Road trip journal + tips + weekend itinerary

If you have read my last post about the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, you’ll know about my recent trip to Bristol. However, if you haven’t, let me share my travel story and a two-day detailed itinerary with you.

I live in London, and Bristol is approximately two and a half hours away by car and one hour and forty minutes by train.

When I came across the announcement of the Bristol Balloon Fiesta 2025, I planned a road trip to Bristol with my husband to explore the city and the mega event.

We had passed through Bristol twice on our way to Wales, but hadn’t planned to visit this riveting city before.

We began our journey around 7 am on a Saturday from London, which meant we didn’t encounter any traffic on the M25 or further. We took a breakfast halt at a motorway service after travelling for one and a half hours, and we reached Bristol by 10:30 am.

It was a ravishing sunny day, and I liked the vibe of the city. We parked our car at Millennium Square Car Park. It’s a 24-hour safe and underground car park. Their charges are high, but their service is nice.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclaimer for details. Thanks for your support.

• Bristol 2-Day Itinerary
• Day 1 – Bristol City Centre
• Day 2 – Bristol International Balloon Festival/Other Places
• Best Pubs in Bristol
• Best Cafés in Bristol

Bristol 2-Day Itinerary

I have created this two-day itinerary based on our travel plan, but you can adjust it as needed.

Day 1 – Bristol City Centre

Tip: Install Get Your Guide app to plan your day trips and activities in Bristol. Discount code: TRAVELTOMUSE5

1. Millennium Square

After parking our car, we came up through the lift and roamed around Millennium Square. This city square offers a variety of activities for kids.

It features a carousel, a water fountain (where kids have fun during the summer), a 3D planetarium (We the Curious, a silver ball), car and carousel rides for kids, sculptures of interesting personalities, and numerous food stalls in its vicinity.

Tip for couples who are parents too: Book the planetarium in advance, as it is popular with families, and you may not be able to get walk-in tickets. To save money, take a slot after 3 pm.

Millennium Square is in the centre of the harbourside. From here, you can either take a walk along the harbour or explore the other attractions in the city.

The interior of the cathedral is stunning, and the stained glass windows tell interesting stories from the Bible.

The cathedral was originally an abbey for St. Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

You can also treat yourself to a coffee and cake date at Pinkmans Bakery and Café at the end of the cloister.

3. Raja Ram Mohan Roy Statue

If you are an Indian, you may be astonished to see a life-size bronze statue of the Father of the Indian Renaissance adjacent to City Hall.

This statue was unveiled in 1997 by the Indian government and presented as a gift to the city of Bristol in 1998. Niranjan Pradhan built it. In the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, you will see a massive portrait of him by Henry Peronnet Briggs.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was an Indian writer, social reformer, and educational reformer of the 19th century. He was known for abolishing the practice of Sati and child marriage. He also established schools to introduce the modern system of education in India.

Raja Ram visited England in 1831 as an ambassador of the Mughal Empire. He also wanted to ensure that the Sati regulation does not get revoked. Dwarkanath Tagore, a close friend of his, arranged for the relocation of his remains from Beech House in Stapleton (his last residence in Bristol) to Arnos Vale Cemetery.

4. City Hall

It is also known as Council House and lies opposite Bristol Cathedral. The architecture of its building is in a Neo-Georgian style, and it forms a broad curve lined with beautiful florals overlooking a moat along one side of College Green. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened it in 1956. The Mayor of Bristol renamed the building from Council House to City Hall in 2012.

5. Banksy Street Art

Next, we went downstairs from the bridge and visited Culver Street. There is only one artwork on a particular wall displaying a man bound in chains, and you need to be observant to find it.

We then headed to Leonard Lane, a narrow lane mostly covered in meaningless graffiti(in my opinion), and took the tunnel to reach Bell Lane.

On Bell Lane, you will see artwork outside restaurants and other shops. Through Bell Lane, we visited the St. John Church building at Broad Street, whose archway features a lovely artwork, which we used to reach Quay Street/Nelson Street.

