Why Bristol keeps calling even in 2024

The vibrant city of Bristol has something for everyone, including family. From its rich culture to its mouth-watering food, stunning art and diverse attractions, the list of things to explore is just endless. Located 120 miles west of London, Bristol is the largest city in the southwest of England. It also accounts for around 50% of the total visitor economy in the west of England, welcoming over nine million visitors every year.

In as much as Bristol is a desirable destination, the hassle involved in tour planning can be discouraging, especially for families with kids. Luckily, there are online platforms like hellotickets.co.uk, where you can book your tour to Bristol from the comfort of your home. Now, you can get the best travelling experiences at exclusive prices with the hassle significantly reduced. Let’s look at some of the places to visit in your Bristol tour.

Clifton Suspension Bridge
The stunning Clifton Suspension Bridge, one of the world’s most incredible bridges, spans the Avon Gorge and the River Avon. The 414-meter-long masterpiece was designed by 24-year-old Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1831. It stands strong to date as a testament to a turning point in the history of engineering, with 11-12,000 vehicles crossing it every day.

Did you actually know that the first-ever bungee jump took place from the Clifton Suspension Bridge in 1979 with Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club members? If you enjoy seeing insane ingenuity expressed, then why don’t you make this one of your first stops in Bristol?

Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
This state-of-the-art museum, founded in 1823, showcases art, natural history and archaeology. In addition to what is on display, you can enjoy one of the events or festivals held in the museum to celebrate Bristol’s diverse cultures.  Its three floors have nineteen galleries, with numerous objects on display attracting around 1260 people daily. On the ground floor, you will find a blend of natural wonders and collections from various cultures worldwide, some ancient artefacts from Egypt and Assyria, and a play-and-learn area for your under-7s.

Take a few steps to the first floor and immerse yourself in the Geology galleries where Earth’s history unfolds. You will also see wondrous fossils, including Bristol’s dinosaur, a huge Ichthyosaur skull and other rare and extinct animal species. On the balcony are maps and prints showcasing Bristol’s development, which you can enjoy.

The second floor is home to art lovers as it displays the works of renowned artists like Bellini, Renoir and many others. Not forgetting the British and European ceramic and glass collections exhibited alongside the local wares and the stunning pieces from China and Japan in the Eastern art gallery.

Brunel’s SS Great Britain
Journey back in time in the world’s first iron-hulled, steam-powered ocean liner and explore the sights, smells and sounds of Victorian life at sea. Launched in 1843, SS Great Britain was the largest ship in the world between 1845 and 1853 and one of Brunel’s mind-blowing engineering designs. She was built for luxury passenger voyages between Britain and America and was later converted to carry cargo in 1882 for a different route.

In 1886, she was badly damaged by storms off Cape Horn and was retired to the Falkland Islands, where she was used as a floating warehouse before being abandoned in 1936. She now lies in the heart of Bristol harbour in her beautiful restored state, having been rescued and brought back to Bristol in 1970.

She serves as an inspiration to future engineers and a great historical monument. Statistics show that more than 150,000 people come aboard yearly.

Wake The Tiger
Spend a day out in the world’s first amazement park and the UK’s largest immersive art sensational experience. The self-guided adventure begins in an abandoned paint factory, continues into the Dream Factory and eventually transcends to the ‘OUTERverse,’ feeding your imagination. The name is quite ironic since no tigers are involved, but rather, it drew its inspiration from a book, ‘Waking the Tiger,’ which is about finding your inner self, just like the amazement park is.

The attraction site has welcomed more than 250000 visitors since its inception in Summer 2022. It has so much to explore, including over 40 immersive environments, ultra-modern theming and robots, interdimensional virtual reality, full 360-degree sets with interactive elements and more. All the rooms and artworks have a narrative in the creative, a big part being about reconnection with community, nature and creativity. The good thing is that it is open to all ages, and you are free to explore the park as many times as you want during your visit because there are no time limits.

Closing thoughts
As we hinted earlier, the available options for exploration are actually endless; this list is just a tip of the iceberg. And it, therefore, goes without saying that Bristol is well placed as far as tourism is concerned due to its varied attractions. Amongst the notable places you will enjoy with your family are the Bristol Zoo project, M Shed, We The Curious and Cabot Tower, among others.