Summer in the City – Things to do with the kids in Bristol this summer
Summer is finally here! Create some lasting memories with your little ones whilst also making the most of British summertime (while it lasts) with this handy guide of things to do with the family in Bristol this summer.
We’ve listed a few beaches just a short drive from Bristol and some of Bristol's best animal attractions in addition to a dose of Bristol family friendly arts and culture plus our pick of family friendly places to eat and drink in Bristol we've got you covered…
Best beaches to take the kids near Bristol
Bristol is a great place to be all year round with so much to see and do but you can’t beat a trip to the seaside on those summer days. Sometimes you just need to feel the sand between the toes, the sea breeze in your hair and scoff down a 99 Flake. And frankly there’s nothing quite as cooling on a sunny British Summer’s day than a dip in the sea! Here are some options that won’t involve too long a journey with the chorus of ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ coming from the back of the car…
Dunraven Bay – Just over an hours drive from Bristol. (Image: Visit Wales.)
Dunraven Bay, Vale of Glamorgan
This breathtaking beach, also known as Southerndown Beach, is just over an hours drive from Bristol on the South Coast of Wales, is a great beach day for all the family.
The bay is easily accessible with the little ones in tow, with two car parks, one located a short walk at the top of the hill above the beach and another at the bottom of the hill closer. Parking is £1 for up to an hour and £6 for the day. There’s a small kiosk serving drinks, snacks and of course ice cream alongside public toilets which are always helpful! The lifeguard station is manned on busy summer days.
It’s a semi-sandy bay with distinctive rocks revealed at low tide and a ramped slipway leading down to the beach – a great beach for swimming, water sports, exploring rock pools and fossil hunting!
Just next to the bay lies the ruin of Dunraven Castle and the Dunraven walled garden, which is free to enter, offers shaded areas if you want to escape the midday sun. Dogs sadly aren’t allowed between 1st May to 30th September so leave the pooch at home in the cool. Check the tides before you visit.
Swimmers head to Clevedon Marine Lake. (Image: Chris Fletcher via Geograph.)
Clevedon Beach and Ladye Bay, Somerset
Probably one of the closest beaches to Bristol – the Victorian town of Clevedon is a traditional British seaside resort complete with its historic pier. The sandy and pebbly beach is a 30-40min drive or less than an hour on the bus from Bristol.
Worth noting that due to its position at the mouth of the River Severn it can be quite muddy and it's advised to beware of the mudflats at low tide. That said – swimmers don’t be disheartened – there is Clevedon Marine Lake at the opposite end of the beach to the pier which is free to access. There are public toilets located next to the lake too.
Layde Bay, Clevedon. (Image: Ian Knox Via Geograph.)
You’ll find cafes, pubs and bars all along the esplanade so plenty of places to grab refreshments – along with free on street parking.
If you are looking for a more wild and rugged beach experience why not go to Ladye bay instead? Tipped as one of Somerset’s prettiest beaches it’s the next bay along from Clevedon back towards Avonmouth way and just a short walk along the coastal path next to Clevedon Pier along bay road but note there are steep steps down to this beach so you will have to fold up the pushchair to get down there. Unlike Clevedon – where dogs are banned all year round – Ladye Bay is dog friendly.
The Low Lighthouse, Burnham-On-Sea. (Image: Michael Maggs via Wikimedia.)
Another beach (or beaches) that is under an hour's drive from Bristol is North Somerset’s Burnham-On-Sea – a traditional British seaside choice for your family friendly beach day. With a seven mile stretch of sand between Burnham-On-Sea and Brean there are many beaches to choose from!
The main beach at Burnham-On-Sea, monitored by lifeguards from 1st May – September 30th, This beach is particularly family friendly – the perfect place for sand castles, digging, paddling and swimming at high tide and has an ice cream van in the summer months. Look out for Britain's shortest pier here! There are a range of local shops, cafes and bars along the stretch of the seafront here along with public toilets and showers in the Tourist Information Centre.
