23 min readFrantic for ideas on what to get your loved ones for Christmas? Worry no more! Visit Bristol’s elves have searched Bristol's sensational shopping selection high and low to sniff out the top Bristol-themed gifts that’ll have your nearest and dearest dancing a Christmas jig for joy. Fact. #MerryBristmas!
Jump to: Experiences | Love Bristol Gift Card | Gift shopping | Spas & wellbeing | Animals | Attractions | Fun & games | Hot air balloon rides | Adventure | Theatre | Souvenirs | Books about Bristol | Drinks | Local food | Jewellery
Bristol Experiences
Whether you're shopping for someone who's into adventure, nature, history, culture, or food, there are Bristol experiences they'll love.
Yuup is an experience marketplace where you can book and gift local experiences in Bristol. Support local, shop small, and give someone a memory to last a lifetime- all in one Christmas gift! From creating Christmas decorations to gin workshops and pottery classes, you’ll find something for everyone. Gift your special people one-off experiences they can’t find anywhere else.
Image - Printmaking class via Yuup
Many of Bristol's cookery schools offer gift vouchers for their classes, which include a range of different cuisines and techniques at Cooking It or Papadeli.
Treat someone to their very own Bake Off experience with gift vouchers or tickets for Bake It! Bristol, where they can have a go at making a themed cake, with all of the ingredients and equipment provided.
Image - Bake It! Bristol
The classes at Studio Pachira make a great present for someone creative, with a choice of workshops covering painting, printmaking, clay, collage, and more.
If you're looking for a special gift for a budding Banksy, how about a voucher for a street art workshop and tour? Where the Wall offers gift certificates for stencil art spray sessions as well as adult, OAP, student and young person walking tours. Or you could check out the gift vouchers for one-to-one and couples graffiti workshops from Graft.
Image - Graft
Many local food and drink tours offer gift vouchers for you to give to the foodie in your life. GOOD: Stories in Food do vouchers for their Bristol Hotspots & Hidden Treasures as well as their Wine and Cheese Tasting in the Cheddar Valley tour. Food Tours of Bristol run regular guided tours around the foodie hotspots of Wapping Wharf and North Street in Bedminster.
Beer fans will love a gift voucher for Craft Beer Tour Bristol, which visits a variety of tap rooms, breweries and craft beer bars across the city. Or if your loved one is more of a wine connoisseur, you can purchase gift vouchers for bottles, gift sets, tours and tastings at local vineyards Aldwick Estate and Woodchester Valley Vineyard.
Image - GOOD Stories in Food
Browse a range of special hotel packages to treat someone to a weekend away with offpeakluxury.com.
Some more exciting experiences that make great gifts:
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Fly a hawk or gift an Owl Experience at The Bird of Prey Project
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Sleep in the UK's largest four-poster bed at Thornbury Castle
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Improve your wine knowledge with a class or course at Bristol Local Wine School
Image - Tour of the vaults at Clifton Suspension Bridge
Love Bristol Gift Card
Take the guesswork out of present-buying and give the gift of Bristol city centre.
The Love Bristol Gift Card has been created by Bristol BID, and is available to buy online as either a physical or digital card. Buy your cards from lovebristolgiftcard.co.uk or visit Trespass on Merchant Street in Bristol Shopping Quarter, where you can pick up your gift card and load it yourself! With over 180 businesses accepting the Love Bristol Gift Card from independents to well-known brands, you'll be spoilt for choice.
New for 2025 is the '12 Days of Bristmas' - until Christmas Eve, every Love Bristol Gift Card purchased will be entered into a prize draw for some amazing experiences across the city, including backstage access at shows, private boat trips and much more! Buy your Love Bristol Gift Card and enter now.
Image - The Love Bristol Gift Card
Gift Shopping
Bristol has a wealth of brilliant shops and markets for you to do some gift shopping.
Bristol Shopping Quarter is home to Bristol Christmas Market until 23 December, as well as over 100 independent businesses, including Bristol Pop-Up Shop next to The Galleries, where you can find a range of locally-made jewellery, homewares and more. SPARKS is the place to go for sustainable gifts, from fashion and food, as well as houseplants and home decorations.
Image - SPARKS Bristol
Nearby Cabot Circus and Quakers Friars have well-known brands, both international and local, from the Harvey Nichols department store to Prior Shop, which stocks a range of local designers and makers.
Image - Prior Shop
Wapping Wharf is also home to some fantastic independent retailers, including Bookhaus, Fig1 and Something Elsie vintage shop, while Clifton Village, Park Street, North Street and Gloucester Road also have more than their fair share of shopping options. To the north of the city, The Mall at Cribbs Causeway is the place to go for a huge selection of high street names.
