Bristol may not be the most famous city in the world, but it has a unique and offbeat charm that’s hard to beat. If you’re planning a family visit, here are 15 brilliant things to do in Bristol with kids for a fantastic day out.
There’s no need to spend a fortune to have a great time here, as many of Bristol’s best-loved attractions are free to visit. This multicultural, creative city has everything you need for a family-friendly break, so buckle up as we take you on a whistle-stop tour of some of the best things to do in Bristol for families.
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Things to Do in Bristol for a Fun Day Out
We the Curious
We the Curious is a fantastic day out for all the family, right in the heart of Bristol’s historic Harbourside area, where you can also discover Brunel’s SS Great Britain and a host of cafés, bars and restaurants.
The quirky-named We the Curious (formerly At-Bristol Science Centre) is home to Bristol’s much-loved interactive science museum. With hundreds of hands-on exhibits, it’s a must-see for all ages and takes you on an incredible journey exploring the inner workings of the world around us.
There’s a brilliant section featuring Aardman’s Gromit creations, where you can become an animator for the day. Be awed by icy bodies and cosmic rays, walk through a tornado, create your own TV show, or cover yourself from head to toe in a giant bubble. The planetarium was the UK’s first 3D planetarium, offering an immersive experience with full-surround sound and stunning views from around the universe.
There’s always something new to discover, with a changing programme of special activities covering everything from anatomy and robots to food and flight. Look out for their toddler takeover days, which are geared entirely to the under-4s. There’s so much going on here, and it’s somewhere kids genuinely love.
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Bristol Aquarium
Bristol Aquarium, in Bristol’s historic Harbourside area, takes you and your family on a spectacular undersea safari. It’s not the largest of aquariums, but it’s a great place to spend an hour or two down by the harbour front.
Embark on a fascinating journey from the British coast through warmer waters to exotic tropical seas. Highlights include a life-size recreation of a sunken ship, a Bristol harbour scene, a walk-in seahorse display and a wooden footbridge. From the hidden world of UK waters, take a trip to the underwater gardens of the Mediterranean and the stunning beauty of tropical waters, home to everything from fox-faced rabbitfish and puffer fish to living corals and clownfish.
The centrepiece of the aquarium is the coral seas display, where visitors can enjoy the closest of undersea encounters via an underwater walk-through tunnel, a glass cavern and bubble window viewing points.
SS Great Britain
Don’t expect a standard look around an old ship here — step on board the most extraordinary time machine. Brunel’s SS Great Britain, the world’s first great ocean liner, is Bristol’s number one attraction and one of the UK’s top museums.
The SS Great Britain is interactive in every sense (including smell) and a real treat to look around. Rescued from rust and wreckage in 1970 and lovingly restored to her Victorian heyday, this ship offers a wonderful insight into what life on board would have been like as she crossed the oceans in centuries past.
It’s even possible to climb the masts (if you have a head for heights) for a fun look down on the ship. Step “underwater” for a unique view of the ship below the glass sea, investigate the Riggers’ Yard and the Great Western Dockyard, test your skills with interactive displays, and choose from a selection of audio companions. With storytelling and games for children through to in-depth historical research in Brunel’s Institute, there’s something for everybody here.
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Bristol Zoo
A visit to Bristol Zoo Gardens is an adventure into an exciting animal kingdom, set within acres of beautiful gardens. Visitors come face to face with hundreds of exotic, endangered and adorable species from around the globe.
Laugh at the antics of the resident gorillas, stroll through the tropical Butterfly Forest, or become immersed in the impressive Seal and Penguin Coast. Other zoo favourites include Monkey Jungle, the Reptile House, Asiatic lions, Bug World, Twilight World and the Aquarium.
Don’t miss Explorers’ Creek, which has several exciting areas: “Splash”, a water-play area with streams and dams where little ones can get their toes wet; the “Forest of Birds”, where you can follow in the footsteps of jungle explorers; and the “Feed the Lorikeets” exhibit, where you can feed nectar to colourful parrots (a small charge applies for nectar).
More adventurous visitors can try the aerial ropes course, ZooRopia, swinging alongside some of the zoo’s most popular animals — gibbons and gorillas — before flying down the zip wire. If that’s not enough, take in a daily animal show, join an expert talk, or test yourself against the popular Zoolympics trail.
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Bristol Museum
Bristol Museum, at the top of Park Street, is a wonderful place to take children of all ages. There are lots of brilliant hands-on areas to discover together, including an under-7s play area, Curiosity.
