Keep the whole family happy with a trip to Bristol during the school summer holidays.

The weather is warm, the city is alive, the events are plentiful, and there's a whole host of ways to have fun. So get some holiday inspiration from us and feel the summer in the city love for a family trip to Bristol.

Children under 16 can travel for free across on buses across Bristol and the surrounding area throughout the summer holidays. Plan your journey with TravelWest or First Bus.

Book a GWR Family Ticket in advance for reduced fares. If you are travelling in a group of between 3 and 9 adults, you can get a 1/3 off Standard Off-Peak tickets when travelling together with the GroupSave ticket. Don’t forget, Children aged 5-15 get a 50% discount on most tickets and under 5s travel free!

Many attractions and restaurants are offering summer savings. Check out our special offers page for more info.

Highlights

• Don't miss three of Bristol's biggest family-friendly festivals - Bristol Harbour Festival, Bristol International Balloon Fiesta and Old City Sounds - all are free to attend!
• Kids Go Free all summer long at Brunel's SS Great Britain - for every annual pass for one adult, you'll get an annual pass for a child, so you can visit as many times as you want for a whole year!
• Discover marine life from different countries at Bristol Aquarium.
• Explore outdoor play areas and get up close with a range of animals at Bristol Zoo Project.
• Jump into the brilliant world at Aardman at M Shed.
• Explore the city from a new perspective by SUP or kayak with SUP Bristol.
• Get up close with planes, buses, trams and more at Aerospace Bristol.
• Check out the new rooms being added to Wake The Tiger this summer.
• Get ready for adventure with over 25 outdoor activities at Mendip Activity Centre and join Mendip Basecamp for their Mendip Mini Fests taking place this summer.
• Watch a brand new circus and magic show at Wookey Hole Caves and see the caves like never before during the new immersive cave projections.
• Head to The Grand Pier in Weston-Super-Mare, where for just £15, you can enjoy non-stop, all-day access to a huge selection of thrill rides and attractions with Unlimited Ride Wristbands.

For all-year-round family events, head to our family events page.

Outdoor attractions

Bristol is a green city, surrounded by countryside with many outdoor attractions and things to do in the open air. Summer holidays are the perfect time to explore these attractions and activities.

Visit the new lion habitat at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, or do some birdwatching at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre.

Make the most of the sunshine at one of Bristol's many free parks, grand gardens, or beautiful estates. Tyntesfield, Dyrham Park, and Westonbirt Arboretum, just outside the city, all have outdoor trails that are fun for all ages to explore!

Check out our full list of family-friendly things to do.

Family food favourites

Bristol has plenty of choice when it comes to family-friendly places to eat, with favourites being the world buffet Za Za Bazaar or the burger boat Three Brothers Burgers. Some of the best kids' menus include fish and chips at Noah's, burgers at Mollie's Diner, or sushi at KIBOU.

Budding chefs and young food lovers will also enjoy family cookery classes at Migrateful (with both Turkish and Jamaican classes available during the school holidays) and sushi masterclass at Yakinori.

Where to stay

And if you wanted to take the little ’uns away for a longer summer holiday, then scoot over to our family-friendly accommodation section and book a break in Bristol. We've also rounded up our top places to stay with kids.

Getting to and around Bristol

It's easy to get to Bristol by public transport, with rail one of the most convenient and green options. Temple Meads railway station has direct services from London, Scotland, Wales, Manchester and Birmingham. Plan your local travel by bus, train, bike and walking with TravelWest.

A range of Bristol attractions are offering a discount if you travel by train - visit Days Out Guide to see what you could save.

If you're thinking of bringing the car, consider using the Park & Ride services for day trips.

Join in the conversation with us on social media and tag your posts, photos and videos of you having fun and soaking up the city this season with #SummerInBristol.

Read more:

• #SummerInBristol
• Family attractions in and near Bristol
• Free things to do