Tourist attractions in South Wales and the West Country are in easy reach of Bristol. Many can be reached by train. Here are just a few ideas for a day out without a car:
Cardiff Castle and Millennium Stadium Tours
Wander round Cardiff Castle, or take a tour of the Millennium Stadium – both are a short walk from the station. The shopping centre in Cardiff has modern malls mixed with Victorian arcades, and well known high street names stand alongside locally owned speciality shops. Buses run from outside the station to Cardiff Bay, home of the Doctor Who exhibition, and the Welsh Folk Museum at St Fagans.
Getting There
Trains to Cardiff run every 30 minutes from Bristol Temple Meads; the journey takes 1 hour. London to Cardiff trains call at Bristol Parkway station (5 miles north of the city centre); trains run every 30 minutes and the journey takes 40 minutes. Car parking is available at Bristol Parkway at £6.90 per hour, but the car park gets full quickly on weekdays.
The Roman City of Bath is a World Heritage Site
The Roman city of Bath is just 10 miles east of Bristol. The city, with some of Europe’s finest architecture, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the Royal Crescent, the Circus and Pulteney Bridge or visit the Roman Baths or Bath Abbey. The city centre is near the railway station and has exclusive shopping and top class places to eat.
Getting There
Trains to Bath run every 15 minutes from Bristol Temple Meads; the journey takes, on average, 12 minutes.
Take a bus to Stonehenge from Salisbury Station
Salisbury is famous for its cathedral and Stonehenge. Te Cathedral is open daily to the public and is about 800 yards from the station. Stonehenge is almost 10 miles away but buses leave outside the station every 30 minutes, and the journey takes just over 30 minutes. The shopping centre, where the Charter Market has been held most Tuesdays and Saturdays for over 800 years, has a selection of high street names and small independent stores. Many shops are housed in medieval half timbered buildings.
Getting There
Trains to Salisbury run every hour from Bristol Temple Meads; the journey takes, on average, 1 hour 8 minutes.
Weston-Super-Mare has Good, Clean Beaches
Weston-super-Mare is a traditional seaside resort with sandy beaches, amusements, donkey rides and boat trips across the bay. Indoor attractions include SeaQuarium, the North Somerset Museum and the Helicopter Museum. A stroll along the promenade offers lovely views across the Bristol Channel.
Getting There
Trains to Weston-Super-Mare leave every 30 minutes from Bristol Temple Meads. The average journey time is 35 minutes.
Other Ideas for a Day Out by Train from Bristol
There are plenty more attractions in easy reach of Bristol by train including:
- The Jewellery Quarter and Balti Triangle in Birmingham
- STEAM. Museum of the Great Western Railway and MacArthur Glen Outlet Mall in Swindon
- The spa town of Cheltenham
- Didcot Railway Centre
- London Paddington is only 1 hour 45 minutes away
National Rail provides up to date details of train times and fares.
Image Credits
All photographs are taken from Geograph and are the copyright of the named photographer; but can be freely reproduced under the terms of a Creative Commons License.
John Oyston - I am a freelance travel writer, accountant and further education teacher. I have spent a lifetime travelling across the UK, Western Europe ...
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