Image - Cabot Circus
Wellbeing and relaxation
Treat someone to a day of pampering and indulgence at one of Bristol’s spas.
Gift vouchers are available from Bristol Lido for all sorts of blissful offerings. Choose between treatment, food or monetary vouchers.
Treat that special loved one this Christmas with a relaxing spa experience, take them on a journey into a stress-free life of calm tranquillity or a spa break to properly switch off and reset at Aztec Hotel's award-winning spa. Bristol Harbour Hotel also offers similar gift experiences for more marvellous wellbeing activities.
For a wonderful restorative experience, gift them a voucher for the Bristol Float Centre.
Book a spa package at Foxhills Spa, a boutique spa nestled within Bristol’s countryside in the grounds of Old Down Country Park.
Image - Bristol Lido
Animal encounters
Gift an animal lover an adoption package, a keeper experience or VIP animal experience.
Bristol Zoo Project has adoption packs for their bears, giraffes, ring-tailed lemurs and red pandas. New adoption packs for 2025: cheetahs, lynxes, wolves and wolverines! Each includes an eco-friendly 3D model of your chosen animal, an adoption certificate and a detailed fact-file. As well as helping to care for the animals at Bristol Zoo Project, you'll be supporting their conservation work across the globe. Their animal experiences also make the perfect Christmas gift for animal lovers; choose between 'Cheetah Experience', 'Giraffe Experience', or 'Keeper for the Day'.
Image- Bristol Zoo Project
Old Down Country Park offers animal adoptions. Adoptees will be able to enjoy a special adoption package that includes a general admission ticket, a thank you letter, a fact sheet, an adoption certificate and more.
Get up close with lemurs, foxes, tortoises, meerkats, or capybaras at Chew Valley Animal Park, where packages start from £50 per person. Other gift options include animal adoptions and purchasing enriching gifts for the animals in the park.
Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm offers 'Adopt an animal' packages, one for families and one for single animal lovers. They also offer animal and keeper experiences with elephants, bears, giant tortoises or lions.
Image - Noah's Ark Zoo Farm
Get hands-on with the lovely alpacas at Wolfridge Alpaca Farm, where you can learn how to hold an alpaca, do basic health checks and feed them out of your hand.
Longleat offers VIP Experiences throughout the year, plus if you book a VIP experience between November and January, to can enjoy the fantastic Festival Of Light as part of your ticket.
Avon Valley Adventure Park offers VIP Animal Encounters, where you'll be able to get up close and learn about your favourite animal with a ranger-led, interactive 45-minute experience. Buy a gift voucher and the lucky recipient can book when it suits them.
Image - Avon Valley Adventure Park
Attraction tickets & membership
Bristol’s attractions offer an annual membership at fantastic value and are a great way to give a gift that will be used again and again.
Brunel’s SS Great Britain costs £62 for a family pass (2 adults and 2 OR 3 children) and includes unlimited visits for one year. Individual annual tickets are £22 for adults and £13.50 for children.
Give the gift of wonder with annual passes or gift vouchers to Wake the Tiger, the world's first Amazement Park ®, where you can explore the dazzling world of Meridia, from ice caves to glowing forests. Annual membership prices start from £25 for their Tiger Tots Annual Pass to £39.50 for an adult Anytime Annual Pass.
Return again and again to discover the underwater world with an annual membership at Bristol Aquarium (£186 for a family of four).
Image - Bristol Aquarium
Bristol Zoo Project offers gift Annual Passes (adult £54, child £42) for the animal-lover in your life to visit their favourites, from bears and giraffes at Bristol Zoo Project. In addition to unlimited entry to Bristol Zoo Project for a whole year, annual pass holders benefit from perks such as discounts in the gift shop and café.
A family of four can visit the fascinating Aerospace Bristol, home of the last Concorde ever the be built and fly, for £55 and tickets are valid for a year. Individual tickets for the year are £19.50 for adults and £12 for children.
Image - Aerospace Bristol
Noah's Ark Zoo Farm offers an individual annual membership from £104.50, or an annual family membership for a family of four for £308, with unlimited entry to their zoo, farm, indoor adventure centre and discounts in the cafe and gift shop. They also offer gift tickets and gift vouchers of various amounts to spend on whatever you like.
Old Down Country Park offers annual memberships from £52, with family memberships from £214. As well as unlimited entry all year long, members also get discounts on seasonal events such as Christmas and Fireworks.
