Brighton Beach is best known for its row of brightly painted bathing boxes, lined up along the sand with Port Phillip Bay in front and the Melbourne skyline behind. The boxes are privately owned and mostly decorative now, but they have become one of the city's most recognisable seaside images.
The beach itself is calm and suburban, better for a stroll, a swim in good weather, or a sunset photo than for wild coast drama. It sits south of St Kilda and works well as a quieter bay-side stop if you are already exploring Melbourne's southern suburbs.