Journey around the museum with one of their colourful trails, or get arty at a hands-on activity day. There’s plenty to feast your eyes on, from Egyptology to creatures that once lived near Bristol. In the dinosaur galleries, meet the Bristol dinosaur and some of his friends, including some of the best-preserved dinosaurs ever found in Britain. The museum’s wildlife galleries take you on a trip through the animal kingdom, showcasing rare, endangered and extinct wildlife from the UK and beyond.
The museum runs regular special exhibitions and events throughout the year. It’s free to enter, with plenty on offer for all ages.
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Clifton Suspension Bridge, Observatory & Cave
Clifton Suspension Bridge is a feat of engineering and simply beautiful to look at and walk across. Opened in 1864, it’s based on a design by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and is a symbol of the city.
The bridge has a visitor centre by the Leigh Woods toll booth, with lots of information about its history, including how it was built and how it’s cared for today. You can also pick up activity packs, books, postcards and souvenirs, and look out for guided tours running at weekends.
For the best views of the bridge, climb to the Clifton Observatory, where you can stop for a drink at the top and gaze down on this incredible structure. The observatory also makes a fabulous backdrop for a family photo. Inside is a Camera Obscura, one of the last fully original operational models in Britain, plus a viewing platform with stunning views of the bridge, the city and the River Avon.
Adventurers will love the underground feature aptly named the Giant’s Cave — a whopping 100 feet underground, with a tunnel 61 metres long. Note that under-4s are not permitted to explore the caves, and there may be an accessibility issue for some visitors, as there are 136 steps leading down to the cave.
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Cabot Tower Codebreaking Walk
Explore Bristol on a fun, puzzle-solving adventure with the Tramble App’s Cabot Tower Codebreaking Walk. Climb to the top of the famous Cabot Tower for amazing views of the city, and search for some of Bristol’s finest street art, including a well-known Banksy piece. Gather the family and put your heads together to find clues and answer questions to complete the trail.
The game is easy to play: just download the app on your smartphone and get going. Fancy a challenge? Answer all the questions as fast as you can. Prefer to take it slow? Make it into a proper family day out, with a stop at the Aquarium or a relaxing picnic in College Green by Bristol Cathedral.
Bring out your inner sleuth and learn fascinating facts about Bristol — it’s a firm family favourite.
The Matthew
Climb aboard one of the stars of the Bristol area — The Matthew, a replica of the boat that made one of the first trips across the Atlantic to North America in 1497. Sailed by John Cabot and his crew, the original reached Newfoundland in May that year and returned successfully just four months later.
Stepping onto the replica of The Matthew is wonderfully atmospheric. Even knowing this build is a modern replica, it’s easy to be swept along imagining what life must have been like on board five centuries ago.
You can have a look over the ship for free when it’s tied up outside the M Shed (donations are welcome), or take a short sailing trip around the harbour, during which you’re free to explore above decks. There’s no formal presentation, but the crew are on hand to explain more about the boat and the history of Cabot’s voyage.
M Shed
M Shed, on Bristol’s historic wharf, is another great family-friendly museum telling the story of the city through the ages. Housed in a former 1950s transit shed, it’s free to the public.
Thought-provoking and fun, M Shed challenges perceptions of what it has meant to live here over the centuries through the recollections of the people who shaped the city. You can explore Bristol’s history, heritage and wartime experiences, uncover its trading past — including its role in the transatlantic slave trade — and discover the music, art, technology and industry Bristol has become famous for.
The diversity of what’s on offer makes this a great place to visit. Don’t miss the interactive exhibits, particularly the air raid shelter, which tells the stories of real people during the war as you stand inside it. There are also working exhibits on the harbourside, including steamboats, trains and even talking cranes.
The Wild Place Project
Run in association with Bristol Zoo, the Wild Place Project is just outside the city, so you’ll need a car to get there. It’s a fun family attraction offering adventure, play and learning, with an emphasis on protecting habitats both locally and around the globe.
It’s a wonderful place to explore, full of animals and play areas organised according to where in the world they originate. Discover Madagascar, home to mischievous lemurs; the Edge of Africa, with zebras and eland roaming the grassland; okapi and red river hogs in the Secret Congo; and the striking grey wolves of Europe.
Families can take their shoes and socks off on the Barefoot Trail, climb the scramble net and slide down the fireman’s pole in the Fun Fort, relax in the Tower Meadow, puzzle over the maize maze, or take a stroll through the protected ancient woodland.