South Beach, a little closer to the mouth of the River Parrett, provides the perfect spot to sit on the sea steps and watch the boats come in. Looking out towards the mouth of the River over the marshlands with Apex Wildlife park nearby keep your eyes peeled for seabirds. Although a little more pebbly at this end of the beach there is still an ample amount of sand for sandcastles and digging.
North Beach has views of the iconic low lighthouse, similarly sandy to the others, another great choice for families with steps for sitting with easy access to local shops, cafes and bars as well as public toilets at Burnham Swimming Pool.
Dogs aren’t allowed on any of the beaches at Burnham during the summer months although they are allowed in certain areas outside of May–September. Beware of the tides at Burnham-On-Sea particularly at low tide because of beach mud and fast incoming tides.
Be sure to check tide times and local safety information when visiting ANY beach especially with the precious ones in tow and remember in an emergency to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Places to meet the animals in Bristol. (Image: Windmill City Farm.)
Must-visit Animal Attractions in Bristol Summer 2022
Bristol has so many attractions with opportunities to meet the animals it was hard to narrow the list down to just three! But here are our top ones for Summer 2022…
Don’t miss your last chance to visit Bristol Zoo Gardens before they move in September. (Image: Bristol Zoo Gardens.)
If you’ve been living under a rock you may not have heard the news that Bristol Zoo and Gardens, after 186 years, is closing – or moving to its other site the Wild Place Project in South Gloucestershire, near the Cribbs Causeway shopping centre.
But fear not, you still have time to visit Britain’s oldest provincial zoo site before it moves to the newer site on 3rd of September. Home to all sorts of amazing animals from across the world, the mission of Bristol’s Zoological Society at large is saving wildlife together, through conservation science research, working to protect species and habitats overseas, encouraging sustainable behaviours and perceptions, educating tomorrow’s wildlife warriors and giving families a great day out.
Whether it's all about meeting Gorillas, Lions and Kangaroos or attacking the adventure playground, exploring the aquarium, wandering around the gardens or splashing about in the splash water-play area there is something for all of the family to enjoy.
For refreshments you can enjoy food and drink from the Hide Restaurant where food is made using the best local, ethical and sustainable ingredients, all freshly prepared by the Zoo’s team of chefs every day. All the fish is MSC certified and coffee beans are 100% rainforest alliance certified. They also aim to use produce that contains sustainable palm oil or none at all.
Check out the handy accessibility guide on their website for more information on accessibility around the site. They have also developed a visual story to support visitors with autistic spectrum conditions, to help them prepare them for their Zoo visit, and to introduce them to some of the experiences they might have while they are visiting which you can find on this page.
Book tickets online. Prices start at £17.00 per adult without a donation and £10.70 with one. Children Ages 2–14 £12.00 without a donation and £13.20 with one. Under 2’s go free and if you are bringing a carer along you can book them a ticket for free in advance online.
The Stickman Trail at Windmill City Farm. (Image: Windmill City Farm.)
South of the river you’ll find Windmill City Farm – with nearly five acres of green space just a stone's throw from the city centre. The farm is home to a variety of animals including goats, pigs, sheep and cows as well as the more traditional farm animals, they also keep some pets such as guinea pigs and rabbits which are popular with visitors both young and old. There is so much to explore with the community gardens, a play area, picnic areas and a café and, of course, the farm shop. Open almost all year round (except over Christmas) and seven days a week
Founded in the 70s the farm has been teaching people of all ages and backgrounds about farming and sustainable food production for 40 years. The gardens have crops and flowers growing all year round, grown using organic methods and volunteers can learn all about growing food with zero food miles.
When you visit, why not try out one of the series of educational farm trails. From the Stickman Trail, the Groundworks story trail to the Play Trail or check out one of the other trails they have to explore. The Stickman Trail is based on the popular Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler book which is aimed at encouraging children aged 3–7 to get outdoors and explore the natural world and find out how things grow. Whereas the Groundworks Trail is about having fun discovering the creatures from the story on the carved wooden posts and the Play Trail is to help you discover the hidden play spaces around the farm. Download the trail information and activity sheets online here.
