Brighton: Travel guide, prices and free housing · 2026

SRSergei RubanNov 14, 2015Read

Having seen everything we needed in Washington, we didn't think twice before heading to our next destination, Philadelphia. So, the city is Philadelphia, the weather is always sunny. Philadelphia became our shopping hub. The thing is, we accidentally stumbled upon a store selling brand-name items at a very low price. And there were a lot of items. A lot. And it turned out that we spent half our time in Philadelphia looking at shirts, jackets, and ties. (Shut up and take my money). Getting hungry, we rushed to find a place to satisfy our hunger. And we found one. The point of this cafe was that every slice of pizza was sold for a dollar. But the main highlight was that absolutely all the walls were covered with stickers on which different thoughts from different visitors were written. We found it very atmospheric and at least original. We didn't stay on the sidelines and left a reminder of ourselves. In Philadelphia, we didn't manage to see the sights at all. And it wasn't our fault, it was the 'Made in America' festival that coincided with our stay, because of which the entire city center was closed. But we weren't upset, because we were full, and in our bag lay brand-name items for which we would have had to pay an indecent amount of money in Russia. The next day we had to set off for New York. And at that moment, I probably hated the units of measurement and time format in the USA for the first time all summer. For those who don't know, America uses completely different, logically unjustified units of measurement. Also, they use a 12-hour time format. And so, instead of buying a ticket for 9 a.m., I buy a ticket for 9 p.m. And that means we spend another day in Philadelphia; a condition that did not suit us at all. And we had to buy another ticket and set off from where we started. (Comeback) So, the city is New York, the mood is downcast. Arriving in New York, I realized that there were only two days left before we returned to Russia, and this thought did not leave me until the very flight. First of all, we went to where we could soak up the Russian spirit – Brighton Beach. We were primarily interested in what kind of place it was and if everything there was really so Russian? It turned out that yes, but there is one problem. Russia in Brighton is the Russia of the 90s. Little Russia seemed very sad, dull, and uninteresting to us. People looked unhappy, young people were almost absent. Looking at all this, I wanted to return to America, and we did just that. We spent the second day in New York walking along Broadway. It felt like you had only arrived here yesterday and walked through these same places, but in reality, it was a distant three months ago. And each time it became more joyful for me to remember all those places that we had passed in New York. Maybe that is the magical power of this city – the more you think about it, the more you love it. At the very beginning, I said that New York disappointed. No, after all, New York charmed. And how does it manage to do that? The trip came to an end, and the captain of the New York – Moscow flight greeted us and wished us a pleasant flight. The same was done later by the captain of the Moscow – Tyumen plane. So, the city is Tyumen, the feeling is Well, that's it...

