When a friend of mine came down for the weekend from London I wanted to make sure I gave him the best Bristol experience I could. I wanted to show him the best restaurants, shops, bars and sights. Then I realised, I didn't actually KNOW that much about the city. Easiest way to get to Corn Street? Sure! Good place for a coffee and a chinwag? No problem! Where did Bristol's name come from? Ooh... erm? So as soon as he stepped off the 10:14 from Paddington we caught the City Sightseeing Bus and were prepared to learn anything and everything about my favourite city. The round tour, providing you don't make any stops, lasts around an hour and costs just £10 for a 24 hour ticket. But with over 20 scheduled stops, if you have time it's definitely worth making the most of your money and jumping off and on when it takes your fancy. Some of my highlights of the journey are the stunning views of Clifton Bridge, the local tour guide giving your fun facts along the way and a surprise ride past the Aardman studios. It's well worth the money - much cheaper than taxis for the day - and really interesting, even for locals. And just so you know Bristol = Bridg Stow = Bridge Assembly... Place where people assemble by bridge. I think? read more

City Sightseeing Bristol - Transportation Near Me - Bristol, BST

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Has it ever occurred to you that when you're on a city break, you make every effort to see every corner of your chosen destination, but in your home city, there are loads of tourist attractions you've been ignoring for years? I'd like to pretend that this was my motivation when I compulsively jumped on City Sightseeing tour bus a few years back, but the truth is that we'd just walked out of Temple Meads still feeling a tad pissed after a hard night out in Cardiff and thought it would be a novel way to get to a pub in Clifton. Having said that, they offer cheap singles so why not go to your destination on an open top bus with a crap commentary than growing suicidal and being ripped off on the First Bus equivalent? They also do a £10 hop-on, hop-off pass that's valid for 24 hours. It stops at such notable places as @Bristol, the SS Great Britain and Park Street, offering up such juicy information as exactly how many days of the year cars are allowed to park on the Downs (I'm afraid I can't remember the exact answer). We live in a beautiful and interesting city, so it's time you went and explored it in more detail! read more

City Sightseeing Bristol - From their website - Transportation Near Me - Bristol, BST

I was pleasantly surprised with the City Sightseeing Bus Tour. I used to see it drive around all the time and wonder to myself what on earth possessed those people to sit at the top of an open aired bus in February as you breathe in the wonderful polluted air of Bristol. However, when my parents came for a visit I thought 'well, why not?'. In fact I am very glad I joined them. Admittedly we visited on a summer's day so we weren't freezing, but the whole experience was really entertaining and really interesting. I may even go as far to say that I enjoyed it more than my parents! Children may find that most of the information goes over their head, but they'll love the nolvety of riding a topless double decker bus. And who knew that the decorative statue in the centre of Queen's Square is actually a memorial to the hanged pirates who suffered their fate on that exact spot?! read more

Ok, so a day rider is £3.60, but to be fair, the Bristol Bus day ticket isn't really worth the paper it's printed on - the buses are late, overpriced, take slow and silly routes... For ten pounds, and a treat if you're a visitor, the Sightseeing bus tour offers a far better service, and can provide you with everything you need to see and need to know about the city. They run from March to October (I wouldn't want to be riding an open top bus this time of year!) And take you around everything you want to see - the attractions on the dock, the suspension bridge, the zoo and also give you a lift to the slightly out of town central train station, Temple Meads. Worth it, I reckon. read more

These red city sightseeing buses are now a common site across not only the UK, but the world. I've been on one in Bath, London and San Francisco so how does Bristol's service compare? Some people can spend most of their lives living in a city and never really get to know it properly. This bus journey offers you a whistle stop tour of the basics. The obvious stopping point is the famous Clifton suspension bridge but it also stops at the Colston Hall, the zoo and downs and the gothic looking . St Mary Redcliffe church. On a nice day it's well worth sitting up top on the open deck. It's amazing what you see from 10 feet off the ground. However, don't even think about it on a chilly day - you will freeze. Unsurprisingly, the tour guides know their stuff and you're bound to get a journey full of interesting anecdotes. For example, did you know that the Young Ones was filmed in Bristol? Fact of the Day. read more

City Sightseeing Bristol - City Sightseeing Bristol - Transportation Near Me - Bristol, BST