The Roman Baths, Bath
If you’re planning a trip to Bath when you’re staying at Bluehaven on your large group holiday or weekend break, make sure a visit to the Roman Baths is right up there on your list. This is an amazing place to see, with over 2,000 years of history, extensive collections from Roman and pre-Roman Britain and an onsite café.
See the famous gilt bronze head of Roman goddess Sulis Minerva from the statue that once stood in the Temple beside the Scared Spring, Roman Curse tablets and the Gorgon’s head from the Temple pediment. Walk around the terrace overlooking the Great Bath filled with hot spa water, see the Roman Gym, and the Cold Circular plunge pool. Although you can’t swim in the baths, you can taste the famous spring water from a fountain or in the Pump Room café.
This really is an incredible experience and well worth seeing. Round off your trip with afternoon tea in the Pump Room, reflecting on the magnificent buildings that once stood here. They certainly knew a thing or two, those Romans.
All information correct at the time of writing
Bristol Aquarium, Bristol, Somerset
A whole new world opens up at Bristol Aquarium, one of the deep seas and the multitude of marine life that lives there. There’s a big focus on conservation and keeping it real here, so the Sunken Shipwreck provides just the right kind of backdrop to native catfish, crayfish, smooth-hound shark and jellyfish. Deep down on the ocean floor zone there are cuckoo wrasse, gilthead sea bream, bull huss shark, Atlantic wreckfish and starfish.
In the Rocky Shores exhibit you can see a whole Bay of Rays that’s home to several types, including painted rays and common stingrays. Along the pathway in the Urban Jungle there are colourful shoals of Malawi chichlids, a mass of yellow as they swirl around together. And then there’s the awesome Amazon, Rainforest and Coral Seas zones where the feels and colours of the tropics are a feast for the senses.
If you’ve got time, have a look in the Learning Lab where the aquarium’s babies start their days; last of all go to the gift shop and fund the perfect souvenir to take home to remind you of your visit.
All information correct at the time of writing
SS Great Britain, Bristol, Somerset
If you’re looking for things to do when you’re staying at Bluehaven, take a trip to Bristol and step back in time onboard SS Great Britain, the city’s top attraction. Experience the sights and sounds of a Victorian dockyard, historic cranes and masts reaching skywards, and incredible harbour views. SS Great Britain was the largest passenger ship in the world from 1845-1854, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for The Great Western Steamship Company’s transatlantic service between Bristol and New York. She was launched in 1843 and ran until 1886 when savage storms forced the captain to seek shelter in the Falkland islands where in 1970 the ship was salvaged and brought back to Bristol to be restored.
Climb on board to see the Galley & Bakery, the First Class Dining Salon and the engine; experience life onboard the world’s first luxury ocean liner through interactive displays, see the collections in the two museums and walk around the hull in the glass covered dry dock. Take five at the picnic tables in the Riggers Yard where you can see the salvaged main mast and foremast; you may even meet Mr Brunel himself walking around in his cape and top hat, book a tour with him or have your own private guide show you round the ship.
Right next to SS Great Britain is the Harbourside Kitchen, serving light meals, snacks and drinks throughout the day. A good way to round off your visit.
All information correct at the time of writing
Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park, Bristol, Somerset
What an amazing day out! The little ones will thank you endlessly for taking them to Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park, so it’s something you might want to pencil in for your large group holiday at Bluehaven. Where else can you see dinosaurs stomping about in the fields? Amniotronic they may be, but they are still pretty fearsome, especially when they roar! To see T-Rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops and Brachiosaurus roaming around Dinosaur Valley is something else!
If the larger wildlife isn’t quite your thing, go and say hello to the smaller animals who live at the park, many of them along the Riverside Trail; there are reindeer, alpacas, foxes, llamas, deer, meerkat, and little furries like rabbits, guinea pigs, as well as birds of prey. If any of your tribe are mad keen on animals or you have a budding zookeeper among you, book a VIP Animal Encounter – great for birthday treats.
And then there’s the Adventure Play – just how are you going to fit it all in? There’s sand and water play, a huge paddling pool, a bounce area, mini jeeps, a miniature railway, quad bikes, an adventure playground and for when the weather’s not so good, an indoor play barn and a Toddler Village with little shops for the under 5s. Is that not amazing??
There are several options for food and drink including burgers, nachos and flatbreads, so you don’t need to worry about a thing. Get everyone up and dressed early, set off to enjoy yourselves.
All information correct at the time of writing
