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! 

A new festival is coming to Bristol Harbourside this May

On Saturday, 16 May 2026, Where We Belong Festival will make its debut at Canon’s Marsh Amphitheatre, bringing a full day of house and disco to the heart of Bristol. Set against the city’s iconic harbourside, this brand-new boutique festival promises feel-good music, shared dancefloor moments and a…

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Bristol’s festival line-up in 2026

Ready for dancing to live music, tucking into delicious street food and sipping pints of cider in the sunshine? Bristol’s festival calendar is jam-packed in 2026. There’s a festival for everything in Bristol, from ballooning to music headliners, cider to cinema. Avoid any inkling of Glastonbury FOMO…

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Itinerary: A long weekend in Bristol

Planning to spend a few days in the city? Here's a list of must-sees in Bristol to get you started... Day one: The Harbourside Grab a coffee by the Harbourside and visit M Shed, a museum telling the story of Bristol’s past and present, before climbing aboard The Matthew on the quayside nearby. The…

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Yarr! How to have a pirate-themed day out in Bristol

It's been over 300 years since the death of the notorious pirate Blackbeard. Previously known as Edward Teach, the infamous Bristol-born buccaneer terrorised the West Indies and eastern coast of the USA before meeting his demise in America in 1718, when he was captured and killed by the Governor of…

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Itinerary: Bristol in 60 minutes

Got an hour to kill in Bristol? Perhaps your train has been delayed, or you're pottering around until you can check into your hotel? Maybe you're looking for an interesting way to spend your lunch break or are just eager to squeeze even more lovely Bristol experiences into your day. Who can blame…

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Itinerary: Explore Brunel's Bristol

Legendary engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel is one of Bristol's icons - he may have been born in Portsmouth, but many of his greatest engineering achievements were right here in Bristol. Two of the city's best-known attractions, the Clifton Suspension Bridge and SS Great Britain, were designed by…

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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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Bristol harbourside hotels with waterfront views

Many of Bristol’s hotels and apartments have views of the river and beyond, but if you’re after something a little closer to the water’s edge, here’s our selection of Bristol Harbourside hotels with impressive waterfront views. The Bristol Located on the quay next to Pero’s Bridge, The Bristol’s…

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10 things to do at Bristol Pride 2025

Bristol Pride is back for 2025 with an amazing and diverse line up of events happening across the city, from 28 June to 13 of July, with the main festival Pride Day taking place on Saturday 12 July on the Downs. With four stages filled with dance, music, and performance, alongside the circus tent…

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Bristol's best rooms with a view

From Harbourside hotels and waterfront views to dramatic Avon Gorge-edge vistas, ancient spires and Somerset countryside, these Bristol hotels have rooms with beautiful, awe-inspiring and interesting sights to be seen: On the waterfront: The Bristol On a busy stretch of the city’s Floating Harbour…

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