Bristol
Bristol is known for its after hours activities and award winning restaurants. It's lively nightlife scene features everything from comedy clubs and resturants to micro-breweries, dance clubs and traditional pubs. There is a huge range of music to fit every taste including house, techno, trance, jungle, R&B, funk, latino, disco and loads more. Bristol has good music. Many well known british artists have come from this area. If theatre is more your style, there are plenty of award winning theatres to choose from including the Bristol Old Vic, The Tobacco Factory and the Bristol Hippodrome. Comedy clubs include the Jongleurs and Jesters.
Bristol also features wonderful shopping opportunities with malls and shops throughout town. Bristol's west end has designor clothing, antiques and jewelry. Be sure to wear your walking shoes, as you'll be spending a lot of time on foot. The west end also features many arts and crafts stores, and in many places, you can watch the crafts being made. Be sure to pick up some blue glass while you're there, as this is a trademark of the town.
On the east side of town, you'll find many ethnic stores featuring food, wine and crafts of Caribbean and Asian design. St Nichols Markets and the Corn Exchange is a fun place to shop and look at historical architecture. Be sure to check out the Glass Arcade and eat at some of the many delicious small restaurants. You'll also want to see the eclectic clothing, books, and food at the Covered Market.
If you want to do something other that shop, party and eat, Bristol has many unique opportunities you can participate in. Want to take a hot air balloon ride? Bristol has two hot air balloon companies: Bailey Balloons and Bristol Balloons. While it's not cheap, it is an exciting and beautiful experience to ride in a hot air balloon ride over the beautiful countryside of Bath and Bristol. If hot air balloon flight is a little too slow for you, you can take flying lessons with BCT Aviation or a helicopter ride at the Helicopter Experience Flights museum. Or, learn how to blow glass at Bristol Blue Glass. For the really wild at heart, you can become a zoo keeper for a day at the Bristol Zoo Gardens feeding and caring for the Zoo's animals.
Hotel accomodations are ample, but if you have a little extra cash, you may want to stay at one of the two castles in the area. Yes, you can stay in a castle for your visit! Thornbury Castle, built in the 16th century and once owned by King Henry VIII, is surrounded by 15 acres of vineyards and Tudor gardens. Every room has a four poster bed and fireplace. This is the only Tudor castle in the UK open as a hotel. The Bury Manor Castle, built 400 years ago is situated close to the historic parts of Bath and Bristol and major tourist attractions. You'll want to book your reservations early for either castle, as rooms are extremely limited.
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See a Map of Bristol