BSBulat ShaydullinFeb 1, 2015Read

All adventures begin and end here. As much as I didn't want to leave Boston, my flight to Moscow was departing from New York. I knew perfectly well that after the Pearl of the North, even the Big Apple might seem less appealing. Maybe I was wrong. Accommodation wasn't an issue—I could stay with a cousin of an acquaintance. The problem was something else: getting there with a huge suitcase and a backpack. Especially since I remembered all too well how I messed up last time, paying 10 times the necessary fare in the subway. Tip: READ the subway car signs CAREFULLY. Just because you are on your line, unfortunately, doesn't mean all trains go where you need to go. Even a train running on your line might not stop at your station. After leaving my things at my acquaintance's place and washing up, I set off in search of free Manhattan fun. Must-see/visit: - Central Park; - Brooklyn Bridge; - Chinatown; - Little Italy; - Broadway; - Times Square at night; - Staten Island Ferry; - Brighton Beach. In Chinatown, there are people who were born in this neighborhood, lived and worked there, and died there, never leaving the area and never knowing English. Consequently, explaining or asking anything from such people won't work. This can play into your hands: I got lucky and, right in front of these people, I left without paying for fixing a couple of errors in the menu. When I was in New York, there was some kind of fair going on in Italy, so I was able to see a few Italians. But in general, Chinatown is growing very fast and slowly but surely is swallowing up Little Italy. Don't be lazy; take a walk down Broadway and head down to Wall Street, then to the water itself, where the free Staten Island Ferry departs. Not only will you sail past the Statue of Liberty, but you'll also get a stunning view, first of Manhattan, then of New York and Jersey City. It's worth it. Tip: Midtown is full of signs like "Pizza for 0.99". In reality, this pizza costs a dollar, but it's still very cheap (the only thing cheaper is at "7-Eleven", where it's $2 for 2 slices, but both with toppings). Sit in Central Park in the evening. Just sit under a tree after a long day or lie on the grass. Listen to what the city residents are talking about. Walk to the lake if you can't sit still. If your hands are still reaching for your gadget, you can delete unnecessary photos and admire the good shots. Drink some water, look around—you are in a forest, in a real jungle inside a jungle. Gather your strength—ahead is the nighttime Times Square and 5th Avenue. When the sun sets and night falls, only one place in New York shines as brightly as it does during the day—that's Times Square! Crowds of people, bright advertising billboards, and actors dressed in costumes of favorite characters—all this creates a special atmosphere. If the prospect of being in a huge crowd of people doesn't excite you, take a walk along 5th Avenue and visit (or maybe buy something there) world-famous stores like M&M's, Hershey's, NBA Store, as well as expensive boutiques. Tip: If you are interested in shopping, head to "Century 21" in Brooklyn. A huge clothing and footwear store with famous brands at quite reasonable prices. The remaining time can well be spent visiting the American Museum of Natural History (which closes at 5:30 PM). And please, since you are in New York, don't make my mistake—go up to the Empire State Building and look at New York from the wind-swept observation deck. Back then I regretted the $29, now I'm ready to pay twice as much just to go back there and not miss the opportunity. Tip: Don't regret the $29 and go up to the Empire State Building observation deck. Brighton! Just take a trip to this street and look at the Russian-language store signs, "Moya Semya" juices, candies with the mysterious name "Korovka", "Adjika" spices, and the funny "Tarkhun" soda. Looking at the eternally rushing pedestrians and the cars constantly yielding to them, looking at the painfully familiar-lo

АСАртём СелезнёвZellss · Nov 1, 2012Read

That was the longest subway ride ever. Have you ever stayed awake for about 50 hours straight? It’s an unreal feeling. Especially in such a sleepy place as the subway. As soon as I closed my eyes for a second, my brain would shut down, my legs would give way, and just as I started to fall, I’d realize where I was and wake up. This went on for over an hour. From the outside, it must have looked pretty funny =) After stepping onto the Brighton Beach platform, the thought crossed my mind that this is probably what life looked like in the late 80s and early 90s. Russians everywhere and the smell of a market. Brighton Beach quickly sobered me up, and I started looking for the place whose address I had found online beforehand. After two hours of searching, I found the house, but they hadn't even heard of any hostel there. Damn it! Okay, what other options are there? Surely they have newspapers with room rental ads. And I was right! Half an hour later, I had a thick newspaper in my hands with a bunch of different ads. After calling a dozen apartments, I settled on a place for 12 dollars a night. I was already anticipating how I would sleep. S-l-e-e-p, it’s so wonderful when you haven't slept for a long time. But before that, I stopped by Starbucks to get online and find the house I needed on the map. And it was in that establishment that another strange encounter took place. I was standing in line for the restroom, minding my own business, when the guy behind me started talking: - How everything has changed! When I was here last time, none of this existed – no Starbucks, no McDonald's! How much Brighton has changed! - Are you not from around here? - No, I live in Paris and came to visit Brighton. How everything has changed here... And where are you from? - I'm a tourist. Currently looking for a place to stay the night. - Oh, if you need a ride anywhere, let me know. I have a car outside! - Great! You're just in time =) He seemed like a perfectly adequate, good-natured guy. In principle, that's what he turned out to be, but with his own quirks. While we were driving, it turned out he was the owner of a porn site))) He also places actors in such films. The guy told a simply heart-wrenching story about how he got a friend into the porn business as an actor and about all the difficulties of this profession. I think the blog's censorship wouldn't let the details through)) Pulling up to the place of my future overnight stay, he left his number and warned: “If anything happens, call. All sorts of bad things happen here.” Okay, I hope I won't need the number) I walk into the house and the first thought in my head is: “ARE YOU KIDDING ME???” First a gay Chinese guy, then a porn business owner, and now I've ended up in some kind of den. Whatever, I want to sleep, and I don't care about the rest. I paid the set amount, crawled onto some semblance of a bed in the safest corner, covered myself with everything I could, and immediately passed out. Loud music played all night, but it seemed very far away and somewhere deep in my dreams. In the morning I woke up, left this shelter, took a deep breath of air with pleasure, and headed to my travel companions in Chinatown. They must have been worried about me by now)

