The Best Things to Do in Bristol This Autumn

Updated August 2026

I know I'm biased as a proud Bristolian, but there's something extra special about Bristol in autumn. The busy streets get a little quieter, local pubs start bringing entertainment inside, the city lights up with different firework displays and the autumn markets get a new buzz about them as people start planning for Christmas. 

Having lived in Bristol my whole life, Autumn is one of my favourite times of year to explore the city. After a busy summer jam-packed with events and adventures, and months of pointing lost tourists in the right direction every time you head into the city centre, autumn feels like a selfish opportunity for locals to take a breath and unwind for a while. Autumn offers the perfect opportunity to appreciate the peace and quiet between the two busy seasons, and enjoy orange-tinged views up the tree-lined streets - a sight that not many tourists stay to enjoy.

Autumn isn't typical tourist season in Bristol, but in my opinion it's one of the best times to visit - here are a few of my absolute highlights. 

Norway Travel Misconceptions: What Tourists Often Get Wrong

In recent years Norway has enjoyed quite the tourism boom. From cruise ships making weekly visits to regular flights to all parts of the country, it’s suddenly become impossible to scroll through your Instagram feed without finding at least one post about Norway. 

Norway’s sudden rise to fame has resulted in a wide variety of people being attracted to explore this beautiful country, which is a double-edged sword. If you are the kind of person that appreciates the beauty of nature and enjoys hiking up a hill to visit an impressive viewpoint then you’ll love Norway. If you’re the kind of person who likes to tick off tourist attractions like you’re catching Pokemon then you might find yourself feeling a little underwhelmed.

Four Unmissable Free Events in Bristol this Summer

The days are long, the sun is shining and Bristol is awake and ready to party!! 

I genuinely don’t think any UK city celebrates summer quite as well as Bristol does. It’s not just that there’s always something going on, it’s the fact that so many of the summer events in Bristol are completely free to attend! Whether you’re travelling alone or with family, you’ll always find something to do in Bristol without breaking the bank. There are so many smaller events to stumble upon throughout the summer months, but here are the four biggest events throughout summer in Bristol that you can’t afford to miss!

Can You use Your Phone on a Cruise Ship?

Can You Use Your Phone at Sea?

Like Christmas Eve, everything is packed and ready to go, the house is walking a fine line between show-home and organised chaos, and you're ready for an early night before the big day. But while you're getting ready to board your cruise ship, you might be wondering how to keep in touch with friends and family throughout your trip. It's common knowledge that cruise ship wifi packages are tantamount to daylight robbery - so can you just use your phone on board instead? The short answer is yes. You will be able to get a mobile phone signal while at sea but, before you breathe a sigh of relief, keep reading for the full story. If you don't, you could be liable for a phone bill worth several hundred pounds! 

5 European Adventure Holidays to try this Summer

Hey Owlets,

For almost a decade I've been exploring Europe to experience the wide variety of cultures across the continent. With diverse landscapes and rich histories, it doesn't matter which country (or countries!) you choose to visit, you'll have plenty of opportunities to experience something new. Whether you're seeking the sun, snow, or an adventure, there are so many incredible options for your European holiday in 2025. So if you're seeking inspiration for your 2025 travels, here are some of my personal recommendations for every kind of holiday in Europe this year. 

What to Pack for Northern Norway & The Arctic Circle

Visiting the Arctic Circle, whether in Norway or another country, is a magical once in a lifetime experience, but preparing for your trip is a level of overwhelm that I've not experienced since moving house. For someone that resides in a fairly temperate climate all year round, the concept of battling -30ºC doesn't even begin to compute. I found myself in this exact position at the end of November. Having fallen down a rabbit hole of frantic Googling, asked many people more knowledgable than myself for advice and with the benefit of hindsight after living with my mistakes, I'm fairly confident that I can offer you a foolproof guide to getting ready for your trip to the Arctic Circle.

What to Expect on a Winter Cruise

Is Cruising in Winter a Good Idea?

As cruising from the UK continues to skyrocket in popularity, an increasing number of cruise lines are choosing to keep some of their fleet sailing from the UK throughout the year. Considering that, until the last few years, almost every cruise line would do a summer season out of the UK before sending their ships to warmer climbs in October, you'd be sensible to ask if it's worth booking a winter cruise. Personally, winter is one of my favourite times to cruise so I'm here to set your expectations before you book!

