Bristol Summer Activities – Family Guide for 2025!

Welcome to your family guide for Summer in Bristol! Browse the below categories to help you plan your summer based on your interests. If you find this guide helpful, please share and follow us on Instagram or Facebook for more days out ideas, new openings, future guides and reviews!

Contents:

Click to jump to…

• Festivals
• Water Play
• Boat Trips
• Animal & Adventure Parks
• Gardens & Outdoors
• Museum, Caves & Trains
• Theatre
• Pick Your Own
• Outdoor Cinema
• Family Fun Days, Parties & Events
• Creative
• Other Events
• New Openings
• Holiday Clubs
• Free Bus Travel for under 16s
• Free and Cheap Days Out

Festivals

Gromit Unleashed Trail 30 Jun – 31 Aug

Find all the Gromit (and friends!) sculptures around Bristol! Free charity trail. Download the trail app or buy a map.

Kids Fest Sat 5, Sun 6, Sat 12 & Sun 13 Jul

Kids Fest at Farringtons Farm Park 5, 6, 12 & 13 Jul Expect entertainment and activities such as Super Pirates, Circus Shows, Bubbles, Bluey & Bingo, and Inflatable Obstacle Course! Book tickets

Balloons and Tunes at Bath & West Showground Fri 11 & Sat 12 July

Live music tribute acts, hot air balloon night glow, funfair, stunt show, food & drink stalls, Bluey & Bingo and live animal shows. Book tickets

Pride Day on the Downs Sat 12 July

Pride Day has a dedicated family area, with performances, crafts and games! Entertainment includes Youtuber and Children’s Author Pop’N’Olly, Super Pirates, and Drag Story Time. More info & tickets

Bristol Harbour Festival Fri 18 – Sun 20 July

FREE action-packed festival with music, dance and circus performances and water-based activities. See our reel for highlights from 2022 including the baby race, sand and water play area, face painting and meeting a mermaid! We enjoyed a stroll around the harbour first thing and we went on the wheel in Millennium Square.

It gets very busy, so I would recommend going early in the day. We have previously gone on the Sunday as it feels a quieter atmosphere than Saturday (with less people drinking!). See the programme and more info at bristolharbourfestival.co.uk.

Weston Wallz Street Art Festival 19-27 Jul

Summer street art festival in Weston-super-Mare. See live painting, workshops and other activities Find out more

Feast on Festival Thurs 24 – Sun 27 July

Food festival on the Downs. It has a children’s entertainment area and a cooking school for the whole family. Book tickets

Bristol Balloon Fiesta Fri 8 – Sun 10 Aug

Free hot air balloon festival filled with spectacular mass ascents, night glows and lots of family entertainment! See our post from a previous year. I really recommend going for the morning ascent, it is worth the early start! Take a picnic blanket and buy coffee and crepes. There is lots of food and drink, funfair and other entertainment. There is an NCT tent for anyone with young children needing a quiet escape. Car Parking tickets are available now. More info at bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk

Raver Tots Outdoor Festival Sun 17 Aug

Outdoor Festival at Lloyds Amphitheater. All ages Book tickets

Old Down Estate Food & Drink Festival Mon 25 Aug

Food & Drink Festival at Old Down Country Park. Expect food stalls and live music and entertainment. Book tickets

Hoo-Ha! at Bristol Beacon – NOW CANCELLED

Cancelled for 2025 More info

Vegan Kids Festival 22 – 24 Aug

Family festival for vegan families with activities, workshops and playtime. Find out more

FORWARDS Festival Sat 23 & Sun 24 Aug

Music festival with epic kids area filled with shows, music workshops, crafts and activities! See our reel from a previous year. This is a great day festival with kids and very easy to access on the Downs in Clifton. Book tickets

Mendip Family Festival at Mendip Basecamp Fri 29 – Sun 31 Aug

Live music, outdoor cinema, family activities, food, drink and partying. Booking available for the whole weekend or evening. Book here Mendip Activity Centre is worth a visit on its own and has many activities to do including tobogganing, dry skiing, canoeing, and lots more.

Water Play

Mall Cribbs Water Garden

Free water garden now open every day! There are bubble machines, splash streams and ice cream.

St Andrews Park Paddling Pool

Open seasonally, now open for the summer 24/7. St Andrews Park has a great play area, toilets and a coffee van.

Water Adventure Play Park WSM

Splash pad with fountains and sprays £3 pp, open seasonally (now open for summer!). Play area with brand new equipment and cafe kiosk. Find out more and check opening updates on Facebook

The Wave

The Wave is an inland surf destination in North Bristol! There are surf lessons from age 6+, or Little Rippers surf lesson for ages 4-9. For all ages there are Play in the Bay sessions which are perfect for paddling, splashing and bodyboarding (surf boards not allowed for this session).

The Wave is free to visit as a spectator and there is a great play area, lots of paths perfect for scooting, garden games, table tennis, a skate park and a cafe. Great to visit and watch the surfers! More information on thewave.com

West Country Water Park

West Country Water Park have a large swimming lake with an Aqua Park (giant inflatable obstacle course – participants from 1.2m in height and need to be able to swim 25m unaided), SUP (from age 2), kayaking, wind surfing, swimming and more! It has a nice cafe overlooking the lake perfect for spectating. More information and booking at westcountrywaterpark.co.uk

Slimbridge

Slimbridge WWT has Welly Boot Land: an amazing water play area! If you work/have worked for the civil service/public sector/education check out Boundless Membership It is only £40 a year and you get unlimited free entry to WWT for yourself, 50% off an additional adult and free admission for up to five children so it is a great deal! You need to pre-book your visit and take ID.