For the ultimate adrenaline adventure, don’t miss the Leap of Faith — test your nerve across several exhilarating challenges, from the 3G Power Swing and climbing wall to the jump itself, if you’re brave enough.
Aerospace Bristol
There’s loads to discover at Aerospace Bristol, starting from the earliest days of powered flight through to today’s cutting-edge aerospace technology. Aviation enthusiasts will love the extensive collections of aeroplanes, helicopters, missiles, satellites and engines, along with plenty of interactive exhibits for all ages.
Aerospace Bristol tells the story of Bristol’s world-class aerospace industry and gives you the chance to step aboard a British icon, Concorde Alpha Foxtrot — designed, built and tested in Bristol, and the final Concorde ever built. The journey also looks to the future, exploring how the next generation of engineers is pushing aerospace technology further.
Blaise Castle
Slightly out of the main city centre, Blaise Castle is a wonderful estate to visit with kids. Featuring a 19th-century mansion, you can enjoy acres of parkland alongside a rich social history collection — discover everyday objects from centuries past, including Victorian bathroom fittings, kitchen and laundry equipment, model trains, dolls, toys and period costumes in the museum.
The folly castle, as featured in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, is opened by volunteers on some summer Sundays — look out for the flag flying on top, and enjoy panoramic views from the castle roof. The grounds are free to explore, and the playgrounds outside, with zip wires and climbing frames galore, are some of the best around. It’s the perfect place to blow off some steam while you relax in the café.
Pirate Pete’s Walking Tour
Arrrrh me hearties! Enjoy a pleasant walk around the quays, discovering Bristol’s turbulent history at the harbourside haunts of the pirates and swashbucklers of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Pirate Pete’s Walking Tour is fun, interesting and educational — dressing up is encouraged, and you’ll want a camera to capture the pirate fun. The walk is flat and has wheelchair and buggy access. Tours typically run at weekends, though days and times can vary, so it’s worth checking before you set off.
Immotion VR
If you’re looking for something for older children (9+) on a rainy day, why not journey to infinity and beyond at Immotion VR Bristol? It’s an experience for tech-loving teens and tweens, where Jurassic worlds and outer space are theirs to explore, with a helping hand from clever technology.
Virtual reality means you can bend your world into all sorts of shapes within a digitally created environment. State-of-the-art equipment follows your movements and translates them into your field of vision, while whichever story you choose appears in front of your eyes. There’s a variety of immersive worlds to dip into, including a dino-sized adventure exploring an ancient landscape where full-size prehistoric creatures roam.
Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf
Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf comprises two full 18-hole courses for swingtastic fun for all the family. Each course features an array of adventurous holes, including a live volcano cave, spooky temple ruins and a secret swamp. The jungle setting is complete with tropical plants, rocky obstacles, tribal huts and other wonderfully detailed Aztec surroundings, with sound and light effects throughout to turn a simple game into a proper adventurer’s treat.
Attempt the full 36 holes if you’re up for an epic family tournament. As an added bonus — and a chance to redeem yourself if you’ve lost at golf — you can challenge the kids to the Monkey Wall climbing experience as part of a fantastic day out too.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best free things to do in Bristol with kids?
Several of Bristol’s best family attractions are free to visit, including Bristol Museum, M Shed, and looking over The Matthew when she’s tied up at the harbourside. Blaise Castle’s grounds and playgrounds are also free to explore.
Is Bristol good for a family day out?
Yes — Bristol is a compact, walkable city with a great mix of free museums, hands-on science centres, harbourside history and green spaces, making it easy to build a full day (or several) around family-friendly attractions.
What should we do in Bristol on a rainy day?
Indoor options work well for wet weather, including We the Curious, Bristol Aquarium, Bristol Museum, M Shed and Immotion VR for older children.
Are there activities for toddlers and younger children in Bristol?
Yes — We the Curious runs toddler takeover days aimed at under-4s, and Bristol Zoo’s Explorers’ Creek has gentle play areas suitable for younger children. Some attractions, such as the Giant’s Cave at Clifton, aren’t suitable for under-4s.
Do we need a car to get around everything on this list?
Most of these attractions are within or close to central Bristol and easy to reach on foot or by public transport. The Wild Place Project is the exception, as it’s just outside the city and best reached by car.
More Family Days Out
Looking for more inspiration? Take a look at our guides to unusual places to visit in the UK, the best science attractions in the UK, and animal parks for a wild day out.
Save This for Your Next Trip
Planning a family trip to Bristol? Save this guide so you have it handy when you’re deciding what to do each day, and browse our other UK family travel ideas for more days out to add to your list.
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