Slimbridge Wetland Centre annual individual membership starts at £54, or family membership starts at £87, and offers entry to nine wetland centres across the UK. You can also buy a gift membership.
Image - WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre
We The Curious is a science centre and educational charity with a mission to build a better world together, where everyone is included, curious and inspired by science. Every purchase (large or small) made in their online shop will make a huge difference. Choose from out-of-this-world space food, inspiring books, sustainable science kits to games, robots and jewellery. They can gift wrap your presents and include cards with a personal message. They also sell gift cards, or an annual membership is available starting from £37 for an individual, or £87.60 for a family of four.
A National Trust membership will gain you entry to over 500 places across the UK, including Tyntesfield, Dyrham Park and Newark Park near Bristol. A family membership with 2 adults starts from £139.20 per year, or an individual adult membership is £91.20 (or £45.60 for ages 18 - 25).
Westonbirt The National Arboretum offers joint (£85) or single (£45) membership to its magical tree garden, entitling the owner to 364 days of free entry, early bird booking and free entry for kids when with a parent or grandparent member.
Image - Enchanted Christmas at Westonbirt Arboretum
Fun & games
Bristol has several activity bars, which offer gift vouchers and packages.
Roxy Lanes offers vouchers which can be used across their 8 full-size bowling lanes, batting cages for baseball and tennis, shuffleboards, full-size pool tables, ice-free curling and more.
Give someone the experience of trying their hand at darts at Flight Club.
Image - Flight Club
King Pins in Cabot Circus has ten-pin bowling as well as shuffleboard, tech darts and arcade games. 1920s-inspired Putt Above has mini golf, darts and a range of party packages.
Sixes Social Cricket gives you the chance to practice your batting while enjoying cocktails and sharing plates, or you can choose to perfect your swing on the 9-hole mini golf courses at Par 59 - both offer gift vouchers.
Image - Sixes Social Cricket
You can buy gift cards for trampoline park AirHop Bristol, as well as goodie bags featuring a bounce ball, premium grip socks, stickers and more.
For something a bit different, get your loved one vouchers for Alcotraz Bristol, a prison-themed cocktail bar where you have to sneak in your moonshine and try to avoid suspicion from the warden!
Image - Alcotraz Bristol
Book a hot air balloon flight
Planning something super special? Give someone the unforgettable experience of soaring high above the city in a hot air balloon.
Fly Away Ballooning and Virgin Balloon Flights all offer flights. Book a private trip, a champagne flight, or buy gift vouchers.
Wonderdays also offer a range of fun days out which make for a perfect gift, from hot air balloon trips and driving experiences to afternoon tea.
Image - balloon flight over Bristol, credit Angharad Paull
Adventure seekers and water lovers
Find the perfect gift for the thrill-seeker in your life!
If you know a keen surfer or someone who’s always wanted to learn to surf, why not gift a Surf that they can use to book a session at The Wave.
Image - The Wave
Choose from over 25 exciting outdoor activities with Mojo Active in Almondsbury, including den building in the woods, archery, axe throwing and even a full military assault course!
Bristol Activity Centre, on the outskirts of the city at Cribbs Causewa,y allows you to purchase gift vouchers, which can be used for over 10 different outdoor activities, suitable for children or adults. Activities include paintball, quad biking, clay pigeon shooting, archery, crossbows, Airsoft, bubble football, Battle Archery, axe throwing and air rifles.
Image - Bristol Activity Centre
Vouchers are available for ice skating sessions and lessons at Planet Ice in Cribbs Causeway, if you want to get more confident on the ice!
Mendip Activity Centre is the ultimate adventure playground in the heart of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Book gift vouchers, courses and experiences for family, friends and anyone you know who loves adventure! Choose from learn to ski and snowboard courses, tobogganing, frisbee golf, archery, bushcraft, kayak and canoe, rock climbing and so much more.
Image - Mendip Activity Centre
Pedal Progression is a skills coaching and mountain bike hire company based in Ashton Court Estate. You can purchase gift vouchers towards hire, skills sessions and private tuition.
Know someone with a head for heights? Get them kitted up to descend the Avon Gorge with the help of a trained instructor from the Adventurous Activity Company – remember to enjoy the view on the way down!
Go off-road in the great outdoors on a Segway safari through the forest. This is a great option for thrillseekers who also enjoy being in nature. Or take to the trees on a high ropes course in Ashton Court with Adventure Bristol!