Millenium Square

Water fountains in Millenium Square are great for free water play near the Harbourside. This one may be best with wellies for safety/cleanliness.

Portishead Open Air Pool

Heated open air pool with family sessions available to book. More info at portisheadopenairpool.org.uk

Ultimate Slip n Slide

The biggest Slip n Slide in Somerset! Located in Beckington, near Frome. Pre-book your slot.

SUP Harbourside Adventure

Join SUP Bristol for a stand up paddleboarding adventure and the chance to see Bristol’s floating harbour from a new perspective Book tickets

Brean Splash Waterpark

Indoor and outdoor waterpark in Brean with lots of slides, a lazy river, water play and lots to entertain children. Pair with a visit to the beach! More info at breansplash.com

Parish Wharf Leisure Pool

The family fun leisure pool in Portishead has small slides, jets, etc. Best for young kids. It is indoors but it is right by the marina so lovely to pair with a walk around the marina. Book here

Warleigh Weir

Beautiful swimming spot east of Bath. It is on privately owned land which is currently opened to the public, but please use responsibly or it may be closed in future! There are no facilities. There is no parking so they ask that visitors use public transport, bikes or walk. More info on warleighweir.co.uk

Cleveland Pools

Currently closed after flooding. Check their website for details in case of re-opening clevelandpools.org.uk

Sydney Gardens

Sydney Gardens is a park/play area in Bath with a small water play area in the sand area. The water play is open seasonally. Next to The Holburne Museum which is also worth a visit and often has events/exhibitions.

John Coles Park, Chippenham

Splash pad in John Coles Park, Chippenham. It caters for children under 12 and is open from May – September (10am – 6pm). Free to use. Cafe kiosk and toilets.

Portishead Lake Grounds

Boating lake with pedalos in summer months. Play area and lakeside cafe.

Mission Inflatable at University of Bristol Swimming Pool

Large inflatable obstacle course at the University of Bristol swimming pool in Clifton. Places must be pre-booked via the University of Bristol Active app or website.

Streams to paddle in

• Willsbridge Mill – lovely short river walks and paddling, a wildlife garden, fairy garden and cafe!
• Snuff Mills/Oldbury Court – Quickest route to enter at Vassalls Park end and head down to the river where you can paddle – often lots of dogs paddling too. Great play area in the park, cafe kiosk and toilets. River walk along Snuff Mills which is usually pram/buggy friendly except when muddy.
• Kingsgate Park, Yate – stream to paddle in, an excellent play area and next to the beautiful Vintage Birdcage Cakery for cakes/brunch/lunch!
• Sandpits Park in Bath – stream to paddle

Beaches

• Weston-super-Mare has a great beach, The Grand Pier, ice cream, fish and chips and even donkey rides! It is easy to visit on the train and a great one for families.
• Brean Down – Huge expanse of a beach. National Trust cafe and parking. You are able to drive down and park on Brean beach itself at TA8 2RR. I have always wanted to have a car boot picnic here!

Other attractions with some water play

• Longleat – splash pad in the adventure castle
• Avon Valley Adventure Park – water play area near the entrance with some pumps and fountains. 50m slip n slide and paddling pool for select dates for summer. Massive family water fight event on 31 August.
• Cattle Country – small water play area near the entrance
• Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm – small water play area near the ice creams

Boat Trips

There are some great boat trips around Bristol Harbour and beyond, and it has got to be one of the best Bristol summer activities!

The Matthew

This is a large replica ship of the Matthew which was used by the explorer John Cabot. Choose from Fish & Chips Trip, Avon Gorge Cruise or a Harbour Trip, and there are even options with pirate or sea shanty entertainment! Find out more

Bristol Packet

The Bristol Packet host a number of trips including the City Dock Tour, Lunch or Evening trip to Beese’s, Cream Tea Cruise, Pub Lunch Cruise to Hanham Mills, Avon Gorge Cruise and Mr Brunel Experience. Find out more Beeses is a lovely riverside pub and this is a great option if you have friends visiting Bristol.

Bristol Ferries

Bristol Ferry runs a regular service around the harbourside which is great for exploring this area. You can turn up and get on/off at different stops. Bristol Ferry also run shuttles to Beeses for their events and festivals, there are history tours and Thirsty Thursday tours with a well stocked bar. Find out more

MShed Boat Trips

• Boat trip on the John King – a 1935 diesel tug boat 5 & 6 July and 9 & 10 Aug. Book at MShed on the day.
• Pyronaut trips – Bristol’s former fireboat! See the water canons in action. Running on 19, 20, 26 & 27 July, and 30 & 31 Aug. Buy tickets on the day at MShed.

