How to Spend One Day in Bristol
Spending one day in Bristol is worthwhile. If there’s one city with an intriguing tale to tell and tell, it’s this one. The city centre is vibrant and colourful, and the art scene is spectacular. Bristol is in the rolling hills of South West of England and is an easy day trip from London.
Bristol’s name originates in “Brigstow”, meaning “place by the bridge”. Today, one of the best Bristol attractions is the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Bristol is renowned for being the most trendy city in the UK, and there are a lot of fun and exciting activities to enjoy throughout Bristol. It can be a difficult decision to decide what to do first. You can choose from a myriad of museums, walks, markets and more, so we have put together this handy guide to help you explore.
Bristol is also the city that was the birthplace of one of the more renowned contemporary artists of the world – Banksy. So, anticipate Bristol to be exciting, and you may even spot some of his artwork.There is so much to see and do that you will be able to have a fantastic day trip to Bristol.
Travel Tips for a day in Bristol
- Book trains in advance. If you plan your Bristol day trip, you should also book your trains because travel can become very expensive in the UK.
- Parking is cheaper on weekends. If you are driving, you can have all-day parking on weekends for cheaper than 4 hours during the week. We parked at Wapping Wharf Car Park, which was central to seeing everything!
- Take an umbrella! The weather is unpredictable and sometimes wet!
- Map out your route. Know the order of what you’d prefer to accomplish so that you don’t need to go back to yourself and see the top Bristol attractions. We also suggest walking around. You will see more of Bristol this way unless you don’t have very long.
When is the best time to visit Bristol?
The ideal time to go for one day in Bristol is in the summer. Each year there is a Harbour Festival in July. The city’s docks are filled up with vessels from all over the globe, and there is a party vibe throughout the weekend.
Another top-rated event not to be missed is the balloon celebration in August, where hundreds of balloons gather at Ashton Court and launch massive swarms of colour between dawn and dusk.
However, these are also the busiest times in the calendar, so you should avoid these festivals if you want to avoid the crowds on your one day in Bristol. We found the accommodation to be the most expensive at this time too.
How to Get to Bristol
Road
Bristol is an ideal location and has easy access to London and from the east and north of England as it is located near the intersection of Bristol and the M4 and M5 motorways.
Train
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the largest hub for rail in west England and has direct trains accessible to London, Scotland, Wales, Manchester and Birmingham. Travel from and to London Paddington and destinations throughout all of the South of England, South West and South Wales with Great Western Railway (GWR).
Bristol Parkway is situated in the northern part of Bristol City. Services run between Birmingham, Cardiff, Gloucester and London.
Coach
Bristol is well-served by numerous regional and national coach companies. They all provide services across the UK to Bristol. You can travel to Bristol via coach on National Express, Megabus and Falcon.
What can you do for One Day in Bristol?
Bristol is awash with eclectic bars, quirky cafes and exciting events. If you only have one day in Bristol, there are many of the most popular places you must visit. You’ll want to make the most from your visit to Bristol after all, and this handy guide gives you the best of the best.
Clifton Village and Clifton Suspension Bridge
Start your day in Bristol by having a cup of coffee at a café and then walk across Clifton Suspension Bridge. Clifton Suspension Bridge for views across The River Avon and the Avon Gorge.
If you’ve seen postcards of Bristol, the city, the Bristol’s Clifton Suspension Bridge stands proudly across the Avon Gorge. It’s necessary to pay PS1 to cross the bridge, but it’s walkable.
It’s been operating since 1864 and was designed for the first time in 1864 by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Brunel won a design competition to design it when they were just 24!
It is now possible to walk across the bridge and enjoy breathtaking views of Bristol. It’s among the most exciting activities you can do while visiting Bristol. After that, visit the Visitor Centre situated on one side, the Leigh Woods side, where you can find out about the people that designed this bridge and, if travelling with children, there are lots of activities to take part in.
M Shed
M Shed is located in the harbour and is an excellent place to learn more details regarding Bristol and its past. We were amazed at the museum’s design and how it connects Bristol and its residents through their tales and the experiences of being a resident of Bristol.
It will explore Bristol from prehistoric times until the 21st century in 2000 years. The museum will discuss the significance the city played in Bristol’s history in The Slave Trade and the Statue, which made headlines when it was taken off the site during protests during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
The museum aims to question notions in a manner that emphasises the energy of Bristol and the way that its residents influence the city. Therefore, visiting should be high on your list if you have one day in Bristol.
