Bristol with kids - a family day guide
Bristol with kids: a full-day family itinerary. We The Curious, ss Great Britain, Brandon Hill, ice cream, cinema and the best options for under-twelves.
Bristol is genuinely good for children between five and about twelve. Distances are short, the river is a constant focus, and the three big indoor attractions (We The Curious, ss Great Britain, City Museum) are all within walking distance of the same square. This itinerary covers a full day.
09:00 - 12:00 - We The Curious
Open from 10:00, but from 09:00 the harbourside is quiet and Millennium Square makes a good place to run around for an hour. We The Curious opens at ten; aim to be first in and spend the next two hours there. It will not feel like enough.
12:00 - 13:00 - Lunch
The Pieminister counter at St Nicholas Market is about ten minutes on foot and makes this easier than it sounds; children like pies. Alternatively, Wapping Wharf across Pero’s Bridge has outdoor seating and decent pizza.
13:00 - 16:00 - ss Great Britain
The ss Great Britain is the single best under-12 attraction in Bristol. Walking under the ship is the memorable moment. The annual pass is worth it if you might come back.
16:00 - 17:30 - Brandon Hill and Cabot Tower
Fifteen minutes’ walk or a short bus ride. Brandon Hill is a nine-hectare park with a play area and more squirrels than children. Cabot Tower is the spiral-staircase climb at the top; 105 steps, hold hands on the way down, and the view is worth the effort.
17:30 - onwards - dinner
Pinkmans Bakery on Park Street is busy, friendly and has decent things for children. After that, most people go home. We do not blame them.
Wet-weather plan
If it rains, do M Shed (free) in place of Brandon Hill - working cranes, a tram, a lot of hands-on things. The City Museum (free) has a dinosaur and an Egyptian mummy. Both are covered, both are within walking distance of the ss Great Britain.
Push-chairs and access
The harbour walk and the ss Great Britain are fully accessible. Brandon Hill has tarmacked paths but also grass. Cabot Tower has a long spiral staircase that is not suitable for very young or unsteady climbers.
Imogen Pearce
Editor
Imogen Pearce is a Bristol-based travel writer who has lived in the city for over fifteen years. She edits Bristol Insight and contributes to regional lifestyle and travel publications.
She writes most often on neighbourhoods, walks, food and the slow architecture of the city. Her day involves more long coffees on Boyce's Avenue than is strictly professional.