Family Days Out

With the amazing natural beauty of Pembrokeshire and Cornwall within throwing distance you might think there’s little reason to stay confined to Bristol’s walls, but for families wanting to experience something new and exciting (and stress-free) there’s a plethora of opportunities right under your nose.

While the city’s rightly renowned as the festival capital of the South West (Balloon, Kite, Organic Food, Harbour…the list goes on) which can happily fill most summer weekends, there are also some more permanent fixtures on the list to keep everyone happy. Here’s a selection of just some of the favourites that locals return to, whatever the season:

Explore @ Bristol

In many ways the cornerstone of the spacious new Millennium Square development flanking Bristol’s historic docks, this is a hands-on science experience guaranteed to get everyone stuck in. From the fantastic Planetarium to how the human body works, flying machines, gigantic bubble makers and a constantly rolling number of new exhibitions, so every time you come back there’s always something to get excited about. Excellent underground parking and right next to dozens of family-friendly cafes and restaurants, it’s a must.

Blaise Castle House Museum

While the first instinct here is to rush to see the folly-like castle high on the hill overlooking the expansive grounds, the real appeal for many families is the truly excellent adventure playground which is constantly updated with zip wires to climbing towers and all manner of sand activities for teeny ones – with a great café between it and the car park, so parents can get their caffeine and croissant fix on weekend mornings with the papers. Then stroll to see the rather random exhibits showing Bristol life for families over the past couple of centuries in the mansion house, and enough space to have a picnic and a kick-around, however busy it is. Possibly Bristol’s best free day out for the family.

Bristol City Museum and Gallery

What was previously seen as a bit of a white elephant in prime location at the top of Park Street made national headlines when Banksy put on his phenomenally successful exhibition here recently, with queues stretching for miles to see the iconic master’s take on modern life. The City Museum’s still littered with a few remnants, but is also home to constantly changing art and photography shows (including the BBC’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year), has an excellent fancy dress and activities area for kids and acres of space on three floors to explore. Tip: get there early on rainy days to avoid the crowds. Everyone’s favourite is the Egyptology collection, with mummies and everything that goes with it, and, from the autumn, a new interactive gallery. Look out also for the Sunday Fundays – the first Sunday of each month is given over to children’s activities. And again, completely free.

Boating

It might not have the punting potential of Oxford and Cambridge, but a boat ride around Brunel’s docks make a fantastic family excursion. Through the summer season Bristol Channel Cruises (0845 130 4647) sail regularly to and from Bristol, Clevedon, Weston-super-Mare, Minehead, Ilfracombe and Penarth. Cruises vary in length from a whole day (to visit the fascinating Lundy Island, for instance) to a few hours. The Bristol Ferry Boat Company is as popular with tourists as genuine commuters, running from Hotwells to Temple Meads and back, with stops along the way including Castle Park, Welsh Back, city centre, The SS Great Britain and more. Try the ‘Round Trip Ticket’ for a 40- or 60-minute circular tour of the docks for an interesting perspective on the ancient city. The Bristol Packet does scheduled tours of the docks leaving from Wapping Wharf, but also trips along the Avon, to Bath and the gloriously old-fashioned Beese’s Tea Gardens. It’s also available for private hire and booze cruises, but book early.

Cheddar Caves

A true marvel just 30 minutes’ drive from Bristol, the amazing sight of Gough’s and Cox’s caves are something to behold. To get the kids really excited, the Crystal Quest fantasy adventure walk was allegedly used as inspiration by Tolkien for Helm’s Deep featured Lord of the Rings. For the inclusive price of an Explorer ticket (£16 adults, £10 children), you can also scale the 2704-step heights of Jacob’s Ladder, the cliff-top Gorge Walk, and an open-top bus tour. But perhaps the best part is the Cheddar Man & the Cannibals exhibition, the home of Britain’s oldest complete skeleton who died a gruesome death at the hands of his fellow cannibalistic tribesmen. Truly more to the whole experience than ooing and ahhing at stalactites and mites.

