There are so many attractions and places of interest to see in and around Bristol that you really will be spoilt for choice. There’s Explore-at-Bristol,a 21st science centre, the SS Great Britain, winner of numerous major awards and moored alongside is the Matthew the famous John Cabot replica ship. Whether you are aged 3 or 93, there is so much to discover about the SS Great Britain, her conservation, her history, there are also true stories of Victorian passengers and crew and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, whatever your interest or passion; you will find that there is something for everyone.
Bristol Zoo is situated in Clifton near to Bristol’s famous Durdham Downs. The zoo’s attractions include the new monkey jungle. As well as being a great family day out, the zoo has stunning gardens and grounds to enjoy.
There are numerous activities centre’s, exciting pursuits, ten pin bowling and a super ice skating rink, we are also lucky in the West Country to have several working animal farms, here children can see a variety of animals and even bottle feed the new born lambs. The animal farms are open all year round and all have indoor play areas to combat our English weather.
There are steam trains to ride on, beautiful gardens to visit and stroll around ,Castles and museums to explore and then of course there is the Bristol Harbourside, home to many annual fairs, dragon boat racing events and festivals and of course the fantastic free firework displays which are held throughout the year, many of the Harborside events are free to! Bristol also hosts the world famous International Bristol Balloon Fiesta and the Bristol International Kite Festival both held at Ashton Court. Many people are not aware that Bristol ’s famous "Old Duke " pub in King Street hosts an annual Jazz festival held in 17th century King Street during late August,. There is the annual North Somerset Show held at nearby Wraxall and of course the famous Bath & West Show in Somerset. This year has seen the return of the Bristol Wine and Food Fair and the revival of the Bristol Festival and St Paul’s Carnival.
There’s Durdham Downs: 400 fantastic acres of open space and grassland stretching for as far as you can see and where you can look out over the Avon Gorge.
Nearby places of interest include the world famous caves in Wookey Hole and Cheddar, along with the only aquarium in the South West ’Sea Aquarium’ in nearby Weston Super Mare, and of course the Helicopter Museum. This year there is the west country’s answer to the London Eye, the "Wheel of Weston" which can be found on the seafront at Weston Super Mare. Just a short drive away we have the world heritage city of Bath which is a world-class destination, rich in Roman and Georgian history.
Other unusual attractions include the fascinating Redcliffe Caves, the 15th to 18th century mine workings which extend under the Redcliffe area of the city of Bristol. The Clifton Rocks Railway has opened its doors once again and is now offering group trips,tours are limited to 10 visitors and no children under 10, there is a backlog of people waiting to join the tour www.cliftonrocksrailway.org.uk. And lastly there is of course the world renowned Brunel’s famous Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Whether you are a history buff, sci-fi fan or architectural enthusiast, Bristol and the South West have an abundance of things to do and places to see, so you can be pretty sure that there is something for everyone.
If it’s interesting and worth visiting, it’s on ’Whats on’. Check out our calendar listings for full details of all the ’must see’ attractions.