Animal & Adventure Parks

Andy’s Adventures Explorer Trail at Bristol Zoo Project

19 Jul – 2 Nov Through games and activities, you can learn the skills you need to become an explorer like Andy! Discover how to track animals, find Andy’s backpack, gizmo and hat in his Explorers Cabin, learn how to identify animals through investigating their poo, pretend to shrink down like Andy and to go back in time with the museum clock! Book tickets

Roar Into Summer at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm

20 June – 7 Sep – Summer trail with challenges to collect your stripes, make brass rubbings and earn a certificate! Farmula One Go-Karts return for the summer, along with an accessible tractor ride. See the brand new Lion Habitat, and spot a Gromit Unleashed sculpture on site. Book tickets

Summertopia! at Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park

• Summertopia! 12-13 July & 19 July – 31 August: Giant slip n slide, huge paddling pool, sand & water play, and every day ends with a foam party! New silent disco. Plus all the usual attractions! Book tickets
• OFFER: Visit in the summer and return for FREE before 30 August! (excludes water fight event and applies to standard park entry)
• Summer Socials – On Friday nights in July & August, the bar, burger kitchen & pizza oven will be open. Diners and drinkers can enter the park for FREE 5.30-9pm! Kids can play in the adventure park. Live music from local artists.
• Massive Family Water Fight 30 August

Summer Carnival at Longleat

19 July – 31 Aug – Classic funfair rides and carnival skills workshops! Two new hippos (Matylda and Manon) have recently arrived, and you might be able to spot then on the jungle cruise. Book tickets

Dragonfly Festival at Slimbridge

21 June – 22 Sep A summer of dragonfly-themed events and activities with Dragonfly Trail, Dragonfly 4×4 Safari, Dragonfly Canoe Safari and special weekend events:

• Circus Spectacular 26-27 July – Dragonfly stilt walkers, diabolo tricks and magic acts
• Arts & Crafts Weekend 9-10 August – Build your very own fantastic flyer, inspired by the amazing colours and aerial skills of dragonflies.
• Dragonfly Discovery 30-31 August – Learn more about the weird and wonderful world of dragonflies with this special science themed weekend.
• Wonderful water play in welly boot land, birds, play areas, canoe safari! Book tickets

If you or your partner work OR have worked for the civil service/public sector/education check out Boundless Membership *AFF It is £40 a year and you get unlimited free entry to WWT for yourself, 50% off an additional adult and free entry for up to five children so it is a great deal! You need to pre-book your visit and take your ID and proof of membership with you.

Jurassic Immersive Experience

New dinosaur immersive experience at Cribbs Causeway! It combines dinosaurs and a clever use of technology to create a fun interactive walk through experience. Explore the escape room, a VR experience, a simulator ride, interactive screens and games. See our reel On until at least September. Suitable for all ages. Book tickets

World Tour at Bristol Aquarium

22 July – 31 Aug – Pick up your passport to the planet and take a fun and educational journey around the world where you’ll discover amazing biomes, exotic animals, and fascinating plants. Stamp your passport as you visit each bio-zone! There will be different guided tours available and a sandpit search activity. Book tickets

Summer Holidays at Cattle Country

19 July – 1 Sep – Farm Park approx 30 mins north of Bristol. Farm animals, adventure play, cafe, tractor/trailer rides, animal petting, huge soft play and sand play area, boating lake, climbing net and splash pool. Book here

Inflatable Theme Park – Portishead Showground

9 Aug – 1 Sep & 6-7 Sep Inflatable Theme Park is back at Portishead! £10 for all day wristbands. For ages 2-14 only. Check socials for updates on opening in poor weather conditions. Find out more

Summer of Fun at Puxton Park

Adventure Park approx 30 mins drive west of Bristol, near WSM. High ropes (including one for little ones which I haven’t seen anywhere else for this age), rides, train, farm animals and play areas. Celebrate their 18th birthday bash on 19 Jul with a foam party, cake and meet & greet. Helicopter Day 12 Aug, Tractor Fest & Sunflower Field! Book tickets

Festival of Summer

Animal Antics at Old Down Country Park

Country Park Estate with farm animals, two play areas, bouncing pillows, cafe and gardens just north of Bristol.

• Animal Antics 23 Jul – 31 Aug 6 weeks of animal themed adventures Find out more
• Country Fayre 17 Aug
• Food & Drink Festival 25 Aug

Cotswold Farm Park

Farm Park approx 1 hr 5 mins north-east of Bristol in the Cotswolds. Farm animals, play areas and lamb feeding.

• Flower Fields 19 Jul – 31 Aug – Wild flowers in bloom, pick your own or buy flowers, dog friendly day out, photo opportunities, and sunflowers expected around mid-Aug but check socials.
• Circus on the Farm 15-17 Aug
• Summer Sunset Festival 29-31 Aug – Country Music Festival with live music, line dancing, campfire and smores, saloon bar and more! Book tickets

Big Summer Blowout at Over Farm’s Countryside Adventure

19 Jul – 1 Sep – This year’s Big Summer Blowout event brings dinos, Rover the Farmer, roaming reptiles, plus bubbles shows, magic, hula hooping and crafts. Lots of other activities including adventure play area, bouncy pillows, animal trail, mini golf, tractor trailer rides, quad train ride and animal feeding! Combine with a visit to their PYO (details below) Book tickets

Action Arena at Blaise Castle

Action Arena Inflatable Obstacle Course at Blaise Castle 22-25 Aug Book tickets

Gardens & Outdoors

Summer at the Castle at Berkeley Castle

21 Jul – 27 Aug – Castle and grounds approx 30 mins drive north from Bristol. Cafe and lots of events for the summer:

• Archery – Have-a-go sessions every Monday from 21 Jul – 18 Aug
• Hysterical Critters Workshop – Meet fascinating creatures like a rat, giant snail, and tarantula up close – Every Wednesday from 23 Jul – 27 Aug
• Dinosaur Day 27 Jul
• Tudorly Terrible History 3 Aug
• The Joust 24-25 Aug – See jousting displays!
• Falconry Displays 31 Aug Book tickets

American Museum & Gardens

Estate with museum and gardens on the east side of Bath. Beautiful setting, play area and cafe.