On Quay Street, we saw a large dog, “See No Evil”, a mother and child artwork, but missed the Tats Cru Bristol Mural on 2 Quay Street, above Café Central.

I also had the Bearpit, North Street, Wilder Street, Backfields Lane, Stokes Croft, and Bedminster on my list, but these locations were rather far from the Bristol centre, and we were also famished.

Tip: You can also take a Banksy art guided tour in Bristol to learn more about each artwork.

If you are a big fan of street art, come to Bristol in July to attend Europe’s largest street art festival, Upfest, where street artists from all over the world come and sell their artwork.

From Quay Street, we went to The Cenotaph, a World War 2 memorial at Colston Avenue.

6. Dhamaka Restaurant at Clare Street and St. Nicholas Market

We walked on the opposite road to The Cenotaph, which was Clare Street, and there we saw colourful stairs and interiors with Indian graffiti.

The exterior wall had a sign hinting at Indian Street Food, so we decided to have lunch at this place even without checking the ratings. The food was delicious. We ordered Malai Kofta, Garlic Naan, and vegetable dumplings as starters. We didn’t like the dip that came with the dumplings because it didn’t taste authentic.

After hogging on food, we took a short walk to St.Nicholas Market on Corn Street. It is full of shops and street food vendors.

7. Harbourside, Brunel S.S. Great Britain Ship, and The Matthew

Then we went to the harbourside and took a lengthy stroll to visit the Brunel S.S. Great Britain ship. Still, when we reached the viewpoint from where we could see a few colourful houses of Hotwells, we realised that we had missed crossing a bridge, which increased the duration of our walk.

The S.S. Great Britain is the most-favoured attraction in Bristol. She was the longest passenger ship in the world until 1854. The quintessential architect, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, designed it, who also worked on the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

The ship carried 700 passengers on its first journey to Australia, and then it crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Opening times are 10:30 am-4 pm.

We were getting late for checking into the hotel. Additionally, we were exhausted from starting early, so we had to cut short our visit to Brunel S.S. Britain and skip Wapping Wharf and a gorgeous view of all 171 coloured houses of Hotwells.

Bristol Harbour has been in use since the 13th century and has been a booming trade port in the city. While reading about its history, it came to my notice that many pirates, sailors, traders, enslaved people and prisoners had visited the Bristol Harbour to board a ship.

John Cabot, a famous Italian explorer from Bristol, had also set sail from here on his ship, The Matthew, to discover new places like North America (Newfoundland) with the support of Henry VII. There is a replica of The Matthew at Princes Wharf near M-Shed Museum.

Harbourside is an admirable place to relax and rejuvenate, with so many bars and restaurants. I wish we had more time to sit by the harbour and enjoy the pleasant views, or take a ferry ride on the River Avon.

8. Cliftonwood Walk for Colourful Houses in Bristol

Before heading to our hotel, we drove to visit Cliftonwood Crescent on the hillside. I quickly stepped out of our car and captured the entire lane, complete with multi-coloured houses and Bristol’s stunning views from the top.

Cliftonwood Crescent is a residential area, and we couldn’t find a space to park.

Tip:

If you plan to visit this area, please maintain decorum and avoid disturbing the residents. Also, there are cars parked in front of the houses.

Other nearby locations of colourful houses in Bristol are:

• Ambrose Road
• Church Lane
• Argyle Place
• The Lion Pub
• Amber Vale

9. Clifton Suspension Bridge

We checked into the hotel at 4 pm, straightened our backs as soon as we fell on the soft bed and relaxed for an hour. Once we were feeling better, we had tea and got ready to visit Clifton Suspension Bridge at 6 pm.

Although Clifton Suspension Bridge was closed due to the Bristol Balloon Fiesta, we saw its stunning view from the Clifton Observatory Park.

I had hoped to see hot air balloons against the backdrop of Clifton Suspension Bridge over the Avon Gorge, but the mass ascent was cancelled due to windy weather, despite the sunny conditions.

Clifton Suspension Bridge is another genius work of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but unfortunately, he couldn’t see its opening. The bridge connects Clifton village in Bristol to Leigh Woods in North Somerset.

