While I’m not planning to go abroad any time soon, I’m exploring more of the UK. To help me, I asked Claire from Go South West England to share her top tips for visiting Bristol on a day trip. Read on to find out her recommendations for the best things to do in Bristol in a day so you have the best day out in Bristol ever!
Being a Bristol local, I’m a bit biased, but I consider the South Western city to be the best in the UK. It has so much to offer domestic and international tourists, with beautiful street art, fascinating history in every suburb, and an outstanding global food scene.
Although you could spend a weekend in Bristol – or indeed, much longer if you have time, it’s also possible to see the highlights on a day trip to Bristol as the city is well located for day trips from London, Bath, Cardiff, Exeter, Plymouth, Southampton and Birmingham. So, if you’ve only got a day in Bristol, follow this guide to see exactly how to pack everything in!
How to Get to Bristol
How to Get to Bristol By Train
Bristol is connected to lots of UK cities by rail – in fact, you’ll find that you usually need to change here if you’re venturing to Devon, Cornwall or Wales. Bristol Temple Meads station is about a 20 minute walk to the city centre, or you can take the T6, X39 or 2 bus. Make sure that you buy tickets to and disembark the train at Bristol Temple Meads, not Bristol Parkway – Parkway is in the city’s northern suburbs.
How to Get to Bristol By Coach
You can also get to Bristol by coach. Megabus and National Express serve the city from a myriad of other places in England and Wales. The Megabus stop is near Cabot Circus, the main shopping centre of Bristol, which is a 15 minute walk to the Harbourside and on the B8, B10 and S2 bus route. The National Express stop is the Bristol bus station, a 13 minute walk to the Harbourside, or you can take the X1, X39 or B8 bus.
Driving to Bristol
Bristol is connected to both the M4 (for London and Cardiff) and M5 (for Exeter and Birmingham) motorways. Bristol is around two and a half hours’ drive from Central London (around 112 miles) , and less than 2 hours from Birmingham (around 90 miles) subject to traffic.
However, the city centre isn’t the most fun place to drive around, and parking is difficult. If you are driving, I would recommend using the Park and Ride service.
There are four of these, each conveniently placed at a corner of the city. If you are driving from London, the Lyde Green Park and Ride at Emersons Green will be most convenient, whereas if you are accessing Bristol from the M5, you’re best off using Long Ashton (if you’re travelling from the south) or Portway (if you’re driving from the north).
Where to Eat Breakfast in Bristol
Mud Dock
For breakfast, I’m sending you to a bike shop. This might sound a bit strange, but you’ll soon learn that Bristol excels at quirky eateries – so why not visit one for your first meal in the city?
The Mud Dock is famed for its delicious breakfasts, with an impressive menu. You can choose from a full English (veggie options available), shakshuka, various egg dishes or gluten-free pancakes. If the sun is out, you can enjoy your breakfast on the terrace, which has a lovely view over the harbour.
The Best Things to do in Bristol in a Day
Harbourside Walk
Once you are suitably fuelled, it’s time to orientate yourself! There are plenty of walks in Bristol, but the harbourside loop is possibly the most vibrant and interesting.
Your next stop, the SS Great Britain, is on this loop – so you could take the most direct way there (about 15 minutes walk), admiring Bristol’s iconic coloured houses on the other side of the water.
Alternatively, you could cross over the harbour and follow the river until you get to the Pump House. Once you arrive here, you can cross the bridge and walk back on the other side until you get to the SS Great Britain (about 45 minutes walk).
This map explains it all a bit better – it’s an excellent way to see the Harbourside and capture the vibe of Bristol.
SS Great Britain
The SS Great Britain is, in my opinion, the best attraction in the city – and even if you’re only in Bristol for a day, it’s well worth seeing! The SS Great Britain is a restored ship that was built in Victorian times and used to transport migrants first to the USA and later on to Australia.
After a brief period of being a warship, she was abandoned in the Falklands before an ambitious plan was hatched to bring her back home to Bristol. She arrived back in Bristol in 1970 and has lived in the dry dock ever since. The SS Great Britain was such an important ship because when she was built, she was the largest of any vessel, and she had a unique steam engine – making her the world’s fastest ship too!
There are two museums on the premise – one about the boat and one about Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who engineered both the SS Great Britain and the Clifton Suspension Bridge (which you’ll see later!).
The ship itself has been remade to look as it would have done during passenger voyages, complete with first and third class cabins, a full kitchen, and even toilets! You can also venture down to the dry dock to see the hull of the ship.
There was an April Fools joke going around Bristol this year (2021) that the ship was going to be sailing again in 2022, but anyone who has seen the hull – which is nowadays full of holes – knew that this is an impossibility!
It costs £18 for adult entry to the ship (£15 for students and £10 for children), but it is worth every penny. You can pre-book your tickets on the SS Great Britain website.
Lunch
Once you’ve explored the ship, it’s time for a spot of lunch! Here are some of my favourite places.
- The Stable – this harbourside restaurant serves delicious pizza and is famous for its West Country cider.
- Yakinori – this Japanese restaurant serves tantalising ramen, sushi and curries.
- St Nicholas’ Market – there is a range of street food stalls here, including Eat A Pitta and Caribbean Wrap.
- The Canteen (Stokes Croft) – the Canteen is a Stokes Croft institution that does everything from playing live music to meditation workshops. Its cafe serves an array of vegetarian dishes in a fun and lively atmosphere.
