With 12 acres of well planned gardens right next to the Clifton Downs, Bristol Zoo is a popular attraction for families. There are lions, bugs, hippos, cute little red pandas and crazy okapi. Plus, you can get up in the treetops with the gibbons and lemurs in the amazing ZooRopia area: a rope course that runs across 17 themed sections! ZooRopia is designed to be all inclusive, and is safe for children of all abilities over the age of five. Parents will be happy to know the zoo also has a bunch of themed kids’ play areas, perfect for blowing off some steam!
Trains to Bristol
Book in advance and save UP TO 61%*
Bristol
One of Britain’s funkiest and most beautiful cities, Bristol is all things to all people. Gateway to the West Country, home of Banksy and the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft – you name it, Bristol’s got it covered. And all with a laid-back attitude its “upcountry” cousins can’t quite match.
Great places to visit in Bristol!
As popular with stag and hen parties as it is with artists and hippies, Bristol has become a young city full of professionals, students and design entrepreneurs. The Southwest’s home of hip is blessed with a heavily regenerated city centre, whose Harbourside area rings nightly to the sound of revellers having a good time – and whose media businesses, art studios and alternative cafes cluster around the water in sight of the Clifton Suspension Bridge. The heavy-duty industrial history of the town lives on only in its ornate buildings and sweeping waterfront: these days, the chief exports of “Brizzle” are culture and cool.
Bristol Zoo
Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery
The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery is housed in a stunning building on Queens Road. Its collections include important Egyptian artefacts, natural history collections and plenty of displays dealing with Bristolian local history. The art gallery has links with notorious Bristolian street artist Banksy, whose biggest ever exhibition was held there in 2009 after an entirely secret design and curating process. The gallery houses paintings from all periods of classical and modern art, including many by internationally recognised names. The museum and art gallery are both open year round, from 10am to 5pm Monday through Friday and from 10am to 6pm on weekends and Bank Holidays.
Colston Hall
Colston Hall is the unofficial home of music in Bristol – and in keeping with the city’s creative heritage, it features tons of alternative and world musicians as well as major bands on international tours. You’ll see everything on the Colston Hall programme, from classical and avant garde music to pop, rock and electronic. The Hall hosts lunchtime concerts, evening shows and special events, and is also a prime venue for comedy, theatre and exhibitions. Colston Hall is linked to Spike Island (one of the warehouses on the waterfront), and often holds exhibitions there too. The respected Bristol International Jazz and Blues festival is often held at Colston.