sights like the pier, the Lanes and the Pavilion, it is an optional detour rather than a must-see, easily added by bus.
I am honest with visitors about this. The Marina is not postcard Brighton. It is a modern development, and some of it is car parks and chain retail. But the boardwalk on a bright day, with the boats knocking gently and a plate of something in front of you, is a real pleasure, and the sense of space is a relief after the crush around the pier. Pair it with a wander through Kemptown on the way, or time it with a ride on Volk's Electric Railway, which runs along the seafront to Black Rock right beside the Marina in season. The beach and seafront between here and the pier is quieter and more local than the central stretch, too.
Common questions about Brighton Marina
How far is Brighton Marina from the pier?
It is about a mile east along the lower promenade, which works out at roughly 30 to 40 minutes on foot. Most visitors find it further than they expect, which is why the open-top bus or a local bus is the easy option.
Does the bus tour stop at Brighton Marina?
Yes. The Marina is Stop 11 on the City Sightseeing Red Route, near the east end of the loop. You can hop off, spend time by the water, and catch a later bus back into the centre on the same ticket.
Is there anything free to do at Brighton Marina?
Walking the boardwalk and out along the pontoons to watch the boats costs nothing, and it is a pleasant hour in itself. You only pay for the extras: a meal, a film, bowling or a boat trip.
Can you eat by the water at Brighton Marina?
Yes, the boardwalk is lined with restaurants and bars looking out over the moored yachts. The mix of places changes over time, so it is worth checking what is open on the day, especially outside summer.
Is Brighton Marina good for families?
It works well for a family half-day: a cinema, bowling, boat trips in season and plenty of open space away from the busy central beach. Reaching it by bus rather than the long seafront walk keeps small legs happy.