I have always lived around the Bristol area and whilst it can be easy to underestimate somewhere you have lived your whole life Bristol really is a city full of amazing things to see and do. From interesting architecture and beautiful historical buildings to huge parks with beautiful green space and quirky art just like this huge Bristol sign we found below. The city of Bristol is a great place for families too and with the school holidays in full swing I thought I would share some of our favourite family friendly free or cheap activities to do in and around Bristol for the whole family.
All of the idea's shared below are either in Bristol city centre or surrounding area's that can all be accessed easily from the city centre either by walking or public transport. All of the information provided here was correct at the time of posting however do check the websites before visiting for updates and opening hours.
This summer between 2nd July and 2nd September you may spot some very special and very colourful sculptures dotted around Bristol and the surrounding area's. These are part of the Gromit Unleashed 2 trail! The trail features over 60 giant sculptures designed by high-profile artists, designers, innovators and local talent. The sculptures will be in the form of Wallace, Gromit or their arch nemesis Feathers McGraw and each statue is decorated with a different design, all with a story behind them. You can take it all the views of Bristol as you search too.
It is FREE to find the Gromits and all of the sculptures can be found and accessed for free regardless of where they are situated. You can either follow a trail map which is available at the tourist information centre or several of the spots where the Gromits can be found. Or you can download the Detect-O-Gromit 2 app which costs around £1.99. Proceeds made from the trail go to Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children's Hospital Charity, to help support sick children and babies from Bristol and beyond.
The M-Shed is a museum in Bristol that has something to see for the whole family. During your visit to the M-Shed you can follow the whole story of the city from prehistoric times to the present day. The M-Shed tells the story of the city and its unique place in the world. You will find lots of fun and interesting things to see and for kids to get involved with including drawing, costumes and displays that can be moved and interacted with. For the grown ups there is beautiful historical displays and fascinated historical facts to be discovered too.
James and Evelyn love the giant floor mat which has the whole of Bristol on and love trying to spot where we live and different places they know. They also love the huge old fashioned double decker bus that they can climb aboard on and pretend to be on a bus journey. A visit to the M-Shed is FREE although there are collection boxes dotted around if you wish to leave a donation. During the summer holidays they also put on special events for kids within the museum so its always worth checking out the website before your visit.
Clifton College Forest Discovery Day
On Saturday 8th September between 9am and 11am at Clifton College Watson’s field (just over the suspension bridge), you will find a magical morning packed full on fun and exploration with the friendly forest school leaders and early years teachers. There will be den making, mud kitchen and my personal favourite marshmallow toasting on an open fire!
Kids will have the chance to get outside and enjoy everything nature has to offer whilst learning new things and getting very mucky. This is a FREE event with refreshments included so if its sounds like something you would be interested in make sure to book early via the website linked above (there is also a number to contact on the website if you have any questions).
Grimsbury Farm
Grimsbury farm is a quaint little farm situated in Kingswood, Bristol and entry and parking is FREE. There are a selection of animals including ducks, sheep, pigs, horses, cows, goats and a variety of small animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and birds to see. All animals are easy to see and you can walk through the middle of two fields full of animals to get a great view of some of the farms residents. The kids love that the enclosures are open or low so they can always get a good view of the animals and that there is lots of space for them to run free and be safe.
There is also a large park area with a variety of play equipment which both James and Evelyn love. You will also find a small café, run by volunteers where you can pick up a spot or lunch, hot drink or an ice-cream to cool you down. We usually take a picnic with us and there are plenty of picnic benches dotted around you can enjoy your picnic on (or just bring a blanket).
Hengrove Play Park.
This park is absolutely huge and if you have slightly older children who usually get bored after a short time in the park then this may just be the park to visit! There are several different sections in this park including a sand and water area and what I would call an "older" section with a huge climbing frame and rope tunnels etc. Perfect for slightly older adventurous children who love to climb and explore. There is also a small skate park area just outside of the park too.
Evelyn absolutely loves the sand and water area of the park and if your child is the same I definitely recommend taking a change of clothes as it can get a bit messy. This park has so much to offer and so much equipment for children to play on and discover my two would happily spend the good part of a whole day here if we bring lunch with us. There is a café area inside the park where you can buy a selection of food and hot/cold drinks too.
If you are looking for a fun way to get around Bristol and discover lots of these free and cheap activities why not take a trip on the Bristol Ferry Boats! You can hop on at lots of points around Bristol and hop off again at your chosen stop. Me and the kids recently took the Bristol Ferry Boat from temple meads into the city centre and it cost us less than £5. The journey took around 20 minutes and the kids have so much fun seeing all the sights and different boats docked up along the edges from onboard the boat too!
Have you ever been to Bristol? What is your must do activity or what is the one activity you really want to do if you were to visit Bristol this summer?
xXx
** This point contains some links in which I received a fee to include. However all words and opinions are my own.**
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