Image - Tree top high ropes course with Adventure Bristol
A popular gift option is watersports in Bristol's Floating Harbour. All Aboard Watersports offers a range of activities, including sailing, kayaking, canoeing, rowing, paddleboarding, and powerboating, with accessible options to suit all abilities. Vouchers are available in amounts of £10 and upwards.
SUP Bristol - Stand Up Paddleboarding offers public, group, private and SUP courses in stand up paddleboarding.
Image - SUP Bristol
Theatre tickets
Treat them to tickets for a production at one of Bristol's theatres.
From West End and Broadway smash hits at Bristol Hippodrome to classic performances at Bristol Old Vic and comedy at Bristol Improv Theatre, there are plenty of options for the theatre-lover in your life.
Some upcoming shows in 2026 include The Woman in Black at Bristol Old Vic (21 - 25 April), Matilda The Musical at The Bristol Hippodrome (2 - 26 June), and Miss Saigon at Bristol Hippodrome (21 July - 1 August).
You can also purchase gift vouchers and memberships for Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol Old Vic, The Wardrobe Theatre, or Tobacco Factory Theatres.
Image - Bristol Hippodrome
Bristol-themed souvenirs
Give the gift of Bristol to your loved ones, and support local businesses and creatives.
One of the highlights of 2025 was the Gromit Unleashed 3 trail, and now you can own your very own Gromit Unleashed figurine, including Noel Gromit, Nutcracker Gromit, and Gingerbird Feathers McGraw. You can also choose from a range of other stocking fillers, such as “Paint Your Own Gromit” kits, Bristol-inspired jigsaws, decorations, cards, and glittering pin badges.
Image - Nutcracker Gromit figurine
The city used to be one of the most important glass-making centres in Europe, thanks to its distinctive blue glass, which dates back some 300 years. Bristol Blue Glass continues to make beautiful glassware in the traditional way and offers a collection of classy, glassy gifts – from jewellery and wine glasses to perfume bottles, beads, baubles and bowls. Visit the studio and you can see them being made, or learn to blow one yourself!
Image - Bristol Blue Glass
The city’s attractions also have excellent gift shops, filled with unique Bristol-inspired gifts. Brunel's SS Great Britain stocks a boat-load of ship-shape souvenirs, stocking fillers, books, maritime prints by local artists, Isambear Kingdom Brunel teddy bears and the Brunel Duck in their shop, both in person at the attraction and also online.
Head to the Bristol Museums Online Shop, combining the delights of what you'd find in the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery and M Shed gift shops like books on Banksy, work by local artists, jewellery, toys and souvenirs inspired by current exhibitions.
The Clifton Suspension Bridge is often seen as the symbol of Bristol. The Clifton Suspension Bridge Museum is located at the Leigh Woods end of the bridge and has an online shop with products ranging from books to puzzles. If you are interested in the most stunning pictures of the bridge and its surroundings, we highly recommend the book 'Clifton Suspension Bridge: The Official Guidebook' by Adrian Andrews and Michael Pascoe, or 'From Brycgstow to Bristol in 45 bridges' by Jeff Lucas & Thilo Gross.
Image - Clifton Suspension Bridge
Arnolfini’s specialist bookshop is a great place for tomes on contemporary art, design and culture. If you can't make it along to browse in person, visit their online shop instead.
Buy prints and books and more for your arty friends at the contemporary gallery Spike Island. Shop with them online or in person.
Image - Brunel's SS Great Britain
The aim of the Martin Parr Foundation is to support photography from the British Isles. They also organize events such as workshops, book signings, seminars and talks. In their webshop, they mainly sell (signed) books, but also some limited edition prints. Their tote bags feature one of Martin's most iconic pictures, taken at Sandy Bay in 1997. Perfect for the environmentally conscious!
Image - Martin Parr Foundation
Books about Bristol
Discover Banksy’s street art in his fascinating book ‘Wall and Piece’, recreate dishes from your favourite Bristolian restaurants at home with 'The Bristol Cookbook', wow someone special with Colin Moody’s photography book 'Glorious Gloucester Road', go on a journey through 'Weird Bristol' with Charlie Revelle-Smith’s book and entertain little ones with the story Is that Doris? all about the pliosaur fossil found near Bristol and now displayed in Bristol Museum & Art Gallery.
- 'Travel' to Bristol with a book - our recommended reading list for books about the city and local authors
Image - Bookhaus book shop in Wapping Wharf - Credit Hey What
Bristol drinks
Boost someone’s Christmas spirit…
...collection with a bottle of Spirit of Bristol gin. As well as their ethically-made standard range, which is inspired by areas of Bristol (there's the floral Clifton Royale, or Navy strength Harbourside), they also have a limited edition Sloe Berry Gin, which has been steeping since spring! They've even got some suggested serves:
SLOE MARTINI: 40ml Sloe Gin | 20ml Dry Vermouth | 20ml Sweet Vermouth. Stir over ice, strain, and finish with a Luxardo cherry.