Bristol Cathedral
One of the most popular Bristol attractions is Bristol Cathedral, located in the city’s West End of College Green. It is believed that the church has existed for more than a hundred years. However, it was officially designated an abbey in the year 1140.
mazingly, it’s accessible for anyone to visit, and it’s awe-inspiring, given that most churches in the UK require admission fees. It is possible to go to services or look around it from the inside and the outside.
St Nicholas Indoor Market
We like visiting and browsing through markets while travelling around the world. Bristol’s St Nicholas market, was built-in 1741-43, is well worth visiting for 1 day in Bristol.
There are more than 60 small shops sell various items ranging from jewellery and clothing to various cuisines to try. The streets are narrow and filled with stores, ample open space, and The Glass Arcade. It is open all day long. Therefore, you must check out what is happening.
Cabot Tower and Brandon Hill
On your Bristol day trip to see the most stunning panorama of our city, go to the tall 105-foot Cabot Tower situated within Brandon Hill Park near Park Street. You’ll need to climb the long spiral staircase, but it’s worth it. It was built in 1897 as a tribute to John Cabot’s journey to Bristol toward North America by the architect William Venn Gough.
It’s one of Bristol’s most visited places and is a fantastic spot to explore the nature reserve with a playground for kids or you can walk through the trails on one day in Bristol.
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to our most loved museum, The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery. It’s one of the most enjoyable things to do within Bristol and it is free too (even better). They endeavour to tell the history of the world over three floors and 19 stunning galleries. You can see high-quality art, Egyptian mummies, stuffed animals, and even one of the best dinosaurs to have been preserved, the Scelidosaurus discovered in the UK.
There are also numerous other fascinating exhibitions to view and explore. The museum also hosts a variety of activities throughout the year, making it a great place that you can return to time and again. You should definitely stop there if you have one day in Bristol.
Walking Tours
Suppose you’re looking to explore Bristol at your own pace but want to know more about the city’s past and culture and what you can do. We suggest downloading Visit Bristol Audio Tour by downloading the MP3 files. It is possible to visit the various areas of Bristol, including the quayside area, the Brunel mile, and the churches, to name a few for 1 day in Bristol.
Street Art
If you are planning a day trip to Bristol, it is a must to take time to look at the fantastic street art found in the city. One of the most well-known street artists in Britain. Banksy began his career in Bristol in 1974. It is possible to walk the Banksy Trail in Bristol.
Download the Banksy Bristol Trail app to follow an easy trail and find more information about each piece of art. If you do not have time, head to Park Street to see some of his best work!
Bristol Harbour
Bristol Harbour is among the most popular attractions for 1 day in Bristol. It is a beautiful area for exploration and a great place to experience how lively and vibrant the city can be. It’s evident that it’s been that way all the time since it was once busy docks and now is awash with other developments and colourful houses.
One of the best spots in Millenium Square and watch the boats come into the harbour or out of it. If you’re visiting at the weekend, you might be fortunate enough to see the market.
Where to eat for One Day in Bristol
We loved eating in the shipping containers named Cargo, next to the M Shed, which has recently been renovated and offers food from the most renowned restaurants in the city. We suggest this because you can select from many different eateries in quite an urban and trendy part of town. We had pizza at Pizzarova, and it was delicious., but they had it all.
We also had a Wild beer at Wapping Wharf, and the staff were friendly, and the beer was great, which was close by and near the car park.
Day Trips from Bristol
Bristol has excellent connections to beautiful cities and the countryside if you want to explore more places after your one day in Bristol. If you want a city break, we recommend heading to Bath or Cardiff next. Alternatively, the Brecon Beacons is less than 2 hours away by car and make an excellent Bristol day trip. Please read our guides for further information below:
Brecon Beacons Walks:
Four Waterfalls Walk, Brecon Beacons
Please read our guide to Free Things to do in Bristol if you want to discover more.
For more UK city breaks, please read:
We hope you enjoyed this 1 day in Bristol itinerary. Please let us know if we missed something and should add it to the list! If not, happy exploring, and we hope you love Bristol as much as we did.
It reminded us of Melbourne! What do you think? Have fun on your Bristol day trip!
Photo Credits: averagelives.com