Windmill City Farm also runs a whole host of events and courses aimed at families and children throughout the year so be sure to check out their events calendar to see what's on!
After all that you’ve probably worked up quite the appetite so be sure to check out the farm cafe which champions the fantastic produce grown on the farm as well as only serving meat when their own farm-reared meat is available. You’ll always find bright, colourful, veg-led dishes on the menu and because of the seasonality of the farm’s produce it means the menu is ever changing.
Along with the farm shop where you can, of course, pick up freshly harvested food from the farm as well as other food and goods from carefully selected suppliers – you will also find a gift shop selling handmade arts, crafts and homewares curated by local artists, a pottery shed great for children’s birthday parties and a children’s library where you can borrow, swap and buy books.
Entry to the farm is free but donations are welcomed to help continue their valuable work for years to come.
The goats at St Werburghs City Farm. (Image: St Werburghs City Farm.)
When you are getting close to the farm in St Werburghs it’d be easy to feel like you had taken a wrong turn and left the city entirely and landed instead in a rural village in the countryside. The St Werburgh City farm is spread out across sites that are all situated in Ashley Vale, St Werburghs which include a small holding, propagation place, The community garden, the Ashley Vale Community Allotments, the Boiling Wells woodland, food forest and conservation area. Entry to the farm is free but you may want to call ahead or check their website for details of what you can access on the day you visit.
When you visit, to meet the animals head to the Smallholding, open six days a week from 9am–5pm (except Fridays). This is home to a range of livestock including sheep, goats and pigs which are bred for meat, ducks and chickens for their eggs. This area of the farm is about helping people living in the city to learn about farming animals and why we raise them, as well as growing food in an urban setting.
Just opposite is the award-winning City Farm Cafe where they deal in food yards not miles or kilometres with a menu jammed full to the trim with the produce from the farm itself – with the whole farm's ethos being about inspiring people to connect with food in more sustainable ways. Local allotment growers can also exchange surplus bounty in exchange for food & drink in the cafe. The decking outside the cafe overlooks the adventure playground so you can sit and watch the kids play while you caffeinate. Note the Cafe is closed on Tuesdays.
Don’t forget to visit the Farm Shop which sells a range of produce from the farm. You can buy fresh chicken and duck eggs there daily on a first come served basis and during term time look out for the pop cafe on Tuesdays run entirely by their youth team.
Take the edge off all of that excitement with a little tipple then head next door to The Farm pub which has a large enclosed garden where the children can let off any more steam while you reward yourself with a well deserved pint.
There’s fun for all the family at Valley Fest. (Image: Valley Fest.)
Family Friendly Arts and Culture in Bristol Summer 2022
Bristol is a well loved hub for all things creative whether its theatre, music, art or culture there is so much to immerse yourself in – start them young and bring the little ones along to these suggestions for a little family friendly culture…
Van Gogh The Immersive Experience at Propyard
A 360 digital art exhibition suitable for all the family in Bristol. Step inside Van Gogh’s paintings with this magical immersive experience. By using floor-to-ceiling digital projections, made possible by state-of-the-art video mapping technology, visitors are able to enjoy the work of Van Gogh in a completely new way.
Located at Bristol’s Propyard the space's spectacular high ceilings and open spaces provide the perfect backdrop for the exhibition with its two storey projections of some of Van Gogh’s most iconic works. It also includes a unique VR experience giving visitors the opportunity to experience ‘A day in the life of the artist’ where you learn about the inspiration behind some of his best loved works.
This immersive experience is reinventing the concept of the museum and how we consume an artist's work and life story through the use of superb storytelling and cutting edge technology. By bringing the artwork off the canvas into the real world it makes for an exciting way to introduce children to art. There’s also a drawing studio where you and the kids can get involved with creating your own artworks and have them projected.
