5 things you must do when you visit Bristol

Visit Bristol

There are a few disadvantages of having been Bristol born and bred.

Apart from developing a universally derided accent, one tends to become a little complacent about just how cool the place is.

Many of my friends are not native Bristolians, but having made it their home can’t imagine being anywhere else. Often when other friends visit they are amazed at all the cool stuff available to us. Sometimes we can be so keen to see the world, that we forget what we have on our own doorsteps.

This week I answered a tweet in which we were asked to describe our home towns in three words. Just in case you are wondering, these are the things I picked…

I was pleased to see just how many people worked it out.

Then, I was reminded of the Bristol Bucket List I had written myself back last year. It included a few local things I had not got around to doing.

The whole point of a list is to challenge yourself. I had therefore purposely excluded things that had already been done. So I thought it was time to make a list for those of you who are thinking of visiting my city.

Bristol and Brunel

The S.S Great Britain: Now I may be slightly biased, but I love this ship.

It was where I carried out my volunteer work placement during University, so it will always have a place in my heart.

This interactive museum is built around Brunel’s 1845 Steam Ship; the longest passenger ship in the world in its day. Brought back as a wreck from the Falkland Islands in the seventies, the award-winning restoration of the ship makes this museum a treat to explore.

Original letters and diaries have been used to recreate passenger stories, which you can discover on the ship.

Keep an eye out for the surgeon, and a nose out for the horses in the lower deck. If you visit on the right day you may even bump into Brunel himself! There is even the opportunity to climb the rigging. This is currently free for under 18’s in with the price of the ticket.

Not just Ships

The Suspension bridge: Another one of Brunel’s engineering wonders, this bridge is the most iconic symbol of the city. It is a nice walk from town (or there is a bus, if you are not a fan of hills) and affords amazing views over Bristol. There is a newly built visitors centre, which is free to enter, as well as a free tour.

Along from the bridge is the observatory. You can enter the ‘Giants Cave’, which brings you out on an observation deck on the Avon Gorge cliff face. There is also a camera obscura, one of only 3 working in the UK, as well as a museum.

No visit to this area is complete without watching people attempt the unofficial rockslide. Just outside the Observatory is a rock face, worn smooth by people sliding down it.

For health and safety reasons I am certainly not recommending it as an activity, but you will no doubt see other people doing it.

Something arty

Bristol Museum and Art Gallery I don’t think there is any Bristolian who hasn’t been here for a school trip. Especially if they were doing ‘Ancient Egypt’ as a topic.

The museum is home to an impressive amount of historical artefacts, artworks and wildlife displays. I once did a behind the scenes tour, and the amount of exhibits they are unable to show due to size restrictions is incredible.

There are examples of local historical finds, as well as art exhibits, and a large animal display, dinosaurs and one of my favourite art pieces by Sir Frank Dicksee.

The museum often puts on exhibitions and workshops, and I am hoping to get to the current display of Japanese prints, that runs until September

Street art: If seeing some of Banksy’s art at the museum makes you curious, then have a wander through the streets of Stokes Croft or Bedminster. Bristol is home to some world-class street art.
While there will not be one being held in 2019, every year for the last 10 years the city has been host to one of the largest street art events in Europe: Upfest

If you feel like making your own art, there are workshops available with ‘Where the wall‘. We tried one out in January, and Toby had a real flair for it! It helps that the course is held in ‘The Canteen‘, so you have an excuse for a sit down with some great food and a drink after all your hard arty work.

Out and about

Do a walking tour: Bristol is quite big, but the central part is easily walkable. If a Street art tour is not your thing, how about finding out about Bristol’s haunted history? Or maybe learn the ropes from a pirate!

I love taking people on tours of Bristol!

It drives the kids mad when I make like a tour guide and point out historical buildings and talk about what used to be there.

In fact – a genuine offer – if you are ever in Bristol, and I am available, I will happily take people on a walk-about. Here I am with lots of wannabe pirates doing a harbour tour as part of the couch surfers ‘Gert Lush Weekender’

Bonus Bits you can sneak in to your visit

Did you know that Bristol is home to England’s steepest street?

Vale Street in Totterdown is a short walk from the train station. It is a residential street, so be sure to keep the noise down, but you will get a picture that none of your friends got when they visited the city.

If you fancy a bus ride

To say Bristol buses aren’t very popular with us locals is an understatement.

But if you get yourself a dayrider (currently £5 for an adult) you can travel about all day. There is also a more expensive ticket which allows you to explore Weston-Super-Mare or Bath. But this is probably not something you want to attempt in one day!

You can travel out as far as Cribbs Causeway and ‘The Mall’ with the standard dayrider, if shopping is your thing, or you can visit the nearby Blaise Hamlet and the rest of the Blaise Estate. It includes a park, a museum and amazing woodland walks.

Over to you

What 5 places in your hometown should everyone visit? Anywhere that is a total tourist trap and should be avoided? Have you been overlooking the attractions on your doorstep?

Perhaps it is time to write your own Bucket List for your home town.