Exploring Bristol & Bath with Kids

Bristol and Bath are two beautiful cities in England which have historic roots and interesting modern-day culture. During this trip to the UK, we really enjoyed exploring Bristol and Bath with our kids. We visited parks and playgrounds and explored Cabot Tower, Bristol Cathedral, the Roman Baths, and Bath Abbey.

As seen in this video, our family also stopped by Stonehenge on our way to Bristol, England. We spent a week exploring with our kids near Bristol and Bath.

Video: Exploring Stonehenge, Bristol & Bath

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Exploring Bristol

The colorful street art we saw was one of my favorite things about exploring Bristol. This mural of a bouquet of flowers (above) decorates the plaster walls of a florist. Just down the street, whimsical painted characters add color to an otherwise gray stone alley.

Bristol Street Food

Street food is another interesting part of a city’s culture. In Bristol’s St. Nicholas Market, food vendors line the alleys with bright displays like this falafel stand. A pita filled with shredded veggies, seasoned chickpeas, grains, pickles, and hummus is a great energy boost. After passing this open-air stand, we did a bit of shopping at the flea-market styled St. Nicholas Market.

Cabot Tower in Bristol

One afternoon we took our kids on a short walk to Cabot Tower in Bristol. This stone tower was built in the 1890s to commemorate John Cabot, an explorer to North America. Our kids enjoyed climbing the stairs to the two levels of viewing platforms, from which they could see a birds-eye view of Bristol. The grassy park around this tower was also a very nice place to walk and watch our kids run around.

City views of Bristol from the top of Cabot Tower.

Cabot Tower in Bristol is just one example of the beautiful stonework structures often built in the past to remember famous individuals. Our experience visiting Cabot Tower was worth the effort it took to climb 105 feet to the top.

Bristol Cathedral

Next on our list of destinations in Bristol, we visited the cathedral. I think Bristol Cathedral is a beautiful stone structure and I especially love the ornate designs within its windows. Because we visited shortly after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a memorial of flowers was set up in front of the cathedral. Additionally, the church bells were ringing and reverberated throughout the city.

A single yellow rose left in remembrance of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Inside the Bristol Cathedral, the chapel is partitioned off, with ornately carved details and a towering array of organ pipes. The richly caved vaulted ceilings easily make a person feel very small.

I loved the design and colors of this stained glass window made of many smaller diamond panes, resembling leaded glass. The center panel highlights two women alongside words which identify Saint Anne and the Virgin Mary.

Exploring Bath with Kids

Nearby in Bath, we took our kids on a walk that ended at the Roman Baths. Buildings like the Black Fox freehouse give this city old-world charm with a modern touch.

The Roman Baths are a central attraction in Bath, England. Used 2,000 years ago, the Roman Baths provide a glimpse into the luxurious life, social structure, and religion of the time. For our family, even just walking down the street alongside towering stone buildings was culturally enlightening.

The Roman Baths

To visit the most well-preserved Roman baths, we learned we had to book a tour, which were full the day we visited. Nevertheless, our family enjoyed looking at the architecture, visiting the nearby shops, and walking through the Bath Abbey.

The city of Bath is built over and around old Roman infrastructure, which they created to use the natural hot springs discovered in the area. When Rome left the region in the early 400s AD, they also left behind their bathing facilities.

Bath Abbey

The Bath Abbey is another beautiful stone cathedral with soaring arched ceilings. Although it looks very historic, it’s been significantly renovated to reinforce the structure and to meet energy efficient standards. Inside the abbey, Victorian chandeliers lit with LED bulbs hang next to embellished stone pillars. Stained glass windows allow soft light into this impressive sanctuary. The ceiling shows off “fan vaulting” carved artistry of the 1500s.

Beautifully detailed stained glass panels decorate the front of the Bath Abbey atrium.

Victorian chandeliers are fitted with LED light bulbs at the Bath Abbey.

Sacred to the Memory of

Thousands of people in the past were buried at the Bath Abbey, which recently prompted extensive renovation efforts. Many memorial inscriptions inside the Abbey give visitors a glimpse into who some of the people were.

I loved this inscription (above) in memory of Sir Richard; Knight Commander of the most honorable Order of the Bath, knight of the Imperial Ottoman First Order of the Crescent, Admiral of the Red Squadron of His Majesty’s Fleet… It divulges, “Few men have descended to the tomb more sincerely beloved and respected, or more deeply lamented…”

Family Life while Traveling

When traveling with kids in Europe, we’ve found it helpful to have a flexible family routine. On this trip to the United Kingdom, we typically completed some homeschool work in the mornings after breakfast. For this purpose, we brought our kids workbooks for math and language arts. Additionally, we accomplished lessons in history and science by visiting museums and exploring historic monuments.

Home Exchange in Bristol

For housing in the UK, we stayed in a variety of homes through Airbnb and Home Exchange. Our Home Exchange in Bristol was especially comfortable. Each of our kids had their own bedroom, we made meals in the tidy kitchen, and we had plenty of living space to spread out.

Home Exchange is a international network which allows travelers to stay in other people’s homes, in exchange for points or direct house swaps. Because of the model of the network, the Home Exchange houses we’ve stayed in feel “lived in”. The houses are typically clean and often the host’s personal possessions are around the house. In this way, Home Exchange houses differ from Airbnb vacation rentals. Overall, we’ve found Home Exchange to be an asset for traveling with kids.

Iconic red phone booths dot the roadside in the United Kingdom, even in the British countryside!

Authentic Turkish coffee at a Turkish restaurant in the United Kingdom.

We had a great time exploring Bristol and Bath with our kids. We experienced some of the local culture, learned a bit of Roman history, and saw amazing centuries-old architecture. The best lessons from travel include experiencing how big and diverse and world truly is, and learning what we can from the events of the past.