Bristol is a multicultural city of balloons and kites, clubs and DJs, festivals and carnivals, architecture and park land, business and new technology, theatres and museums, artists and animators, music and film. It has been officially designated a 'Centre of Culture' and a 'Science City' by the Government. No matter what your tastes or inclinations are, there is much to see and do.
The Downs (comprising Durdham Down and Clifton Down) is less than 5 minutes' walk from the Hall. It is a large expanse of open grassland, stretching from the White Tree Roundabout on the border of Henleaze in the North East to the Avon Gorge in the South West. There are two viewing points overlooking the River Avon, and the area is ideally suited to quiet strolls. to running and jogging, to kite-flying, and much else. It has its own amateur Saturday football league.
Bristol city centre is referred to locally as just "The Centre" - and boasts many attractions, including the Watershed, the Arnofini, Bristol Cathedral, Broadmead Shopping Centre, etc.
The Avon Gorge is internationally famous both for having its own micro-climate, and for its interest to climbers. By car, you can get to the Gorge in less than five minutes, or on foot in about twenty. For an alternative view, however, you may wish to go to either the Clifton Suspension Bridge or the Portway, part of the A4 road, running parallel to the River Avon below the Gorge.
Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge is one of Bristol's most famous landmarks, and can be seen from many areas of the city. It is especially beautiful at night, when the lights which run along its outline are switched on. The bridge is still an essential component of Bristol's transport infrastructure, connecting Leigh Woods and other outlying areas with the main part of the city.
Bristol Zoo is located within 2 miles of Hiatt Baker Hall, and makes for a very interesting trip for people of all ages, families or individuals
The Blaise Castle estate is within 15 minutes' drive of the Hall, and presents some superb parkland, a museum and woodlands.
The Watershed is a premier entertainment and cultural venue, situated in the centre of Bristol, just at the bottom of Park Street.
Located in Bristol's harbourside, Arnolfini is on of Europe's leading centres for the contemporary arts, with an international reputation for presenting new and innovative work.
Bristol Industrial Museum is situated in the Floating Harbour in an old transit shed for goods coming into the city. Printing, flying, trains, cars, buses, ships are just some of the subjects you can expect to experience at the Industrial Museum, which contains over 700 exhibits relating to Bristol's long and varied industrial past.
The steam ship Great Britain - designed by Brunel, like the Clifton Suspension Bridge - is a unique survival from Victorian times: the worlds first iron hulled, screw propeller-driven, steam-powered passenger liner, and the only surviving 19th century example of the type. When launched in 1843 she was twice the tonnage of any previous ship, and the combination of revolutionary features in her design had a seminal influence on virtually all modern ships.
One of the UK's most exciting hands-on science centres!
Ashton Court Estate was acquired by Bristol City Council as late as 1959, but the place has a long history. There is clear evidence of the ridged strips of Saxon fields, but with the coming of William the Conqueror the area was transferred into Norman ownership. In 1392 Thomas de Lyons was granted a licence to enclose his lands and make a park, the foundation of the modern one. The estate is a venue for a variety of leisure activities, including the Ashton Court festival and the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.
Bristol Cathedral, situated on College Green, at the bottom of Park Street, is a beautiful building in its own right, and an important example of church architecture. The site is thought to have been occupied by a church for over a thousand years. See website for further details, including times of worship and guided tours. Bristol Cathedral is the cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Bristol. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton has its cathedral on Pembroke Road in Clifton: Clifton Cathedral. It is much more recent - some 35 years old - and is certainly worth a visit for its 20th century cathedral architecture.
Situated in Brandon Hill Park, the Cabot Tower commands a magnificent view over large areas of the city of Bristol. Brandon Hill Park can be accessed from Park Street. For further details of the Tower, and other features of the park, click on the Go To Website button to see information provided by the Wildlife Trust.