• New exhibition – Beyond Infinity: American Space Exploration Exhibition 5 Jul – 4 Jan
• Summer Party 6 Jul
• The Selvedge Makers’ Fair 12 Jul
• Kids’ Rave with Super Pirates 15 Aug
• See Theatre section of this post for Garden Theatre events

Arnos Vale Cemetery

Woodland cemetery in Brislington – lovely for a walk, free scavenger hunt and beautiful cafe! Summer events:

• Creepy creatures craft workshop 28 Jul
• Pond dipping drop-in 28 Jul
• Magic wand making 29 Jul & 21 Aug
• Make a butterfly feeder 29 Jul
• Summer craft workshop 4 Aug
• Fairy door making 4 Aug
• Dome Club Planetarium 8-9 Aug
• Den building workshop 5 & 27 Aug
• Fire lighting workshop 5 & 27 Aug
• Big bug hunt 19 Aug
• Campfire cooking workshop 19 & 26 Aug
• Wonderful worms 21 Aug
• Bugging-out for kids drop-in 26 Aug

Most events require pre-booking. Book your place

Chew Moos Ice Cream

Chew Moos needed a mention as when you think of Bristol summer activities, ice cream has got to feature! This is a fab ice cream parlour in the Chew Valley! It has a play area in a field, ride ons and some animals. FREE to visit (just pay for ice cream/drinks!). Check their Facebook for opening times.

Palette and Pasture

Ice cream parlour with bouncy castle inflatable park (weather dependent), tractor ride ons and a few animals. Around 50 mins drive from Bristol, near Frome.

Maize Maze open from 19 July! Pre-book tickets. We have visited a maze here before and it was huge! Sunflower and Cornflower PYO are due to be ready in August. More info and booking at paletteandpasture.co.uk

Summer of Play at Tyntesfield

National Trust gothic house and gardens, approx 17 minutes to the west of Bristol. Multiple play areas and a cafe.

• 19 Jul – 31 Aug Three interactive tents to discover: the play tent, the music tent and the story tent. Themes will change over the summer holidays to focus on different parts of the world. Follow the global tree trail with spotter sheets. Keep an eye out for photo spots and travel inspired decorations across the estate!
• Storyteller – Join in the fun as stories from around the world are recreated by The Story Cellar. 23 & 30 Jul, 7, 11, 20 & 29 Aug
• Make a pair of bird nesting boxes – Ideal for a parent/grandparent to work with a child 17 Aug

Find out more

Summer of Play at Dyrham Park

National Trust estate near Bath, with 17th century house, adventure play and cafes. Summer of Play event 23 Jul – 2 Sep with art sessions, nature explorer trails and play activities. On Tuesdays from 29 Jul to 26 Aug there will be Nature Explorer sessions including bug hunts and pond dipping at 11am and 1.30pm. Each Wednesday from 23 Jul until 27 Aug, will be ‘watercolour Wednesday’ where visitors can get creative by collecting materials, going off to draw, and returning to the gazebo for some watercolour painting. Find out more

The Disgusting Sandwich Trail at Painswick Rococo Gardens

5 July – 8 Sep. A brand new interactive trail. Join badger and his friends on a garden adventure to collect strange and silly items to create your own Disgusting Sandwich. Stunning gardens with adventure play area and cafe! Hilly site. Around 1 hr drive north of Bristol. More info & book tickets

Bowood’s Great Summer Adventure at Bowood House & Gardens

25 Jul – 31 Aug, House & Gardens approx 45 mins drive east of Bristol near Chippenham. What to expect:

• Huge adventure play area and play barn for kids
• Arts and crafts daily during the holidays
• ‘Earth Photo Exhibition 2025’ held within the Arboretum showing a selection of works from the shortlist between 23 Jul – 1 Sep
• Wiltshire Wildlife Trust 2 – 10 Aug with activities
• 50 things to do checklist
• Big Tree Climb (separate tickets required) Recreational tree climbing from age 6. 29-30 Jul & 29-30 Aug
• Wiltshire Game & Country Fair 9-10 Aug
• See Theatre section of this post for outdoor theatre options
• Mud & Guts educational outdoor sessions select dates with den building, fire lighting, games, tree climbing, rope swinging and more Find out more

Ashton Court Miniature Railway

Miniature Railway train ride at Ashton Court. Public running days on 27 Jul, 3, 24 & 25 August. Tickets are available at the ticket office on the day. The closest car park is the one by the golf course, which also has a cafe and toilets. Also check out Adventure Bristol high ropes course!