Stokes Croft Street Art
Your next stop is Stokes Croft. This is the ‘hipster’ area of Bristol, and it’s an interesting place to go to experience another dimension of the city. It’s a 20 minute walk from the Harbourside, or you can take the 70, 73, 75 and 76 buses.
Bristol is the home of Banksy, and there’s nowhere better for seeing some beautiful street art than right here in the city. Stokes Croft is perhaps the most famous area for street art, and it’s also a fun area to stroll around and pop into the local shops.
Some street art pieces to look out for include:
- “The Mild, Mild West” is on the wall by The Canteen which was painted by Banksy.
- Breakdancing Jesus, which is opposite the Mild, Mild West mural
- Think Local, Boycott Tesco, a mural painted in response to plans to open a Tesco Express in Stokes Croft which nods to the area’s independent spirit.
- The intergalactic mural adorning the wall of Lakota, a popular Bristol music venue.
It’s also worth venturing up Cheltenham Road and walking for a little while as it turns to Gloucester Road, which has the longest line of independent shops in Europe.
Clifton – Suspension Bridge
Your next stop is Clifton Village. You can either walk here from Gloucester Road, which takes about 45 minutes. Alternatively, you can walk or take the bus back to the Harbourside and then take the number 8 bus to Clifton.
The Clifton Suspension Bridge is another engineering marvel by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Construction started in the 1830s and it opened in 1864, originally made for horse-drawn carriages to cross into the city. Nowadays, over four million cars cross it every year, as well as countless pedestrians and cyclists!
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It spans the narrowest point of the Avon Gorge and sits 75 metres above the river. You can stroll over the bridge, marvelling at the epic views of the gorge – it’s hard to believe that the city centre is so close. On the other side is the Bristol/ North Somerset border, and there is also a small information centre that details the history of the bridge.
After admiring the bridge up close, there are a few points where you can get an excellent view of the whole thing. If you walk up to the Clifton Observatory, you’ll be able to see it from a slightly higher vantage point. Then, walk past the bridge again, across the grass and follow the road that runs next to the gorge until you come to the White Lion Pub.
The White Lion Pub
This is the perfect place to grab a drink and watch the world go by. The White Lion Pub has a famous terrace that offers one of the best views of the suspension bridge. It gets packed on a sunny day, but for a good reason – the view is marvellous.
Dinner
You can eat at the White Lion – its food is decent, although not world-class. However, you will probably be venturing back into the centre to catch your park and ride bus/ train/ coach home. I have a few recommendations for places to eat here.
- Cargo Cantina – this is an authentic Mexican restaurant serving tacos and cocktails with mezcal. It is located in Wapping Wharf, Bristol’s trendiest dining area which is home to restaurants in shipping containers. Space is limited, but it is well worth checking out if you’ve got time!
- Chilli Daddies – this institution serves authentic Chinese hotpot and dumplings. There are two locations, one not too far from Clifton Village and another near the Harbourside.
- Urban Tandoor – a popular Indian restaurant that has been voted to have the best curry in Bristol time and time again.
- The Hole in the Wall – a historic pub that serves excellent pub grub. Its name comes from a spy hole that publicans would watch out to look for press gangs.
Drinks
If you aren’t driving and fancy a drink before leaving Bristol, there are a lot of fun bars in the city centre that you can try out and round off your day trip to Bristol in style.
- The Apple – Bristol and cider go together hand in hand. The Apple serves up various different ciders, sourced from Somerset orchards. My favourite is Rich’s Medium! The pub is usually on a boat, but at the moment they have a large outdoor seating area.
- King’s Street – this is a popular pub street right next to the Apple. There are a range of pubs here, all with outdoor seating areas. Try King Street Brew House for delicious beers and The Old Duke for live music.
- The Grain Barge – this is another pub on a boat (there’s a theme in Bristol…). It’s run by the Bristol Beer Factory, although they serve a range of delectable drinks. Try to sit on the terrace if the weather is good – you’ll have an epic view over the river.
- The Full Moon and Attic – this pub is back in Stokes Croft, but it is right by the main roundabout so it is easy to access from the centre and is only a short walk from the coach station. It is a buzzing bar all times of day and night, with a huge courtyard that acts as their beer garden. There are also two street food stands here – one serving pizza and one that makes authentic tacos!
Leaving Bristol
Trains run until 10-11pm, so you’ve got plenty of time to enjoy dinner and make your way back to the station. If you’re using the park and ride services, buses usually run to about 9pm. Coach times vary depending on the provider, with some leaving in the early hours – but you will usually need to pre-book your return trip.
Final Thoughts on a Bristol Day Trip
There’s so much on offer here, and this Bristol itinerary packs in several sides of the city, so you can get a sense of its history and community spirit. However, every Bristolian will agree that it’s the kind of city that you could spend years in and not get bored. While you can see a lot of the highlights in a Bristol day trip, this is just a taster of this incredible city – and I bet you’ll leave vowing to come back again!
About the Author
Claire is a South West England travel expert. She has lived in Bristol, Bath and Devon, and spends most of her time in the UK travelling around the region. She encourages people to get to know the area on her blog, Go South West England, which has lots of local tips and plenty of background historical and cultural information about this incredible part of the country. You can also follow Claire on Facebook.
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