Top 4 FREE Activities To Do in Bristol

Did you know Bristol has loads of amazing activities you can do for free? In this post, I’ve listed 4 of my favourite things to do, such as visiting museums and sightseeing. Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments below about what you enjoy doing in this creative city!

M Shed  

M Shed has exhibitions on the fascinating history of Bristol. One of my favourite exhibitions is ‘Bristol Places’ which gives the different neighborhoods of Bristol their own identity. After coming here, I certainly no longer saw the different areas of Bristol as just ‘places on a map’. The other exhibition I recommend seeing is Bristol Life, which goes into depth about the city’s industrial and educational heritage.  

Spike Island 

Spike Island is home to studios where local artists produce new and exciting art pieces. One of the latest exhibitions I attended was ‘Along a Spectrum’ by Veronica Ryan, who uses natural resources such as rocks as a medium. Some of her works includes stones and pebbles inside vibrant fishing pouches that hang from the ceilings.  

Clifton Suspension Bridge 

The Clifton Suspension Bridge is one of the most famous pieces of architecture in Bristol designed by Isambard Brunel. It was finished in 1864 as tribute to the inventor as he had passed away in 1859. Though it was originally designed for horse drawn carriages, it now serves motor vehicles.  

From the bridge, you can see breathtaking views of the Avon Gorge and river. And next to the bridge, you can see rare species of plants, with details on information boards. If you’re really lucky, you can see small wall lizards too. I wasn’t able to capture any photos of them, as just as I was about to take the photo, the lizard ran off into the plants.   

To get the best views of the bridge, it’s worth climbing up to the Clifton Observatory where you can also find benches to sit. After visiting the bridge, don’t forget to explore the cafes and shops around Clifton Village too… 

Discover Graffiti Art Around Bristol  

Earlier in the year, I did a post on graffiti art on Cowley Road in Oxford. But the street art in Oxford cannot contend with the ‘capital’ of street art, Bristol. Dotted around the city, you can find eye catching graffiti created by the notorious street artist Banksy, and other locals. One of my favourite spots to find art is in Easton.