Sudeley Castle

Beautiful castle and 10 gardens to explore. Large adventure play area and safari sculpture trail. Approx 1 hr drive north of Bristol, near Cheltenham. What’s on this summer:

• Falconry Experiences – On select dates between 22 Jul – 29 Aug. Falconry experience where you can watch birds of prey demonstrations, have them land on your own (gloved) hand, photo opportunities and learn about them.
• Knight School – Every Wednesday and Thursday 23 Jul – 28 Aug. Dress up as knights and get involved with knight-themed activities such as sword-fighting, archery and jousting.
• Tudor Encounters 26-27 Jul – See historic re-enactors Book tickets

Westonbirt Arboretum

Popular arboretum, lovely for a family walk and has a gruffalo sculpture trail. Approx 30-40 minutes north-east of Bristol. Family activities days this summer:

• Stick Man Trail – Fun interactive family trail with Stick Man related activities. Purchase an activity pack at the entrance for £4.
• Roots of the Past – Uncovering Westonbirt’s Heritage – Family Activity 19 Jul
• Fabulous Fibres – Family Activity 5-7 Aug
• Arboretum Apprentice – Family Activity 12-14 Aug
• Open-Air Cinema Fri 15 Aug The Greatest Showman sing-a-long 7:30pm, Sat 16 Aug The Lion King 1:30pm, Sat 16 Aug Mamma Mia! ExtrABBAganza 6:30pm, Sun 17 Aug The Gruffalo & Stick Man 11:00am, Sun 17 Aug Sing 3:00pm, Sun 17 Aug Pretty Woman 7:30pm
• Lotions and Potions – Family Activity 19-21 Aug
• Woodland Wellbeing – Family Activity 26-28 Aug

Find out more

Summer of Play at Prior Park

23 Jul – 3 Sep – Fun outdoor activities for children at this National Trust landscape garden in Bath with Palladian bridge. Cafe kiosk. Find out more

Newark Park

National Trust estate approx 40 minutes north of Bristol. There are some lovely wooden animal carvings, a small adventure play area and tea pavillion.

• Summer of Play: Bob’s Garden Party – Create your own musical song, try your hand at croquet, boules, badminton and more! 22 Jul – 31 Aug
• Classic Cars 13 July
• Bug Hotel Making 24-25 Jul Book here

Stourhead

National Trust estate approx 1 hr south of Bristol.

• Summer of Play 5 July – 2 Sep – Visit Stourhead for the summer holidays for games and challenges in the meadow.
• Recycled Crafts 25 July – 31 Aug
• Bigtopmania Circus Skills 26 Jul – 31 Aug
• See Outdoor Cinema section

Find out more

Bishop’s Palace, Wells

Medieval palace and gardens in Wells, approx 45 mins south of Bristol.

• Party at the Palace 23 Jul – Music event with Seth Lakeman, The Wurzels, Mad Dog Mcrea, 3 Daft Monkeys and Wells City Band
• Archery Tournament 26 Jul
• Knights Tournament 27 Jul
• HMS Pinafore 2 Aug
• The Time Travelling Carpenter: Medieval Ground Billiards 2 Aug
• Bowlore Medieval 23-25 Aug

More info

Museums, Caves & Trains

We The Curious

Join We The Curious for an action-packed programme of summer activities celebrating 25 years of getting creative with science. Help build a time machine, get creative with scribble bots, plant seeds and more. It is an interactive science museum with lots of hands-on fun, shows, a planetarium and so much to discover! wethecurious.org

Bristol Museums

Lots of free and low-cost activities at Bristol Museums over the summer:

• Boat trip on the John King – a 1935 diesel tug boat 5 & 6 July and 9 & 10 Aug. Book at MShed on the day.
• Droids at Mshed – Meet famous robots and sci-fi characters for FREE 7 Jul 10am-4pm. Supporting Alzheimer’s Society
• MShed Steam Train Ride Buy tickets at the ticket office by the MShed platform. Single £3.50, Return £5. Running on 12, 13, 19, 20 July and 2, 3, 16, 17, 23, 24, 25 August. More info
• Museum Explorers – Session for under 4s 14 Jul Book here
• Pyronaut trips – Bristol’s former fireboat! See the water canons in action. Running on 19, 20, 26 & 27 July, and 30 & 31 Aug. Buy tickets on the day at MShed.
• Festival of Archaeology Fun at Kings Weston Roman Villa 23-25 Jul – Explore where Romans used to live right on Bristol’s doorstep, discover amazing mosaic floors, underfloor heating and a Roman bath suite. Activities e.g. dressing up, craft, trails and more. Free drop-in event More info
• Blaise of Glory! – A Tabletop Roleplay Experience 24-31 Jul. Ages 16+ More info
• Crane visits at MShed 26 & 27 July, 9, 10, 30 & 31 Aug – Experience a working crane on the dockside with trips inside the cranes. Visitors need to be over 1m tall More info
• Visit the Villa at Kings Weston House – a day of family friendly fun 30 Aug More info

Summer Holidays at Aerospace Bristol

Aviation Museum in North Bristol with Concorde, aeroplane themed play area and cafe. Tickets are valid for a whole year! Fab for anyone that love aeroplanes and helicopters. See our day out here on our Instagram. Book tickets Upcoming events:

• Supersonic Brick Day 12 July – Lego event! Get hands on with interactive activities and see Lego creations
• From 1st August: Be one of the first to visit Hangar 16R: Home of the Rolls-Royce Aerospace Collection
• Celebrate the 150th anniversary of Bristol Tramways 9 Aug
• Mark VJ Day – 80th anniversary of the end of WW2 15 Aug
• Big Balloon Weekend 3 & 4 Aug – Ballon inflation, meet the pilots, walk inside a balloon, and more activities.