3 Events to Help You Enjoy Winter in Bristol and Bath

Don't Miss these Unique Winter Events in Bristol and Bath

Happy New Year friends!

2025 has arrived in what feels like the blink of an eye. If your New Year's Resolution is to have more of a work life balance, there's so much to look forward to in Bristol and Bath this year. It might feel tempting to hunker down and wait for spring, but some of the best events in and around the two cities happen in the winter. So if you're looking to get outside a bit more this year, consider this your starting point to plan your social calendar!

How To Pack For Your First Cruise

Hey Owlets,

Cruising is an entirely new way to travel - there are so many differences between cruise holidays and land holiday. If you’re planning your first cruise it’s understandable that you might feel a little overwhelmed and not know where to start when it comes to packing for a cruise. When I went on my first cruise I didn’t have a clue - I was a fully paid up member of the “pack everything and hope for the best” brigade. Now I’ve been cruising for a few years I wanted to share a few some of my tips on how to choose what to pack for your first cruise, what to leave at home and suggest a few things that you may not have thought to bring! 

Rotterdam in One Day - The Best Itinerary for 24 Hours in Rotterdam, Netherlands

How to Spend the Perfect Day in Rotterdam

It's no secret that Rotterdam is one of my favourite cities in Europe. As a port day on a cruise ship, you're presented with a wealth of opportunities to explore either Rotterdam or further afield. One of the most popular choices for a port day usually involves a day trip to Amsterdam, but I've known someone be left behind on more than one occasion because of traffic or trains, so I prefer to spend the day exploring Rotterdam instead. Rotterdam is a city packed full of arts and culture - it's got a huge foodie scene, a wealth of different museums and galleries, and more independent shops than you could possibly hope to visit in a single day. If you're not sure where to start, try this itinerary for a day spent in Rotterdam - perfect for a port day on a cruise ship or a mini break where you've flown into the city. 

Meet the Sleepy Wiltshire Village that Instagram Destroyed

Castle Combe was a sleepy village in Wiltshire, until a few Instagrammers showed up

Hey Owlets,

After decades of marketing agencies vying for the attention of tourists across the globe, cheap flights and now the power of social media, the days of countries frantically advertising their homeland as a holiday destination are now over for many. In their place sit tourist taxes, “destination management” offices (the new-fangled term for marketing agencies that encourage tourists OUT of their city) and often unfriendly locals. While we’ve been hearing about over-tourism and the dangers around it for years, it feels even more prominent in the post-covid travel boom.

How to Travel With Dietary Issues

Hey Owlets,

I feel like as British people what to eat on holiday is somewhat a point of contention. As a nation we have a bit of a bad reputation for knowing what we like and sticking with it; there’s obviously a reason why there’s so many McDonalds’ restaurants in tourist hotspots around the world. However, if you’re one of those people that struggles with food allergies then eating anything abroad can feel incredibly daunting, even if you stick to the typical bland foods. As a travel obsessive I’ve always been one of those people that likes to visit new places and try to local cuisine. 

Two years ago I discovered that the reason I’ve always been ill growing up was due to a gluten intolerance, and a big part of my holiday suddenly because a minefield; when I was on a cruise it was just easier to eat on the ship in the morning then skip lunch or just bring my own snacks, which meant I missed out on one of the best ways to experience local culture. Since finding out I can’t eat gluten I’ve started to get more confident in trying to experience local cuisines, so I wanted to share my experiences in the most visited countries, as well as share some tips that could help you on your next holiday. Obviously my experiences are all going to be from someone who doesn’t eat gluten, but I’ll try to mention what I’ve noticed of other allergens too.

What Went Wrong: Cruising Edition

Hey Owlets,

In my last instalment of “What Went Wrong While Travelling” I said I had a huge list of cruise related things to chat about, so I thought we’d make part three into a “What Went Wrong While Cruising”. As with the previous two instalments I’m not saying that what I did was necessarily the best option in that situation, and yes I was an idiot at times. If you’re a more experienced traveller than me then you’re probably thinking I’m an idiot for some of the experiences I’ve shared, but we all have to start somewhere and the only way to learn is by trying your best and making mistakes. Having said that, feel free to have a laugh at my expense!