НКНаталия Карпенкоmoscowmain_788129278804 · Oct 30, 2012Read

I arrived in New York without any issues and headed to Long Island to sleep. The next morning, I had grand plans to conquer New York) I had to make up for everything I hadn't managed to do all summer in New York in just one day) I woke up at 7 AM and set off. First stop: Times Square. Even though I'd walked past it many times, how could I leave America without a photo at Times Square?)) Plus, I needed to say goodbye to this famous spot... I also popped into Quiksilver and bought a New York t-shirt) I'm so stoked, no one else will have one like it, it's not like those basic "I ❤️ NY" prints)) Then I went for a walk in Central Park. I hadn't visited this legendary place all this time. That wouldn't do) But on the way, I ducked into a shop, bought some clothes, and then some jewelry too)) It's some kind of madness, it's only the beginning of the day and I'm already running around with bags)) After walking around Central Park, I went to Chinatown, since I'd never been to that neighborhood, and you can buy cheap souvenirs there) I went in and completed my plan) but Chinatown amazed me, strangely enough, with the number of Chinese people)) I didn't even think there would be THAT many))) well, I expected some, but not 98% of the people on the streets) I literally met only 2-3 non-Chinese people)) Next point: Statue of Liberty) I went, bought a ticket, took the boat to it, admired it, and listened to the audio tour. I really wanted to go to Ellis Island too, but I was afraid I wouldn't have enough time. The thing is, I still had plans to visit Brighton Beach and make it to the Empire State Building before sunset. Because I really want to see the city in daylight, and then in lights) But if I go to Ellis Island, I might not make it before sunset... While sailing from the statue towards Manhattan, I realized how tired I was and how I didn't want to go anywhere... It all reminded me of the days when I worked as a courier a couple of years ago, having to visit a bunch of places by a certain time... only there the load got lighter by the end of the day, but for me, it was the opposite) But then it dawned on me - oh my god, today is my last day in America! Stop whining, it's time to get everything out of this day!!) I got to Brighton, walked around, admired the Russian signs, and listened to the Russian people around me)) It's so great when you see a piece of home in another country))) Sigh, soon Russian-speaking people around won't cause so many emotions, just in a couple of days... I headed back from Brighton, and by the time I arrived, it was starting to get dark. I climbed up the Empire State Building and was speechless... It's insane! The whole city is in the palm of my hand, I can't even believe I'm at such a height! I wanted to take photos, photos, shoot videos, and take more photos! I also wanted to just look down at everything happening below for a long time... the only thing spoiling the picture was the huge number of people who were also pushing to see it all.. I came down after this unimaginable sight, went for some mini-shopping, and headed back to Long Island. Tomorrow I have a flight to Moscow. And so my summer in the States has ended. I can't believe that in just a little while I'll be in Russia.

LKLyudmila Kovalevamila_kovaleva · Oct 17, 2011Read

New York... I know so many people who would do anything just to visit this city. Heck, I dreamed about it myself! But honestly, once I was there, I realized this city isn't for me... and frankly, few people could actually live there. New York is actually a very dirty, noisy, and crowded city; you just want to hide from all these people, but they are everywhere! And everyone is running somewhere, in such a rush... life there doesn't just flow, it boils! And there are very few kind or polite people... it's like ending up in a wild jungle where it's every person for themselves. I won't deny that New York is a very beautiful city... you can't describe all the emotions you feel when you end up in Times Square at night... Thousands of lights, hundreds of glowing billboards, and it feels like you've stepped into a TV show. But among all that crowd, you don't feel like an individual; you feel like just a part of the mass... and you start to suffocate, you literally run out of air. In this city, you don't even fully realize you're in America, because you can see anyone here: Koreans, Chinese, Russians, Mexicans, Spaniards, etc. When we arrived in New York, it felt strange to hear Russian speech all around us; I can even say more—it was actually unpleasant, even though for those two months I had dreamed of speaking Russian with someone other than Asel. There's even a neighborhood called Brighton Beach where Russians live who don't even know English! That just doesn't seem right! Maybe you'll think I'm crazy, but if I had the chance to stay and live in America, I would never, ever stay in New York. I would rather go live in a small, quiet, and peaceful town like Cody... and I don't need your hyped-up New York at all!)