Avon Valley Railway

• Out of this World: Sci-fi Weekend 12 & 13 Jul – Meet Sci-fi characters, droid builders. Children who come in sci-fi fancy dress travel for FREE Book here
• Various other running dates in the summer holiday for a train ride! There is a station buffet open for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea Check the timetable

Summer of Picnic and Play at SS Great Britain

19 Jul – 1 Sep. Explore Brunel’s SS Great Britain ship! Tickets valid for a year. Nice to visit with a walk along the Harbourside, and fun to explore for all ages. This summer expect:

• Tales from Top Deck Mr Brunel and Crew family show on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays 11.30am and 2.30pm
• Science magic show on Wednesdays (except 20 Aug) 11am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm
• Giant lawn games
• Gigantic deck chair
• Bring along a picnic on enjoy on the deck!

Book here

Bristol Cathedral

FREE Crafty Cathedral 24 & 31 Jul, 7, 14, 21 & 28 Aug More info Don’t miss the Cathedral Garden and Pinkmans!

Wake The Tiger

Amazement Park in Bristol with immersive art installations. See our reel to get a sense of what it is like. It is a unique interactive experience for all ages. Book tickets

New Dinosaur Experience Wookey Hole

• New Dinosaur Experience from 24 Jul – 1 Sep. Lots to do at Wookey Hole with the caves being the main attraction. Explore the caves with a tour guide, and spot the moon. Meet the Witch of Wookey Hole, see a Circus show, dinosaur area, adventure golf, 4D cinema experience, soft play and more! It is approximately 50 minutes drive south of Bristol, near Wells. Book tickets Save 15% by booking in advance T&Csapply
• Magique – Fire and Water Magic and illusion early evening show. Dates within July & Aug Book here

Surviving the Stone Age at Cheddar Gorge Caves

19 July – 1 Sep. Experience the excitement of the Stone Age in an action-packed day filled with family-friendly live demonstrations, interactive fun and unforgettable ancient discoveries. Explore the caves and museum. Book tickets

Haynes Motor Museum

Motor museum approx 1 hr south of Bristol, near Yeovil. This summer there will be outdoor car displays, giant scalextrix, a brand new family trail 24 Jul – 1 Sep, and more! More info

The Holburne Museum

Art museum with cafe in beautiful modern glazed extension, and next to Sydney Gardens Park!

• The Garden Theatre Festival 2 – 20 Jul
• Bath Carnival Creativity! Animal masks and outdoor pastel mural. Free & drop-in 12 Jul
• Partner Schools Summer Exhibition 12 Jul – 3 Aug
• Family drop-in workshop: Dinosaur Party 13 Aug

Find out more

The Helicopter Museum

• Magic at the Museum every Wednesday in August. Different activities each week: there will be magic shows, balloon modelling and illusions.
• World Helicopter Day 17 Aug – Exclusive cockpit access
• Transformers & Dino Day 31 Aug – Meet Bumblebee, HotRod and their Dinosaur friends. View the Transformer Car and helmet display, climb into some helicopter cockpits, and have your photograph taken in the Jurassic Park backdrops. Plus meet the cute dinos in the dinosaur petting zoo.

Find out more

The Roman Baths

• Archaeology Adventures 21 Jul – 29 Aug – Dig for Roman artefacts in their special excavation trench and learn how to identify, record, and uncover hidden treasures—just like a real archaeologist! Requires pre-booking
• Summer Family Activities 21 Jul – 26 Aug Various activities on different dates Find out more
• Learn about the Romans who once bathed in the Great Bath. For younger children, follow Hoot the Owl on the activity trails, whilst older children can listen to an audio guide. Children’s Activity Books are £5 More info

Theatre

Family theatre in and around Bristol this summer, including some outdoor performances!

Pick Your Own

Pick your own fruit or flowers is a lovely outdoor summer activity! The PYO dates below are rough as it is weather dependent when the fruit are ripe/flowers ready. Please check for availability on the relevant websites/socials before you go to check they have produce available:

• Palette & Pasture – Sunflowers and Cornflowers this summer (previously has been Aug). Maize maze!
• Over Farm, Gloucester – Strawberries from end of May, usually until the end of August. Sunflowers in August. Book here If there is no availability they are either closed or sold out. Check out their Countryside Adventure for a fun day out!
• Farringtons Farm – Dahlias and sunflowers in Jul – Aug. Sign up to their newsletter to be the first to know about tickets
• Primrose Vale, Gloucester – Strawberries, Raspberries, Loganberries, Blackberries, Gooseberries and Currants available Check for availability Play area and cafe.
• Thurloxton Farm, Taunton – Strawberries, Gooseberries, Raspberries, Currants and more. Sunflowers usually Aug/Sep. Check their website for updates They also have a mailing list.
• Lotmead Farm, Swindon – Strawberies, raspberries, gooseberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, broad beans & sweetcorn, Check for availability

Outdoor Cinema

Adventure Cinema

📍 Queen Square, Bristol

• Thurs 21 Aug – Pretty Woman (15)
• Fri 22 Aug – The Greatest Showman Sing-a-long (PG)
• Sat 23 Aug – Shrek (PG), Queen Outdoor Cinema Spectacular (12)
• Sun 24 Aug – The Gruffalo’s Child/Zog (U), Wicked Sing-a-long (PG)

Book tickets

Bath Open Air Cinema

📍 Bath Racecourse

• 9 Aug Grease
• 10 Aug Wicked. The Greatest Showman

Book tickets

Stourhead

📍Stourhead National Trust

• Pride & Prejudice 10 Jul
• The Greatest Showman 11 Jul
• Mamma Mia 12 Jul
• The Goonies 13 Jul

Book tickets

Family Fun Days, Parties & Events

Here are a selection, but there will be more! Check out your local school and village hall events.

