# Bristol, UK tourist attractions **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 31, 2005, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107 "2005-03-31T20:47:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chickendoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@chickendoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chickendoc)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/1 "2005-03-31T20:47:21Z")
My boss is going to a meeting in Bristol, UK this september and I was wondering if there are any tourist attractions in the area that would be recommended by you good people. I spent a year in Berkshire (Bark-sher), UK and didn’t travel as much as I would’ve liked to. So I’m not very useful in this instance. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/2 "2005-03-31T21:13:25Z")
Bristol is pretty cool in its own right actually. There’s been a regeneration over the past ten years or so and the whole waterfront has been done up (river buses and everything!) and there is quite a buzz. The [Clifton Suspension Bridge](http://www.clifton-suspension-bridge.org.uk/) is pretty wow and there are lots of Georgian buildings up in that part of town. For history there’s one of the first iron hulled steam ships the [SS Great Britain](http://www.ss-great-britain.com/) . There are frequent trains (or buses) to [Bath](http://www.visitbath.co.uk/) about half an hour away. A day trip to [Stonehenge](http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge/) or [Avebury](http://www.avebury-stones.co.uk/) should be feasible too. If your boss wants to risk it he could even go over into Wales 😉[Tintern Abbey](http://www.castlewales.com/tintern.html) is pretty special. ---
**Author:** ![chickendoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@chickendoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chickendoc)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/3 "2005-03-31T21:29:40Z")
Thanks so much for all of the info. I’ve made it as far west as Bath and went into Wales a bit. I wish I would’ve went on to Bristol, now! Shoulda Coulda Woulda, huh? Thanks again ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/4 "2005-03-31T21:36:39Z")
Pleasure **Chickendoc** 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/5 "2005-03-31T21:38:24Z")
Pleasure **chickendoc** 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/6 "2005-03-31T22:17:47Z")
Wow! A question (almost literally) right up my street! Of course, it depends what you want to do, but in addition to the excellent suggestions made by **Cat Jones** , I recommend [Explore@Bristol](http://www.at-bristol.org.uk/explore/default.htm) for cool sciencey stuff (though I guess you have similar things nearer home), [Wookey Hole Caves](http://www.wookey.co.uk/) and [Cheddar Gorge](http://www.cheddarcaves.co.uk/) for cool cavey stuff, [Slimbridge](http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/slimbridge/) for cool ducky stuff, [Bristol Zoo](http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/) for cool animaly stuff and [Westonbirt Arboretum](http://www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt) for cool tree-y stuff (it’ll look spectacular in September). Plus an abundance of various museums, though clearly London is even better for this. And I don’t suppose they are travelling 3000 miles to go shopping, but if so there is [The Mall](http://www.mallcribbs.com/), which is actually a huge shopping centre for the UK but will probably seem more like a corner shop to you. Clearly your boss may find all the above deathly boring, so if you can be more specific with their requirements, I can be more specific with my suggestions :). Anyway, here’s a more general resource: [http://www.visitbristol.co.uk/batt/](http://www.visitbristol.co.uk/batt/). Have fun! ---
**Author:** ![chickendoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@chickendoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chickendoc)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/7 "2005-03-31T22:23:14Z")
Thanks for the info. I’ll be sure to pass it along. I had no idea that there was so much to see and do in Bristol. Those are very good suggestions. I think that this will give them a good start. Many, many thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/8 "2005-04-01T01:53:49Z")
I’m told that Saint Peter and Paul’s cathedral is rather nice. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/9 "2005-04-01T04:42:21Z")
[Insert obligatory Bristols joke here] ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/10 "2005-04-01T10:44:49Z")
> [@chickendoc](#): > > Thanks for the info. I’ll be sure to pass it along. I had no idea that there was so much to see and do in Bristol. Those are very good suggestions. I think that this will give them a good start. Many, many thanks. Well, they’re not exactly all _in_ Bristol - some are, and some are up to 40 miles away, but I thought that’s not too far for an American visiting our little country! Some can be reached easily by public transport, while for others you’d do best to rent a car. **Cunctator** , I believe the cathedral you are referring to is [St. Paul’s Cathedral](http://www.stpauls.co.uk/) in London. London is reachable from Bristol (3 hours motorway (freeway) drive, plus a bit/a lot depending on how far into London you want to drive, which, if you’re sensible, is not far), but Bristol itself has a very nice [cathedral](http://www.bristol-cathedral.co.uk/) too. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/11 "2005-04-01T10:54:09Z")
If you’re heading to the Clifton Suspension Bridge it’s worth visiting the [Camera Obscura](http://brightbytes.com/cosite/2bristol.html) on the Downs overlooking the gorge. Nice and quirky, it gives great views of the bridge and it’s often overlooked by visitors. 🙂 More good views of the town at the top of [Cabot Tower](http://www.bristolconnect.co.uk/places/sights/cabot_t.htm). And for a quintessentially English sea-side experience try [Weston-super-Mare](http://www.weston-super-mare.com/). ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/12 "2005-04-01T19:17:57Z")
I second the bridge and observatory thingamajig below, it was quite a picturesque gorge. Walking across the bridge was rather unnerving because it bounces quite a bit as traffic goes by 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/13 "2005-04-02T02:33:36Z")
> [@Dead Cat](#): > > **Cunctator** , I believe the cathedral you are referring to is [St. Paul’s Cathedral](http://www.stpauls.co.uk/) in London. London is reachable from Bristol (3 hours motorway (freeway) drive, plus a bit/a lot depending on how far into London you want to drive, which, if you’re sensible, is not far), but Bristol itself has a very nice [cathedral](http://www.bristol-cathedral.co.uk/) too. \*\*Dead Cat \*\* - no, the cathedral to which I’m referring is **Saint Peter and Paul’s**. It’s the Catholic cathedral (not the Anglican one) for the diocese of Clifton, and is in Bristol. I’ve been told it’s rather nice. I’ve not actually visited it myself. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/14 "2005-04-02T07:50:47Z")
If it’s cathedrals you’re after, Wells is just down the road, and Salisbury is near to Stonehenge, should you be headed in that direction. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/15 "2005-04-02T08:08:27Z")
Moved to IMHO. - **xash** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/16 "2005-04-02T09:08:58Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > \*\*Dead Cat \*\* - no, the cathedral to which I’m referring is **Saint Peter and Paul’s**. It’s the Catholic cathedral (not the Anglican one) for the diocese of Clifton, and is in Bristol. I’ve been told it’s rather nice. I’ve not actually visited it myself. It’s quite an impressive building - v. modern, all concrete and glass, very striking (particularly as it’s on a street with grand geogian mansions so it doesn’t really fit!) ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/17 "2005-04-04T21:05:19Z")
Doh! Not only did I wrongfully imply ignorance on the part of **Cunctator** (apologies), but I’ve even been to the place! I just didn’t know it was called Saint Peter and Paul’s - I know it as Clifton Cathedral. And yes, it is an interesting building. I wouldn’t have leapt in with my misplaced correction, but I Googled “Saint Peter and Paul’s Cathedral” and thought I saw that that was the “official” name for St Paul’s Cathedral. On taking a second look, however, it seems I got this wrong, too. Summary of the above: I’m an idiot :smack:. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bristol-uk-tourist-attractions/297107/18 "2005-04-05T00:00:28Z")
You can see the [Cary Grant](http://www.at-bristol.org.uk/open/Cary.htm) memorial statue, if you’re into that sort of thing. He was born and raised in Bristol.