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm

A strangely enticing cross between a farm and a zoo set in over 100 acres of fantastic Somerset countryside. As well as everything from giraffes to camels to rhinos, there’s ample indoor playing potential with barns, 3-D and hedge mazes and animal shows so the whole family can learn about the huge range of animals on site. There’s a strong Christian angle to the whole set up, but for anyone agnostic or even atheist, it’s extremely easy to ignore and just get on with enjoying the day. At £33 for a family day ticket, it’s not too bad value either.

Horseworld

In the nether regions of South Bristol, this centre’s run by The Friends of Bristol Horses Society charity that looks after mistreated or neglected horses, ponies and donkeys – so all money raised goes back to helping the animals that are the central focus of your day. As well as learning about and helping look after the animals, there’s an indoor play barn and outdoor adventure playground, picnic area, café, an interactive museum, daily demonstrations and during the summer visitors can go on tractor-drawn tours. A beautifully simple concept that leaves visitors with a glow of contentment as they leave, knowing they’ve done their bit.

Bristol Zoo

A veritable institution originally set up with financial backing from Brunel himself, what sets Bristol’s zoo apart from others is its layout – you’re never more than a short stroll from any of the 400 species of animals or the fantastic café and grassy area to take a well-earned breather. And because it’s all walled in the heart of Clifton, you can rest assured it’s a near impossibility to lose each other (or your kids). In recent years the zoo’s become extra proactive, building an Explorers’ Creek water park, a high-wire walking network so you can see the enclosures from above, a new butterfly section…and that’s on top of the permanent favourites such as the underwater seal and penguin viewing tunnels, bug world and the gorillas. Those in the know become annual members (costing around £80 for two adults and two children) for free access for all the family year-round, discounts in the shop and exclusive invites to events such as the Guy Fawkes fireworks, Christmas Carols and Boogie for Bristol in July.

Berkeley Castle

Berkeley Castle is one of the most remarkable buildings in the Country and possibly the most outstanding example of Mediaeval domestic architecture in Britain. The Castle is perfect for a family day out. The Castle and Gardens are open from Easter to October and the Butterfly House from May to September. English history has been lived out within the walls of the Castle which was the scene of the brutal murder of Edward II in 1327 and was besieged by Cromwell’s troops in 1645. The most remarkable thing is that for nine centuries, the building, the Berkeley Family, the archives, the contents and the estate have all survived together. Twenty-four generations of Berkeley’s have gradually transformed a Norman fortress into a stately home full of treasures; such as magnificent collections of furniture, rare paintings and tapestries.

Westonbirt Arboretum

There are trees, and then there’s Westonbirt. Set in over 600 acres with some 18,000 trees collected by the Victorian gentleman-horticulturalist who dedicated his estate to all things floral, it’s not just autumn that draws in the crowds. The spring blossoms, the fantastic verdance in summer, even the lights in the trees and carols at Christmas, it’s a fantastic day out with non of the overly-commercial aspects of the usual theme parks. There’s also a wide programme of educational and conservation activities, open-air, big name summer concerts and the Festival of the Tree with vast chain-sawed wooden sculptures.

The SS Great Britain

The UK’s museum of the year, the multi-million pound renovation of the world’s first ocean-liner is truly eye-opening. Brunel’s baby was the first ship to ever have an iron hull and to be powered by a screw propeller, but ended up wrecked off the coast of Argentina in the 1970s before being tugged back to its birth place. Made to resemble the boat as it would have been back in the 1840s, there are all the sights, sounds and smells to tell the stories of some of the people who travelled on her as you walk around with your personal audio-guide. There’s also replicas of her vast Victorian engines, cramped cabins, the Promenade Deck and the sumptuous First Class dining saloon – where local Bristolians can even choose to have their wedding receptions after tying the knot on deck. The museum next to the boat fills in all the gaps with a whole host of interactive exhibitions, while during school holidays and on certain weekends local actors dress up as Brunel and other passengers of the day to perform acts and take questions. And don’t chuck your ticket, as it’s valid for the whole year after your visit (so you don’t even feel pressurized into taking everything in in one go).

 

For a list of events throughout the year go to: www.venue.co.uk/dayso/dayso_events.html

 

---