• Free summer fun at Yate Shopping Centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays this summer 11am-3pm More info Beach sand play also back for the summer!
• Summer Stay & Play with Bespoke Events Bristol 28 Jun. Ages 5 and under. Book tickets
• Bath Carnival 12 Jul More info
• Sodbury Fest 12 Jul More info
• Transformers vs Bouncy Castles 13 Jul Book tickets
• Summer Barn Dance at Winterbourne Medieval Barn 18 Jul Book tickets
• Riverside Jamboree at Westbury Wildlife Park 19 Jul More info
• A Great Day Out at Brabazon 19 Jul More info
• Penny Party in the Park at Riverside Holiday Park (near WSM) 24 Jul More info
• Summer Family Night at BS14 Club 25 Jul Book tickets
• Pizza & Popcorn Night: Paddington in Peru from Drama with Hannah Rose in Clifton. 25 Jul. Ages 4-8 Book tickets
• Portishead Summer Show 26-27 Jul More info
• Inflatables Friday Fun Day at Emersons Green Village Hall 1 Aug Book tickets
• The Grand Pier Pirate Party 2 Aug Book tickets
• Little Ravers: Morning Madness! at Zion 2 Aug Book tickets
• Vets4Pets Imperial Family Fun Day & Dog Show at Bristol Barbarians Rugby Club 3 Aug Book tickets
• Silent Disco at Redcatch Community Garden 12 Aug Book tickets
• Tinkerbell’s Fairy Garden Party at Zion 14 Aug Book tickets
• Summer Family Day at Penny Brohn 26 Aug Book tickets
• Inflatables Fun Day at Emersons Green Village Hall 26 Aug Book tickets
• Frozen Show with Elsa at Redcatch Community Garden 26 Aug Book tickets
• Lucas Jet Circus Show & Workshop at Redcatch Community Garden 29 Aug Book tickets

Creative Events

• Children’s Scrapstore Various Craft Workshops over summer Book here
• Crafty Fridays at Sparks Bristol. FREE & drop-in. 25 Jul: Papermache Hot Air Balloon, 1 Aug: Make a Wish Map, 8 Aug: Lino Printing Balloons, 15 Aug: Crazy Carriages, 22 Aug: Voyages of Hope, 29 Aug: Flags of Friendship More info
• Flower Power Creations at Emersons Green Village Hall 25 Jul. Age 4+ Book tickets
• Paint and Cake at Emersons Green Village Hall 1 Aug. Age 12+ Book tickets
• Lego Day at Zion 1 Aug Book tickets
• Friendship Bracelet Making at Emersons Green Village Hall 8 Aug Book tickets
• Crumbs & Creations Wallace & Gromit Themed Cake Decorating and Crafts at Emersons Green Village Hall 11 Aug Book tickets
• Slime Making Workshop at Emersons Green Village Hall 13 Aug Book tickets
• Pizza & Salad Boxes Community Nature Event at Redcatch Community Garden 14 Aug. Ages 6+ Book tickets
• Tropical Terrarium Workshop at Sparks Bristol. 14 & 16 Aug. Age 6+ Book tickets
• Family Mosaic Workshop at Winterbourne Medieval Barn 18 Aug Book tickets
• Nature Sprouts Printing Workshop 22 Aug at Redcatch Community Garden. Ages 5+ Book tickets
• George’s Summer Science Workshops 27 Aug Book tickets
• Where The Wall Street Art ‘Introducing Stencil Art’ Spray Sessions on multiple dates. Age 4+ Find out more

Other Events

• Family friendly Community Farmer Days at The Community Farm, Chew Valley 5 Jul, 2, 16 & 30 Aug Book here
• Grimsbury Farm – Teddy Bear Storytime Mondays 10-10.30, Plant your own strawberry seed 29-30 Jul (booking not required), Drop-in craft sessions 19-22 Aug, Farm Trail & Scavenger Hunt and Colouring Competition all summer.
• Lazy Sunday Afternoon Concerts in Page Park – Free concerts on the bandstand 2pm 6, 13, 20, 27 Jul, and 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 Aug, and 1 Sep. Check Bean Tree Cafe Facebook for updates.
• Priddy Folk Festival 11-13 July – Lots of free children’s events More info
• Downend Food Market 13 Jul More info
• Bristol Gaming Market at Ashton Gate Stadium 13 Jul Book tickets
• Wildlife Celebration Day at The Community Farm, Chew Valley 19 Jul Book here
• Free Family Nature & Butterfly Day at Iford Manor 19 Jul. Butterfly spotting and activities. Please note this does not take place in the Gardens, which are age restricted and does not allow children under 10, except for babies under 1 in slings. More info
• Butterfly, Dragonfly & Damselfly Guided Walk at RSPB Ham Wall 20 Jul. Age 10+ Book tickets
• Once Upon a Pond – Immersive Art Exhibition in Quakers Friars 23 Jul – Sep More info
• Kings Quest Trail at Emersons Green Village Hall 23 Jul- 31 Aug. £4 per map from reception
• Family Dance – Music Led Workshop at Sparks Bristol. 27 Jul Book tickets
• Mini Golf Family Fun Event at Emersons Green Village Hall 5 Aug Book tickets
• Family Bushcraft at Winterbourne Medieval Barn 7 Aug Book tickets
• HorseWorld Open Day 9 Aug Book tickets
• UK Bungee Club at Bristol Amphitheatre on 16-17 Aug Book tickets
• Circus Skills Workshop & Marky Jay Show at Emersons Green Village Hall 19 Aug Book tickets
• Bat Walk at Winterbourne Medieval Barn 21 Aug. Ages 12+ Book tickets
• Scales and Tails Encounters Various August dates and locations Book tickets
• The Monarch Classic Car Showcase at Bath Racecourse 23 & 24 Aug Book tickets
• Bee and Pollination Festival at UoB Botanic Gardens 30-31 Aug More info
• Let’s Get Ready for School Theatre Workshop at Redcatch Community Garden 5 Sep Book tickets
• Felix Road Adventure Playground and St Pauls Adventure Playground often have lots of FREE events/play sessions on during the summer holidays
• Family cinema releases: How To Train Your Dragon (9 Jun), Elio (20 Jun), Smurfs (18 Jul) & The Bad Guys 2 (25 Jul)

