Things to do in Bristol

Bristol is a lively university city of nearly half a million inhabitants, so there are many interesting things to see and do in Bristol while you are studying here.

There are museums, theatres and places of historical interest, art galleries, cinemas and a lively harbourside with lots of restaurants, a busy shopping area and a wide range of live music venues, nightclubs, pubs, bars and cafés to suit every taste.

Below are just some of the many things you can see and do while you are in Bristol.

Historical attractions

Picture of Brunel's Ss Great Britain

Brunel's SS Great Britain

Step Aboard the Ship That Changed the World When the SS Great Britain set sail from Bristol to New York in 1845, it made history. It was the first large, ocean-going iron steamer with a screw propeller to do so and the journey took only 14 days.
Clifton Suspension Bridge at sunset

Clifton supsension brige

A visit to Bristol is not complete without a trip to the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Brunel's masterpiece is rightly the most recognizable symbol of the city and is free to visit. The bridge itself, its museum and guided tours are all free.
Picture of the entrance hall at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery

The Bristol Museum and Art Gallery is a real gem. It is only 5 minutes from the Queens Avenue school and boasts collections from ancient Egypt, through natural history to oriental pottery and a wonderful selection of art works.
Bristol cathedral

Bristol cathedral

Nearly 900 years of history, one of England's great medieval cathedrals.

Live Music Venues

Bristol Beacon

Bristol Beacon

Bristol Beacon is Bristol’s largest concert hall, presenting concerts and entertainment by major names in rock, pop, jazz, folk, electronic, world and classical music.
The Old Duke

The Old Duke

The Old Duke, named after Duke Ellington, is a jazz and blues music venue situated on the cobbled King Street in the heart of Bristol. It is one of the city's oldest buildings and is full of music lovers every night. An absolute must for live music fans.
Picture of the front of St George's

St George's Bristol

A concert hall in the centre of Bristol, St George’s hosts a year-round programme of music including classical, folk, world and jazz.
The Fleece

The Fleece

Legendary live music venue situated in the heart of Bristol, The Fleece offers live music and club nights 7 nights per week.

Grand English homes

Bristol Georgian House interior

The Georgian House Museum

This beautiful house is a great opportunity to find out how a rich plantation and slave owner lived. It is set out as it would have been circa 1790 and shows how everybody in the household lived.
Red Lodge reenactment

The Red Lodge

This little gem of a museum is centrally located and shows how properties have evolved through the centuries. From a Tudor England home to a Victorian School, the lodge has had several distinct identities, all of which lovingly restored. Free to visit on Monday, Tuesday, Saturday & Sunday.
Blaise folly

Blaise Castle

Come to the Blaise Estate House and park to find out what life was like at various times in the past. See the clothes they wore and the toys their children played with and walk around the beautiful grounds, where you can see the wonderful folly and enjoy a relaxing walk along the river. Free entry
Ashton Court

Ashton Court

Free - Historic park and country home covering 850 acres of woods and grassland just minutes from Bristol’s centre.

Active

ice skates

Planet Ice

Planet Ice is the perfect place to go for a fun day of ice skating! You'll find everything you need under one roof. Skate rentals, skating aids, a snack bar, and much more.
Zipwire

Tree tops high ropes

Three different routes offer an exciting array of fun walkways, leaps, jumps, treezips (from tree to tree) with an exhilarating zip wire to finish!
Wave

Learn to surf at The Wave

Artificial waves right here in Bristol for all your surfing.

Pubs

There's nothing more English than a pub. We have hundreds in Bristol, from jazz pubs to the weekly student pub quiz.

Bristol King Street

Visit Bristol

The Visit Bristol website is the best place to explore everything to know about all the things to do in Bristol.