5 Things You Forgot to Pack for Your Cruise

Hey Owlets,

Packing for a holiday can be one of the most stressful parts of the trip, but when you’re getting ready to go on your first cruise that stress is amplified because it’s a step into the unknown. What do you need for formal night? Have you remembered to pack everything? And what do you even need for a cruise? I’m assuming that you’ve hopefully covered all the basics - maybe even remembered to pack your toothbrush rather than buying a new one at the start of every trip when you realise you’ve forgotten. When you’re going on a cruise there are a few specific things that you may not have thought about - here’s what you’ve missed.

How I Prep My Skin for Travel

*collaborative post

Hey Owlets,

I’ve you’ve followed me on Instagram for a while, you will probably have heard me mention that my body confidence is very much linked to how clear my skin is. I know that it shouldn’t matter but it does, and if my skin isn’t clear then I feel self conscious all day. I find that my skin breaks out after I’ve been travelling anyway but I try to keep my skin clear as much as I possibly can in the run up to travel so I can feel great while I’m exploring a new city. With this in mind, I thought it might be helpful to discuss some of the things I use to get my skin ready for my next adventure. To keep things simple I’ll split them into categories so you can skip straight to what you need.

My Honest Opinion of UK Cruising in 2021

Hey Owlets,

There’s been a lot of talk recently about the cruise industry starting to reawaken, and honestly I’m excited. You have no idea how much I miss having my morning coffee with a view of the sun rising over the ocean, meeting new people and out of nowhere making friends for life, getting to experience a new culture every day and revel in the amazing entertainment. The only issue is that I’m not sure how possible some of the things I mentioned are going to be - it’s almost definite that several of those things are out the window for the time being, but at least we can go on a cruise, right? I have several thoughts about these UK Staycation cruises launching so I wanted to share - if anything just because I’m hoping you can help me decide.

Everything We Know about P&O Arvia

Hey Owlets,

This morning P&O announced the name of the newest addition to their fleet and it’s fair to say I was a little bit excited for it. Named Arvia, meaning, she’s expected to undertake her maiden voyage in 2022 (pandemic willing, of course). P&O Cruises have kept their cards very close to their chest not his one with very few details being shared. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I feel like we knew a lot more about Iona at this point which makes me think that the cruise line have a few surprises up their sleeves. While we wait to hear more about what Arvia has to offer, let’s have a look at what we do know and perhaps make a few predictions along the way.

My Thoughts on Travelling this Year

Hey Owlets,

A while ago I wrote a post about my tentative travel plans for 2021, mentioning that I was considering starting again around March - yes, we can all have a laugh about it now. That has gotten me thinking though, is travel actually going to be possible this year? There’s a lot of conflicting information flying around on the internet at the moment and I don’t think weighing in with my best guess would actually help, but I wanted to talk about my personal feelings and whether I’m starting to plan. I’m hoping that it might help you if you’re also conflicted, and if not maybe you can give me a little extra confidence in my decisions.

So to start with, let me be totally transparent. At the start of this year I actually had several domestic and international press trips in the works - I cancelled all of these until the end of summer and have yet to formally confirm anything for later in the year. I think it’s important to tell you this because I know as a travel blogger a lot of people assume I would take risks to get back to work sooner, but that’s entirely not the case. With that out the way let’s take a look at my main areas of interest for travel.

Cruising at Christmas: My Experience

Hey Owlets,

If you haven’t been keeping up to date with my Instagram account then you might have missed the spam all about my trip on board Cruise and Maritime Voyages’ MV Columbus. This was a bit of a first for me - both being on board CMV’s flagship and cruising so close to the festive season, arriving back in the UK in the first week of December. It’s one of those times where you aren’t entirely sure whether or not it’s a Christmas trip so I wanted to give you a rundown of my trip to help you.

How to Plan the Perfect Road Trip

Hey Owlets,

Holidaying abroad has almost returned back to 2019 levels,  and while that is a good thing for travel companies it's not so positive for UK travel and holiday provides.

With so much going on int the world at the moment, there are many of us in need of a good holiday on a budget, and a road trip could be the perfect answer!

A lot of people tend to instantly dismiss road trips - until recently it’s been considered one of the most uncool ways to travel, and it’s only in the last few years with millennials converting vans into hipster-friendly mobile homes that it’s become a sought after way to travel again.