SLOE FIZZ: 50ml Sloe Gin | 10ml Lemon Juice | Top with Prosecco or Champagne. Shake the gin and lemon, pour into a flute, and top with fizz.
6 O’clock Gin is handmade and bottled just outside Bristol. Personalised bottles, gin gift packs and fruit liqueurs are all available from their online shop, at the distillery, or on board their shop Glassboat on Welsh Back. Or you could treat gin enthusiasts further by booking a distillery tour or cocktail masterclass.
Image - 6 O'clock Gin
Treat your beloved beer lover to a ‘hoppy’ Christmas with a mixed can gift pack from Bristol breweries Wiper and True, Bristol Beer Factory or Lost & Grounded Brewers, all of which sell through their online shops for national delivery, or can be purchased directly at the brewery taprooms, or from local bottle shops across Bristol.
Wiper and True have a special new release for Christmas, 'Hundred Not Out', brewed using hops grown by local care home residents.
Image - Wiper and True
Pick up a bottle of award-winning rosé or sparkling wine from Dunleavy Vineyards, which is based on the outskirts of Bristol.
You can also choose from a range of organic local tipples from Wild West Cider & Wine, made just the other side of the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Failand. There's also the option to purchase gift cards for their tours and tastings.
Image - Wild West Cider
Discover more local ciders on The Cider Box's online shop, which also sells vouchers for their events, or buy a gift set or selection box from well-known local cidermakers Thatchers Cider.
KASK in Bedminster not only offers DIY wine tasting kits which can be delivered across the UK, but also hosts regular cheese & wine evenings and themed tasting events.
Purchase vouchers for a spirits tasting or event at Spirited in Bedminster - not only does this shop and bar have a brilliant range of whisky, rum, gin, and more to buy, but also runs ticketed tasting events and supper clubs throughout the year. Book tickets as a gift, or order a gift card which can be used in-store or for one of their events.
Image - Spirited
Give the gift of tasty Bristol food
Pick up some excellent local cheeses for your festive cheeseboard from The Bristol Cheesemonger, either at their shop on Gloucester Road, or their online store.
The next best thing to Santa whooshing down your chimney with a stocking full of presents has got to be Pieminister turning up at your door with pie gifts. Hand-pick the perfect selection through their online shop. There are also gift ideas for pie-fanatic family and friends – pick up aprons, a pie cookbook, pin badges, oven gloves or gift vouchers. All are British and ethically made, just like the pies!
Image - Pieminister
Browse a range of locally-made hot sauces, mustards, jams, seasonings and pickled eggs on Gingerbeard's online shop, or find them stocked at a range of local delis and markets.
Image - GingerBeard's Preserves
Many of Bristol restaurants offer vouchers or gift cards to use for a meal or event, including KIBOU in Clifton. Gift cards are now available for their Afternoon Tea or sushi sharing platter with a flight of sake. Either purchase online as a digital or physical gift card, or pop into the restaurant.
Image - Japanese-inspired afternoon tea at KIBOU
Treat someone to a voucher for a sushi masterclass at Yakinori. An experienced sushi chef will talk through some of the history behind this delicacy before teaching the essentials of sushi making and preparation.
If you're looking for local or responsibly-sourced foodie gifts to build your own hamper, head to Flourish Foodhall for a range of organic, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan products. Discover locally produced meats, specialty cheeses, veggie deli products, freshly baked breads and delicious patisserie.
Image - Flourish Foodhall
Have a herby Christmas
Find gifts for keen gardeners and cooks on Jekka's online shop, including new winter herb boxes and a calendar celebrating herbs throughout the year. Vouchers are also available for their spring masterclasses on topics ranging from growing and cooking with herbs to botanical screenprinting.
Image - Jekka's Herb Garden
Jewellery & homewares
Leave a special shiny something from Wylde Jewellers under the tree. Their birthstone collection, snowflake earrings, star rings and diamond pieces are all favourites at Christmas. Pop into their Clifton store for a glass of mulled wine or champagne while one of the team chats you through the range.
Browse a range of one-off jewellery pieces from Bristol Blue Glass, including necklaces and earrings.
You can also find vintage and classic jewellery at stalls in St Nicholas Market.
Image - St Nicholas Markets
More ways to have a #MerryBristmas:
