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! 

10 rooftop bars for summer in Bristol

When the temperature rises in the city, it’s hard to beat a rooftop watering hole for an awesome view and glass of something chilled. Here are ten of Bristol’s best rooftop bars: The White Lion Bar Home to one of the most iconic views in Bristol, The White Lion Bar (part of the Avon Gorge by Hotel…

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Gromit Unleashed 3: Clifton and Park Street

We're splitting this year's huge Gromit Unleashed 3 trail into manageable chunks, which you can do on different days and enjoy visiting more attractions, shops, and cafes on your way around the locations. This guide lists the locations that start from College Green in the city centre and wind their…

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The story of Stoke Park Estate

Stoke Park Estate is a gorgeous green space, located in Bristol, which sits beside the M32. It’s particularly known for the iconic yellow house that sits on a hill overlooking the rest of the park. This house, known as the ‘Dower House’, is a Grade II listed building. The park, which is 270 acres…

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Wildlife spotting in Bristol

Bristol may be a bustling city, but it also has a greener and wilder side. Along with our own wildlife spotting suggestions below, we asked Heather from the Bristol Nature Channel to tell us her top five wild places that have inspired their nature documentaries and show that Bristol is bursting with…

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Places to stay with swimming pools in Bristol

Looking for a Bristol hotel with somewhere to take a splash, swim some lengths or simply soak to your heart’s content? These hotels, located in and around Bristol, all have indoor pools for year-round swimming. HarSpa at Harbour Hotel Bristol The pint-sized, mood-lit indoor pool at this luxury…

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8 of Bristol's best water-based activities

With our lovely harbour at the heart of the city, it’s no surprise that Bristol is awash with water-based things to do. These range from a leisurely cruise on a boat tour right up to a day of adventure on a canoe or stand up paddleboard. Here are eight of Bristol’s best water-based activities to…

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8 ways to make the most of #SummerInBristol

From soaring hot air balloons to bustling Harbourside festivals, incredible live music to new cultural event spaces, food festivals to family fun; there’s something very special about #SummerInBristol... Read on to find out why Bristol is always a good idea: find out what’s coming up and how to make…

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Gromit Unleashed 3: Central and Harbourside

Are you coming to Bristol for Gromit Unleashed 3 this summer? We've compiled this list of the most central locations on the trail - see how many you can tick off! We've split our list into the central Bristol and Harbourside; it's up to you if you want to do both sections on the same day though..…

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Review: Moulin Rouge! The Musical at Bristol Hippodrome

Find out what Vicki from the Visit Bristol team thought of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, which is on at Bristol Hippodrome until 9 August 2025. Having not seen the Baz Luhrmann musical film, I really wasn’t sure what to expect from Moulin Rouge! The Musical, but I have to say it was beyond my…

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From Blackbeard to Banksy: 1000 years of Bristol in just two hours

Step through the mists of time and clear the fog surrounding Bristol's fascinating origins. What if you could stand where literary giants found inspiration, listen for underground rivers, discover hidden WWII stories, explore ancient taverns, and decode world-famous street art – all in one…

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