It’s also worth noting the experience in doors so would make a great rainy day activity or somewhere to escape the midsummer heat. It takes about an hour to an hour and a half to explore the exhibition in full. Parking is available onsite for Blue badge holders but for everyone else it's a short walk away or alternatively it's only a short walk from Bristol Temple Meads.
It has so far proved very popular so booking well in advance is advised with various ticketing options available including family ticket bundles, concessions (for 65+, Students and NHS) and VIP tickets which include skip-the-line, free entry to VR experience and a starry night poster.
Tall Stories presents The Graffalo. (Image: Tall Stories.)
The Gruffalo at The Redgrave Theatre in Clifton
In the world of children’s books Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler are royalty (especially having already been mentioned above under Windmill City Farm with their Stickman Trail). The Gruffalo being perhaps one of her most famous characters… In this adaptation Tall Stories bring this story to life – join Mouse on a daring adventure through the deep, dark wood in this magical, musical adaptation of the classic picture book.
Searching for hazelnuts, Mouse meets the cunning Fox, the eccentric old Owl and the high-spirited Snake. Will the story of the terrifying Gruffalo save Mouse from ending up as dinner for these hungry woodland creatures? After all, there’s no such thing as a Gruffalo – is there?
Songs, laughs and monstrous fun for children aged 3 and up and their grown-ups, in the much-loved show that’s toured Britain and the world!
Taking place at Clifton’s Redgrave Theatre from 22nd–24th July:
Friday 22nd – 2pm and 4pm
Saturday 23rd – 10.30am and 1.30pm
Sunday 24th – 10.30am and 1pm
Tickets start at £15.50 for adults and concessions are £13.50 – Concessionary rates apply for over 60's, Full time students, Benefits recipients, Children 16 and under, Registered disabled and Companions. Book in advance online.
Valley Fest is the perfect festival for the first time festival goer. (Image: Valley Fest.)
Valley Fest – Bristol’s Lakeside Food and Music Festival
4th–6th August
Known as ‘the best-tasting music festival in the South West’ the weekend provides a great first festival-experience for the first-time festival goer, families of all ages as well as the well seasoned festival goer. Taking place next to Chew Valley Lake with gorgeous lakeside views with the Mendip Hills in the background.
Set on a farm the event is all about showing off the amazing produce that the West Country has to offer with an amazing selection of places to eat and drink, family barbeques, chef demos, the Sunday Family Feast alongside a huge programme of entertainment from huge headliners, rising stars and everything in between. This year sees big names such as Travis, Clean Bandit, Faithless, Kosheen and The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Club.
For the little ones specifically there’s so much to see and do with a programme of events aimed just at them from theatre and storytelling to poetry workshops – there’ll be something for everyone. The festival site is nice and Bijou so they will never be too far away.
Valley Fest is held in the fields neighbouring The Community Farm, which provides organic vegetable boxes to around 700 customers in the Bristol area. The Community Farm will be programming activities throughout the including Farm Tours, Community Farmer Day Taster Sessions, Forest School and Cookery Workshops, which are suitable for all ages.
This year there's a whole new area called The Alchemist's Playground built by UK festival favourites the performance art collective Arcadia. Known for their 50 ft Spider Stage – a popular Glasto staple – The Alchemist’s Playground is a new playground for everyone to enjoy. By day, kids will be able to make their own Afterburner playground stage, with help and tools provided by the much-loved Woodland Tribe. By night, it’s time for the big kids to play with an amazing programme of dance music with Faithless and more.
Weekend camping tickets start at £170 (+ booking fee) for adults, teens (13-17) £80 (+ booking fee), kids (3-12) £45 (+ booking fee) and babies (0-2) go free but you still need to book the tinies a ticket for event capacity – you can also buy tickets by day if you aren’t planning to camp. Please note these are the Tier 2 prices so get in there early as the Tier 3 tickets will be released soon. It’s also advised you book a car parking ticket when you book your tickets and you can also purchase a campervan ticket if you're bringing the camper.
