A QUIRKY CITY THAT ALWAYS FEELS ALIVE

I booked my trip to Bristol on the advice of a friend who described it as hipster Britain and a place to see Banksy art. I think her description was on point. I’ll add that it’s a place that feels lived in and loved.

When I look back on Bristol, I won’t think of it as a brilliant tourist destination for its sites or to-dos; I’ll remember how life just seemed to always be vibrant and unfurling. I’ll remember watching the Pride parade which felt huge for a smaller city and also extremely personal. I’ll remember being moved by the street performers around Broadhead circle. I’ll remember taking a break and feeding pigeons with two widows who were suffering with different stages of dementia - and their gratitude that someone sat and talked with them.

I’ll remember watching the locals who just seemed to be taking their time to enjoy and appreciate their city.

EXPLORE THE NEIGHBORHOODS

I think the best way to get to know Bristol is by walking through some of its busiest districts: Old City (the Harbor area), Broadmead (the commercial district), Stokes Croft (the most counter culture section of the city), and Clifton (a more boujie neighborhood near the Clifton Suspension Bridge). Each of these four areas offers a very different cultural flair - but each is vibrant and easy to spend time in.

I’d go in fairly aimless - letting yourself bump into street art, performers, and interesting shops. If you are looking for Banksy art in particular, it may be worth flagging his pieces on your map so that you can bump into them when nearby.

HEAD TO CLIFTON SUSPENSION BRIDGE

Bristol’s most photographed location is Clifton Suspension Bridge, which spans the Avon Gorge. To be honest, I think the delight of the view is the gorge itself - but the bridge is additive, especially for walking across and getting views from the middle. Even if you’re terrified of heights (like me), it’s worth it.

I think the absolute best view comes from St. Vincent Rocks - where I had a picnic and then sat for an hour soaking it all in. It’s the only one of Bristol’s tourist attractions I would mark as a must-do.

OTHER THINGS TO DO

I was feeling quite under the weather when I was in Bristol so I didn’t go too far out of my way to explore all the tourist sites (though I did at least walk past most of them). Below are a few of the most common to-dos; one great thing about Bristol is that most of them are free!

• St. Nicholas Indoor Market: A charming covered market that offers a small capsule of what the local Bristol economy is like.

• Cabot Tower: A tower that is free to climb for views of the city, located in Bristol’s oldest park.

• SS Great Britain: This was once the largest passenger ship in the world and is now a popular museum.

• Bristol Cathedral: Bristol’s most famous church, located right near the harbor at College Green. It’s also free to enter.

• M Shed: A free museum located in the harbor district.

Overall, I think Bristol is a city best just lived, so I would recommend not over-scheduling site seeing journeys while there.