You’ll have a perfect start to your Brighton adventure. Pick up your car from us and you're only a short distance from the Seven Dials road junction.

This is a familiar Brighton landmark where seven different roads lead off a roundabout surrounded by period buildings. From here roads can easily whisk you south to the seafront, north out of town towards the Downs, or east into the historic centre.

You’ll find it easy to drive around the city - Brighton doesn’t have the high-pressure traffic of London. Out of the city, the roads are even quieter and exploring the winding country lanes of Sussex can be one of the most memorable parts of a visit.

Key routes include the A259, a major dual carriageway that runs right along the seashore. Travelling west allows you to link with the elegant suburb of Hove and neighbouring resorts like Shoreham and Worthing.

To the east, the A259 is a quick route past Brighton’s Marina and suburbs like Rottingdean, the old harbour town of Newhaven and the genteel beach resort of Eastbourne.

Inland is another important driving route, the A27. This offers a quick way to bypass the suburbs and quickly head east or west. Travelling north, the A23 soon becomes the M23 and is a fast route towards Crawley, Gatwick and London.

As in the majority of major towns or cities, there are one-way systems in operation in central Brighton, so make sure you plan your journey before setting off.

Brighton is one of the best places in the UK to experience the traditional British seaside along with the style and excitement of a modern English town. It has been a popular holiday destination for centuries, so has had plenty of time to develop a wide range of attractions.

Royal Brighton

It all started 250 years ago, when members of the Royal family picked a sleepy fishing village on the south coast to be their seaside retreat from London.

The Prince of Wales, later to become King George IV, built the lavish Royal Pavilion, an extraordinary oriental palace a short walk from the beach, as his holiday home. Today, it’s one of Brighton’s top attractions. Inside you’ll find amazing ornate rooms where the young royals came to escape everyday life in the late 18th century. That mischievous, liberal atmosphere has influenced the evolution of Brighton ever since.

Coastal delights

The city was built from the seafront heading backwards. You’ll find impressive squares of grand white Regency and Georgian villas along the promenade. Some have become prestigious hotels, like the famous Grand Hotel. It’s a great place to have a traditional cream tea looking out to sea.

Explore a little further and you’ll find charming relics of the original Brighton fishing village, particularly down on the waterfront. The east pier is still a thriving attraction in the town. Here you can enjoy classic fairground attractions and a traditional seaside atmosphere perched above the waves.

The beach is a mix of sand and stones facing the waves of the English Channel. There are waterfront cafes, bars, galleries and nightclubs along this central stretch. It’s worth visiting on a sunny day to join the scores of people sitting here eating fish and chips or tucking into ice creams.

The best of modern day Brighton

The brand new British Airways i360 is set to be one of the town's biggest draws. The world's tallest moving observation tower, this state-of-the-art attraction gives you a breathtaking view from 450ft above the beach.

A short way to the east you’ll find the Brighton Wheel which offers thrilling rides in gondolas 160ft above the sea. Just behind the wheel is the exciting modern aquarium housed in period vaults beneath the promenade.

Head east along the promenade to find Brighton Marina. It’s a bracing walk or a short drive in a hire car. You can also get there on the period electric railway.

The modern marina development is a reclaimed area of shops, restaurants and leisure attractions including a casino, bowling alley and cinema. It’s also a good spot to wander the waterfront and find boat trips.

Exploring the quirky culture

Wander inland from the sea to discover the heart of Brighton’s character. There are busy streets of shops and restaurants but look for the two areas of narrow pedestrian alleyways called ‘The Lanes’ or ‘Laines’.

The south lanes are touristy, the north lanes are more eccentric. They're both a maze of quirky little courtyards and paths with independent shops selling everything from handmade pet clothes to shoes festooned in plastic flowers.

Explore all that this great city and surrounding area has to offer with Brighton car hire from Hertz.