Frantic 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 that'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 decporations, 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 - Yuup
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 offer 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 hotspot of Wapping Wharf.
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
Book a memorable day out with Wonderdays, who have a range of experience days for you to choose from, whether you're looking for a relaxed afternoon tea, supercar driving experiences or even short break across the UK. You can also 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:
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 and Night Out Gift Card have been created by Bristol City Centre BID, Redcliffe & Temple BID and Broadmead BID, and are 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 160 businesses accepting the Love Bristol Gift Card from independents to well-known brands, you'll be spoilt for choice.
Image - The Love Bristol Night Out 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 in 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.
Nearby Cabot Circus and Quakers Friars have well-known brands both international and local, from the Harvey Nichols department store to the 6 O'clock Gin pop up 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 & Spa award-winning spa. Bristol Harbour Hotel also offer similar gift experiences for more marvellous wellbeing activities.
PURE Spa & Beauty vouchers can be purchased for any of their spa and beauty treatments for any amount, giving you the ultimate choice to create a perfect pampering gift experience. For a slightly different restorative experience, gift them a voucher for the Bristol Float Centre.
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 zebras. 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', 'Meerkat Experience' or 'Keeper for the Day'.
Image- Bristol Zoo Project
Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm offer 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.
Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park offer 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.
Longleat offer VIP Experiences throughout the year, plus if you book a VIP experience between November and January to enjoy the fantastic Festival Of Light as part of your ticket.
Image - Noah's Ark Zoo Farm
Attraction tickets & membership
Bristol’s attractions offer 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.
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 £26.
Return again and again to discover the underwater world with annual membership at Bristol Aquarium (£175 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.
Image - Aerospace Bristol
Noah's Ark Zoo Farm offer an annual family membership for a family of four for £280.00, 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.
Slimbridge Wetland Centre annual family membership starts at £78 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.
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.
Westonbirt The National Arboretum offers joint (£82) or single (£42) 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 and fun parks 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 learning axe throwing with gift vouchers for Whistle Punks, immersive VR games at MeetspaceVR, or trying their hand at darts at Flight Club.
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.
Image - Flight Club
Book a hot air balloon flight
Planning something super special? Give someone the unforgettable experience of soaring high above over 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
If you know a keen surfer or someone who’s always wanted to learn to surf, why not buy them an e-gift voucher that they can used to book a session or surf lesson at The Wave.
Bristol Activity Centre on the outskirts of the city at Cribbs Causeway allow 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 - The Wave
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 that 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 among nature.
SUP Bristol - Stand Up Paddleboarding offer 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 contemporary options at Tobacco Factory Theatres.
Image - Bristol Hippodrome
Bristol-themed souvenirs
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 visitor centre 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 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!
The Royal Photographic Society is a centre for photography, showing four exhibitions annually at their gallery in Paintworks. The charitable organisation was founded in 1853, with its main goal being to educate the public on the art and science of photography. Their online shop stocks a range of products of interest to anyone who enjoys photography.
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 legend of 'The Bristol Giants'.
- 'Travel' to Bristol with a book - our recommended reading list for books about the city and local authors
Bristol drinks
Boost someone’s Christmas spirit…
...collection with a bottle of 6 O’clock Gin – handmade and bottled by Bramley & Gage 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 sloe 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.
Purchase vouchers for a spirits tasting or event at Spirited in Bedminster - not ony does this shop and bar have a brilliant range of whisky, rum, gin, and more to buy, but also run ticketed tasting events and supper clubs throughout the year. Book tickets as a gift, or order a gift card which can be used instore or for one of their events.
KASK in Bedminster not only offer DIY wine tasting kits which can be delivered across the UK, but also do regular cheese & wine evenings and themed tasting events.
Image - Bristol Beer Factory in Southville
Give the gift of tasty Bristol food
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, which will be stocked with special edition festive flavours very soon. There are also gift ideas for pie-fanatic family and friends – pick up aprons, a pie cookbook, pin badges, oven gloves or gift vouchers here. All are British and ethically made, just like the pies!
Image - Pieminister
Many of Bristol restaurants offer vouchers or gift cards to use for a meal or event, including KIBOU in Clifton. Gift cards 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 deicacy, 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, speciality cheeses, veggie deli products, freshly baked breads and delicious patisserie.
Image - Flourish Foodhall
Many of Bristol's cookery schools do gift vouchers for their classes, which include a range of different cuisines and techniques at Cooking It or Papadeli.
All About the Cooks do gift vouchers which you can then use to order from their home cooks, dotted across the city. As well as gift cards, you can also order a range of festive treats from the website made by local cooks.
Image - Papadeli cookery school
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 shiney 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 electric pieces at stall in St Nicholas Market.
Image - St Nicholas Markets
More ways to have a #MerryBristmas: