Blog & Guides

Welcome to the Visit Bristol blog, your one-stop shop for ideas, inspiration and handy tips to make your time in Bristol that bit better!  

From suggested itineraries to festival round-ups and unmissable things to do, our guides aim to showcase the best of the city, whatever the time of year. We publish new blogs every week and keep our blog posts up-to-date with the latest information, so you can trust that you’re getting the most accurate and useful tips for your trip. 

Planning a trip with the family? Check out our guides on Places to stay with kids in and around Bristol and Things to do with teenagers. We’ve also got a list of 60 free things to do to keep costs down. 

Coming  here to sample as much of the food scene as you can? Have a read through our list of Bristol’s Michelin-starred restaurants, top cocktail bars and pub gardens, or find the best places to go for vegan food while you’re here. We’re sure you’ll also want to try a tasty Sunday roast while you’re here – we've rounded up a few of the best of those too! 

If you’re local to Bristol, or here for a few days, we’ve also got plenty of suggestions for day trips to the north, south, east and west of the city so that you can experience as much of the region as possible. Maybe you want to tick off all of the World Heritage Sites near Bristol, or discover our most accessible outdoor attractions

We’ll also have seasonal guides to help you get the most out of Summer in Bristol, from rooftop bars to scenic cycle routes, or find out what’s on for Christmas in and around the city. 

Keep checking back for more brilliant Bristol inspiration! 

The local's guide: Weston-super-Mare

There's much more to this coastal town than just the seafront and tourists. Karen Blake shares a few of her favourites in Weston-super-Mare... Weston has had a revival in the last few years, with multimillion-pound investments to enhance and improve the seafront, and a regeneration scheme attracting…

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The local's guide: Southville

Street art, street parties and street food - just a few reasons to visit this vibrant corner of South Bristol. We asked local resident Claire Greville to share some of her Southville favourites... There is some debate amongst us locals as to where Southville ends and where Bedminster begins. So…

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The local's guide: Totterdown

Close to Temple Meads station and within walking distance to the centre, Totterdown’s popularity is growing as a place to both live and visit. Thriving local businesses, award-winning cafes and a warm, community feel make this suburb well worth an explore. Faye Jenkins tells us about her home…

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The local's guide: Horfield

We asked family travel blogger Angharad Paull to tell us her favourite places to go in her patch of Bristol, Horfield. I’ve been a Bristolian for over 20 years now, and spent many of them living in Horfield, North Bristol. The area includes part of Gloucester Road, which means there are a good…

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The local's guide: Easton

Just outside Bristol city centre lies Easton. Often overlooked in favour of trendy Stokes Croft and the star attractions of central Bristol, the area has some great eateries that are worth a trip. Bristol Sweet Mart, St Mark’s Road Loved by Bristolians, the Bristol Sweet Mart is an independently…

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The local's guide: Montpelier

Local Tim Crutchley talks us through the must-see bits of Montpelier, Bristol's bohemian neighbourhood nestled just behind Stokes Croft... I’ve lived here for almost 7 years and truth be told I didn’t know much about the area when I moved in. Montpelier might not have the cache of Clifton, but there…

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The local's guide: Bishopston

Local foodie Charlie Harding gives us a guided tour of the neighbourhood surrounding the popular Gloucester Road. Where to eat Bishopston has a thriving independent restaurant and bar community with enough choice to please any palate. Here are just a few top picks from the wealth of choice on…

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The local's guide: Clevedon

About half an hour’s drive away from Bristol city centre, is the seaside town of Clevedon. Known as one of the locations for the hit ITV drama Broadchurch, there is lots to do, whether you are visiting with friends or family. With the pebbled beaches, famous walks and great places to eat, Clevedon…

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The local's guide: Thornbury

Andy Clarke tells us why it's worth venturing out of the city to explore this South Gloucestershire market town... It’s easy to come to a city and only venture to places you find on foot, never venturing far from your hotel or the train station. And let’s face it, Bristol is a treasure chest of a…

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The local's guide: Cotham and Kingsdown

Gin peddler, cocktail connoisseur and food fanatic Danny Walker tells us why this hilly suburb of Bristol is worth the climb... Kingsdown is a happy little suburb tucked away between Stokes Croft and Cotham, a stones throw from the city and a short walk from Gloucester Road and Clifton, so pretty…

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