ССлаваErofeev · Nov 4, 2010Read

I think this is the last page... A few words about Russia, which I never stopped comparing to America and which, I think, I understood (although a genius once said: "Russia cannot be understood with the mind") a little bit more... Russians are so proud of their mentality, their unique character, that it becomes sad. And what is the most striking feature of this character? The ability to fool anyone in any situation! Wow! Found something to be proud of. (By the way, in Brooklyn, where most of the Russian-speaking population of NY is concentrated, the cost of car insurance is much higher than in other parts of the city... why? because Russians have learned to deceive insurance companies). In America, my resentment towards the Russian-speaking population intensified... Brighton Beach Avenue is a symbol of Russia. You look around - signs with mistakes, you look straight ahead - poorly dressed people with angry faces choosing a Dontsova book, the disgusting smell of this street made me run away from it, and most importantly - you can't see the sky. Instead of it, a piece of the subway track... Iron on this street replaces the endless blue space... But if you look to the side, the infinity of the beautiful, the infinity of the ocean will open up to your gaze... The only thing I missed in America, as it turned out, was the real Russian language. Not mutilated by people for whom it was never native and not diluted by other languages in the heads of people for whom it has ceased to be native (who say "come tomorrow and we will be seeing" and "have a good day"), but the real one... I still haven't taken my exams because I'm too lazy to read. I'm writing this blog to return to the past and relive everything all over again. I can't react normally to the changes happening in my life because I just don't have the strength. I can't force myself to go to university because I'm constantly sleepy. I look at the ocean in a picture and I feel disgusted looking out the window at reality. I don't want to talk to people because they won't understand my sadness and longing. I miss this country, I miss Miami... I haven't missed any person the way I miss this city, I miss its unbearable heat, its blue salty water. I feel an emptiness inside me because only my body returned to Russia, while all my desires, thoughts, and dreams were taken by America and Miami. I will return there someday, I promise... Thanks to those who read at least something.

КСКамиль Сайдашевkamil89 · Oct 31, 2010Read

August 19, 2010 We went to New York to Brighton Beach. Interesting. Toll roads, since we drove Lana's car. Lots of Russians. We ate Russian food and got nostalgic. The ocean is cool. Beautiful. The weather isn't great, most days are cloudy, but today it's sunny. I don't sell water on cloudy days. I had a fight with Ulyana. I wanted to leave and go to New York, even packed my bags. Decided to stay – she took my details as a guarantee that I wouldn't steal anything from her) it's insulting) My energy and mood dropped a bit because of the argument. But I'll try to stay positive. There are always people who throw sh*t your way, if you pay attention to them – that's it, you're done. Know yourself, believe in a good life – everything will be fine.

We landed at the airport in New York City. Excitement and fear, anticipation and delight – that very feeling when you realize where you are, but still cannot believe it. Perhaps this is the first city where it proved impossible to determine my attitude at first glance. Walking along the evening avenues, I couldn't figure out if I felt comfortable here or not. But one thing was clear: NY is stunning in its power! The skyscrapers, the people, the rhythm, and the energy as a whole – it’s what makes you hold your breath in an attempt to process what is happening. It seems that everything in New York moves faster than the hands of a clock, and that is impressive. Walking along Wall Street, Brooklyn Bridge, Broadway, Battery Park, where you get a view of the Statue of Liberty, as well as the incredible view of nighttime New York from the Empire State Building – everything looks amazing, but a strange feeling persists. It is not like in the movies. And there it is – the destruction of the first stereotype. Reality is far from Hollywood blockbusters. Having watched various TV series and films set in New York, I imagined the city somewhat differently. Not worse or better, just different. The main conclusion: never build illusions! As they say, it is better to see once… NY welcomed me, and NY saw me off. Before flying back to Russia, I also visited Brooklyn, immersing myself in the atmosphere of the Russian Brighton Beach, and took photos against the backdrop of the numerous advertising displays of the most famous square in the world – Times Square. Walks in Brooklyn and Manhattan, Central Park, Apple Store + everything I visited in the first days of my stay in America – the minimum program in New York has been completed. Summary: New York is a very powerful city with its own specifics, which strikes you with its energy. For some, it captures the soul, while others are ready to escape this hustle and bustle as soon as possible. But New York is not all of America… Moving on.