Activities in Bristol

Clifton Village is well known for being the most affluent, elegant and downright chic areas of Bristol. It’s full of boutiques, cafés, stunning buildings and must-see attractions, including Bristol Zoo. But, to experience the full splendour of this exclusive suburb, you need to pay a visit to Clifton Lido. A stunningly restored Victorian bathhouse and outdoor pool, housed in the courtyard of a string of Georgian townhouses, it’s the perfect place to relax and unwind. You can visit for a massage, go for a swim or eat at the award-winning restaurant, which has been voted one of the best in the UK by the National Restaurant Awards.

Bristol’s waterways and harbourside are some of the most charismatic parts of the city, and what better way to see them than from the water? SUP Bristol offer paddleboarding lessons that’ll let you float right past Brunel’s SS Great Britain. It’s fun, it’s surprisingly easy, and the award-winning team of instructors couldn’t be friendlier.

When you are forced to take shelter where it’s warm and dry, you’ll be glad to hear that, when it comes to indoor activities in Bristol, the city boasts some of the best in the business. That’s why we’ve given them their own dedicated page where you can read about the city’s many state-of-the-art cinemas, the horror escape room voted the best in Europe, one of the UK’s top go-karting arenas, the largest trampoline park in the world and an incredible aquarium.

Stretch your legs and soak up the great outdoors on the Bristol and Bath Railway Path. The 13-mile pathway follows the route of the Midland Railway, which was decommissioned in the 1960s. Several stations are still standing, and are popular places to have a breather and appreciate the region’s railway heritage. The entire route is off-road, with a three-metre-wide tarmacked pathway that provides plenty of room for both walkers and cyclists.

Did you know that there’s a supernatural side to Bristol? You can find out all about it by taking a Haunted and Hidden Ghost Walk around the city. The walking tour begins at Bristol Cathedral every Friday at 8pm. It features a haunted cinema, a ghastly church monk, the infamous dwarf highwayman of Clifton, and also visits some of the city’s historic buildings featured in spooky films and TV shows. For just a few pounds, it’s a thoroughly entertaining experience and helps to shed a new light on such a wonderful city.

Bristol is an excellent city to cycle around. With a slew of safe cycle routes, some incredible scenery and hordes of hidden gems to uncover, sometimes you can’t beat the bike. At least, that’s what Cycle The City will tell you. Since 2012, they’ve been offering excellent cycling tours of Bristol and its top attractions. While the city can be busy and hilly in places, they’ve chosen their routes to be as easy-going as possible, and suitable for all abilities. They’re bicycle enthusiasts, but even more so, they’re Bristol enthusiasts.

Two of their most popular tours are The Great Bristol Food Tour, and the Wine Tasting Tour, which take your taste buds on a journey through some of the best eateries and watering holes that Bristol has to offer.

If you want to take your two wheels off-road, pay a visit to Ashton Court, where you’ll find Pedal Progression. They offer a range of services, varying from mountain bike hire to one-to-one tuition. Their instructors are encouraging, professional and supremely knowledgeable. You can even use slow-motion video to fine-tune your technique.