Clifton Bridge became an easy route for pedestrians or horses to cross over the Avon Gorge. Since its opening in 1864, it has been a toll bridge, and the toll income supports its maintenance.

Tip: There is a visitor centre at the bridge that tells you about its history, creation and other information. They don’t charge a fee for the information. You can also take a free walking tour with them at 3 pm on weekends.

We had trouble finding a parking space at Clifton Down Road on Saturday evening, but we managed to find one.

Tip: You can use the justpark.com website to pre-book a parking space if you are visiting on a busy day.

We wound up our first day with dinner at our hotel.

Day 2 – Bristol International Balloon Festival/Other Places

The second day began at 4 am, aiming to reach Ashton Court Estate by 5:30 am. At 5:00 am, we were in front of Blue Car Park, and we saw a throng of people walking towards the entry gate, and I was flabbergasted. I mean, so many people woke up and came for the event, even kids.

Many people came from other cities in the UK to witness this event, including us. Luckily, the mass ascent of balloons happened, and I was on cloud nine after that. Over a hundred hot air balloons were in the air, and the moment was surreal. You can read more about the Bristol International Balloon Festival and my experience by clicking on the link.

Free Things to Do in Bristol for Couples

Since Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is an annual event, happening only next year in the second weekend of August 2026, I am adding the following places and things to do for the second day:

1. Take the hike to Cabot Tower: It’s a 105-foot tower on top of Brandon Hill, and from here you will be greeted with stunning views of the city. As suggested by the name, this tower is dedicated to John Cabot. It’s free to visit.

2. Take a romantic stroll in Brandon Hill Park, the oldest park in the city (8:15 am – 5:15 pm).

3. Marvel at the beauty of St. Mary Redcliffe Church, the tallest building in Bristol.

4. Visit Bristol Museum and Art Gallery (10 am -5 pm): There are many things to explore on three floors, ranging from Egyptian mummies, the history of dinosaurs, to craftsmanship.

5. Go to Bristol’s oldest market and enjoy the vibe of Diagon Alley at the Christmas Steps. Also, visit the II Grade listed building in Gothic style, John Fosters Almshouse.

6. Plan your visit to the M-Shed Museum to learn about Bristol’s history and its trading past. Go to the top floor to enjoy breathtaking views of the harbour.

7. Go to Ashton Manor House and Deer Park: Country mansion in an 860-acre estate. This place is also the location of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

8. Blaise Castle Estate: It’s also a country park, but with a museum inside the castle.

Best Pubs in Bristol

1. The Hatchet Inn with a haunted door
2. Plough Inn
3. The Christmas Steps
4. The Ostrich
5. The Old Duke
6. The Bank Tavern
7. Volunteer Tavern
8. The Spotted Cow
9. The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer

Best Cafés in Bristol

1. The Florist
2. The Bristolian
3. Boston Tea Party
4. Pinkmans
5. Hart’s Bakery
6. The Crafty Egg
7. Small Street Espresso
8. Chance & Counters
9. Gather Coffee

How to Reach Bristol

Bristol is in the South-West of England. You can visit Bristol by train and bus, or do a road trip like us by car.

Bristol is one hour and forty minutes away from London by train. The central city station is Temple Meads, and Bristol city centre is within a ten-minute walking distance. Check the train journey route and timings on Trainline.

Buses are also comfortable to board. Take the National Express coach to Bristol from London or anywhere in the UK.

In Bristol, you can take an Uber/Bolt, bus or ferry to visit all the attractions.

Where to Stay in Bristol

We stayed at Arnos Manor Hotel, a ten-minute drive from the city centre, and it was the only decent hotel we could find at the most reasonable price. Bristol becomes expensive in August due to the Balloon Fiesta, in addition to school holidays and the summer season, which are common in the UK and Europe.

Note: We booked at the last moment, just two weeks before the festival.

My amateur Bristol vlog, because I am still shy to do it.

Did you find this post useful? Do let me know in comments.