Bristol

A day trip to the exciting city of Bristol with its iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge, Banksy artwork, the SS Great Britain and harbour front is just half an hour away by train from Weston-super-Mare.

With indoor and outdoor attractions, historic heritage sights, and plenty of fine dining, Bristol offers the perfect day trip for families, couples, groups or singletons.

So sit back, create your itinerary and prepare to visit one of England’s best-loved and most vibrant cities.

Don’t miss the stunning Clifton Suspension Bridge – Brunel’s masterpiece – which connects city to countryside via this spectacular bridge which brings the jaw-dropping cliffs either side of the beautiful Avon Gorge together.

The Clifton Observatory, which offers one of the best views of Bristol, and The Downs are among the best viewpoints for this iconic bridge and symbol of the city. But there’s more to the observatory than views. It also includes one of the only working Camera Obscuras open to the public in the UK, and access to the legendary Giants Cave,

Also, don’t miss the chance to climb aboard the historic Brunel’s SS Great Britain.  Explore the ship’s cabins on this wonderfully restored vessel which offers hours of entertainment. 

And if you want to indulge further into the city’s maritime history, discover The Matthew, a replica of the ship that John Cabot sailed to North America in 1497.

Staying around the harbour, where old and new are beautifully entwined, the M Shed museum offers a fascinating insight into Bristol’s history including the famous Bristol bus strikes.

Bristol Harbourside by Jim Cossey

The Harbourside offers some fantastic top-Bristol attractions in close proximity. centre We The Curious is a Hands-on science playground of creative exhibits and home to the UK’s first 3D Planetarium.

The Bristol Aquarium, with its overhead water tunnel, is another popular attraction. The Harbourside also has a viewing wheel as well as boat trips which offer a different perspective on some of the city’s famous brightly painted houses.

Talking of paint. Bristol is Banksy land. The world-famous street artist grew up in Bristol and some of his earliest work is hidden around the city.

In 2015, Banksy came back to the West Country for his internationally successful Dismaland exhibition in Weston-super-Mare. The pinwheel from that exhibition can be seen at Weston Museum but you can see some of his street art – for which he is most famous – in Bristol.

Here’s a good insight into some Banksy’s you can see in Bristol from our friends at www.VisitBristol. There’s around five you can see in central Bristol and about a dozen in total throughout the city.

There are specialist walking tours or you can create your own stopping off to sample some of the bars, cafés and restaurants the city has to offer, it's a day of culture, Bristol fashion.

For an art experience of a very different kind, don’t pass up the opportunity to visit the brilliant Wake The Tiger experience. It starts with a short performance before you’re invited to explore the maze of interactive spaces and secret passages at the ‘World’s First Amazement Park’.

Find time also to discover the city’s fascinating past and architecture. Bristol Cathedral and the Lord Mayor’s Chapel should be high on any visitor’s list.

Further afield, to the north of the city, Bristol’s rich aviation history is celebrated at Aerospace Bristol where you can step on board Concorde Alpha Foxtrot, the last of the iconic Bristol-built supersonic aeroplanes to fly.

Slightly outside the city, and within a stone’s throw of the Cribbs Causeway shopping centre and Junction 17 of the M5, lies the Bristol Zoo Project, which now incorporates the old Bristol Zoo.

In the same vicinity, adventure sports fans are also well-served. There’s The Wave inland surfing lake; Air Hop for those who want to jump, fly and slide; and the Planet Ice skating rink which is also home to the Bristol Pitbulls Ice Hockey team.

Meanwhile, lying just outside the city, on the  Southern side is the beautiful Ashton Court estate which is also home to the exciting Tree Tops High Ropes course which is great fun for adults and kids alike.