New Openings

• Moomin takeover of Cupp Bubble Tea on Park Row! Buy cute Moomin drinks and pancakes
• Bake it! Great British Bake Off Inspired Baking Competition Experience in Bedminster. Age 5+ Book here
• Rock Up indoor climbing centre in WSM Book here
• Pickle Street – New role play cafe in Bedminster Book here
• Jurassic Immersive at Planet Ice, Cribbs Causeway Book here
• Boing! Lawrence Weston – New soft play for 0-5s Book here
• Little Explorers Play Cafe in WSM – For under 5s Book here

Holiday Clubs

Find a selection of holiday clubs below. You may want to check whether the after-school club provider at your school is running any sessions, or ask on your school’s Whatsapp group for what classmates are doing!:

• The Outdoors Project at The Ardagh and Sefton Park Infant & Jrs Age 5-12. Huge variety of themes and activities Book here
• Little Foxes Forest School at Westbury Wildlife Park. Ages 5-11 Book here
• Free Summer Holiday Club at Redcatch Community Garden -For children ages 8-16 who receive free school meals or who have special educational needs. 28, 29 & 31 Jul,4, 5, 6 & 8 Aug Book here
• Drama with Hannah-Rose Book here
  • Victoria Park Ages 4-7: Sock Puppet Spectacular 24 Jul, Dragon Riders 1 Aug, Top Secret Mission Mystery 18 Aug
  • Hotwells Ages 4-7: Top Secret Mission Mystery 25 Jul, The Big Bug Hunt 4 Aug, Dragon Riders 19 Aug, Sock Puppet Spectacular 20 Aug
  • Long Ashton Community Centre
    • Ages 4-7: The Big Bug Hunt 31 Jul, Sock Puppet Spectacular 6 Aug
    • Ages 5-8: A Magic Carpet Ride 28-30 Jul, Once Upon A Stage 27-29 Aug
    • Starting School Workshop (for those starting school this Sep) 5 Aug
• Adventure Bristol at Ashton Court. High ropes course. 30/31 Jul & 7, 14, 19, 20 & 28 Aug. Ages 7-14 Book here
• Your Holiday Hub – All families with children and young people from Reception to Year 11 (inclusive) who receive benefits-related free school meals can explore Your Holiday Hub (YHH) for fully-funded school holiday clubs and activities. Explore & book
• Tennis Camp at Knowle Tennis Club – Mon-Fri 21 July – 15 Aug. Half and single days available. Ages 4-14 Book here
• British Academy of Drama – Gruffalo’s Child Drama Workshop (Reception – Year 2) 1 Aug, Wind in the Willows – A Play in a Week Workshop (Year 3 – 6) 11-15 Aug Book here
• Sports Camps (Year 1-6) & Girls Football Camp (6-14 yrs) in Fishponds with AB Sports Coaching various dates Book here
• Oh La La Summer Baking Camp 29 Jul – 28 Aug. Ages 5+. At Lyde Green Primary School, Warmley Community Centre, St Peter’s Henleaze Church Hall Book here
• Streetenvy Dance Academy Summer Holiday Club Tues-Thurs July and August dates Comedy Summer School 11-13 Aug. Ages 12-16 Book here

Free Bus Travel for Under 16s

Kids age 5-15 go free on buses in the West of England 19 Jul – 5 Sep! (Under 5s are already free) For adults, if your birthday falls within July or August, don’t forget to apply for your Birthday Bus Pass for free travel on your birthday month! I have mine in July so I am really excited to use the bus a lot this summer.

Free and Cheap Days Out

For more free and cheap days out ideas for Bristol summer activities see this post! There are also so many lovely parks in Bristol so why not explore some with a picnic, or take teddies to make it a teddy bears picnic! Chilled garden days with a paddling pool and BBQs should definitely feature in everyone’s summer plans. There are a lot of memories to be made without spending much.

Thank you for reading our Bristol summer activities family guide!

Please share our Bristol Summer Holidays Guide with anyone that might find this useful, and follow us on our Instagram (most active here) or Facebook for more days out ideas! Any additional events will be shared to stories and pinned to a summer highlight on Instagram! This guide focuses on events, but there are other attractions which you can browse on our map.