Pizza makes everyone happy! (Image: Pizzarova.)
Family Friendly places to eat and drink in Bristol
Bristol is the place to be if you love your food and drink, just because you’ve got the littlies with you shouldn’t mean you need to miss out on some of the city's most delicious bites and neither should they!
The Eastfield’s outdoor play area. (Image: The Eastfield.)
Known locally around Bristol as a great spot for families The Eastfield in Henleaze was taken over by the local independent pub group Zazu’s last year who also run Bristol favourites The Greenbank in Easton, The Alma & Theatre in Clifton, The Knowle in Knowle and the Westbury Park pub also in Henleaze.
This has been a firm family favourite with Bristolians for years with its iconic skittle alley and conservatory space (available to hire for parties) along with its large beer garden complete with recently refurbed outdoor children’s play area.
As well as lots to keep the kids entertained on your visit they also have a reasonably priced kids menu with a range of options all under six pounds. Which includes pub classics fish and chips and burger and chips alongside healthier options – cheesy pasta and hummus and crudites.
All of Zazu’s pubs pride themselves on being both family friendly as well as dog friendly so you don’t have to leave anyone behind and The Eastfield is no exception. They also have parking available.
Pizzarova is a great family friendly place to eat. (Image: Pizzarova.)
With four pizzarias across the city and a fifth opening in Bedminster – Pizzarova have most of Bristol covered. Starting out life as a pop-up offering roaming the West Country serving pizza out of their Land Rover fitted with a mobile pizza oven the name was born.
Their pizza bases are made from sourdough which is slowly fermented and made with a starter that’s been fed for over 70 years. This gives it a distinctly delicious taste and perfect crust. We make it fresh everyday from water, flour and salt. No yeast.
They source their ingredients and toppings from their favourite producers across the South West. Some of their regular suppliers are Brue Valley Organics, Longmans and Shipton Mill. They say themselves they are not a fancy restaurant – so no knives and forks for the slices. They offer quality good-mood food on the go.
Their specific kids menu is simple with the base of a margarita starting at six pounds – your little munchkins can build their perfect pizza adding whatever toppings they like for a pound per extra topping. The menu comes with an activity sheet on the back and the offer of free fruit for afters!
With shops on Park Street, Wapping Wharf, Gloucester Road, at Propyard and their newest site due to open this summer on North Street you're never far from one of their shops – we’re sure the whole family will enjoy it!
Wiper and True’s new brewery site and taproom open 15th July. (Image: Wiper and True.)
Wiper and True – New Old Market Taproom
Bristol craft brewery Wiper and True are set to open their new taproom and brewery site to the public this summer. Nestled between Old Market and Easton on the City industrial estate, just off the Bath–Bristol cycle track, this could become a new local for our Raised in Bristol parents!
Bristolians will already be familiar with this award winning brewery name and may have already frequented their current taproom in St Werburghs. The new site in Old Market will see them double their brewing capacity. This exciting new venue with a bespoke brewkit, designed by German experts, stands majestic and tall, right alongside the taproom seating, offering drinkers a unique view onto the processes behind the pints.
Whilst not maybe the most obvious choice to take the whole family, Wiper and True welcomes children, has baby-changing facilities, ramp access and space for buggies and is breastfeeding-friendly throughout. Dogs are welcome too so the furry ones can come along too.
Expect the freshest pints, brewed just next to you alongside locally made Bristol spirits, natural wines and mouth watering street food from some of Bristol's best street food pop-ups. This Bristol brewery is a keen champion of sustainability and this ethos is at the heart of what they do there with locally-sourced produce, plant-based options on the menu, reduced plastic use, in-season led menu, food waste policy, water-saving policy, electric car charging point and solar panels.
The taproom opens on the 15th July so keep an eye on their socials for more details.
