Top 10 Best Things To Do In Bristol In December [2026]
Quick summary
- For a weekend of school holidays indoors: Take the family to ODEON Luxe Bristol for a reclining seat and a full IMAX screen.
- For a lunch hour that needs to feel festive: Walk over to Bristol Christmas Market on Broadmead for hot food and gift stalls.
- For an end-of-year team night: Put the department through Treetop Golf, King Pins & Escape Hunt in Cabot Circus.
- For students and Secret Santa budgets: Work through six stocking filler shops across Cabot Circus and Quakers Friars in one loop.
- For a free morning outdoors: Follow a self-guided street art walk through Stokes Croft, the old city and Spike Island.
- For a mid-shop reset with young children: Stop for lunch at one of five restaurants across Cabot Circus and Quakers Friars, as well as Santa's Grotto.
- For a free indoor afternoon on the harbourside: Spend an hour with the exhibitions and the bookshop at Arnolfini.
- For buying skincare and fragrance people will use: Compare six beauty and wellness shops inside Cabot Circus in a single visit.
- For grandparents and grandchildren together: Visit The Red Lodge Museum on Park Row for four centuries of Bristol history.
Are you looking for the best things to do in Bristol this December, whether that is with the family, with your friends, or in the quiet stretch after Christmas Day?
Here are the 10 best things to do in Bristol in December 2026, covering what is open, who each one suits and the dates worth checking before you set off.
1. Catch a film in a reclining seat at ODEON Luxe Bristol
Location: Cabot Circus, Glass House Lane, Broadmead, Bristol, BS1 3BX.
ODEON Luxe Bristol runs eight screens on the top floor of Cabot Circus, including Bristol's first IMAX since 2007 and an iSense screen built for scale and sound.
Every seat reclines fully and carries a personal tray table, and screens 4 and 7 go further with VIP beds for anyone settling in properly.
Two-seater pods in the Luxe Suite screen give couples more room than a standard row allows.
The programme spans blockbuster premieres and family films, and a discounted children's ticket runs at weekends and every day of the school holidays.
Disclaimer: The £1 films are select films. Check ODEON’s website to see the latest information.
💡 Ordering ahead on the ODEON app can save queuing for Costa, snacks or a cocktail once the foyer fills up through the afternoon.
➡️ Private screenings and corporate bookings are available for any office wanting something calmer than a bar for its December party.
2. Play Treetop Golf and King Pins back to back in Cabot Circus
I'll go over 2 fun activities at Cabot Circus, which are going to be ideal whether you’re looking for a team night, a get-together with friends or a competitive family outing:
Treetop Golf
Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground, BS1 3BQ.
Treetop Golf runs two 18-hole mini golf courses built as an indoor rainforest, with obstacles and surprises worked into the route from the first hole onwards.
Mini golf scoring keeps mixed groups level even when half the room has never held a club.
Pizza Cabana handles the food, the Jungle Buzz Café covers coffee and quieter breaks, and The Thirsty Toucan turns the place into a bar as the evening goes on.
💡 Parents can get highchairs, bottle warming and baby changing on site, and the courses stay wheelchair-friendly with step-free access throughout.
Walk-ins are welcome, though December weekends fill up fast enough that booking ahead takes the risk out of the trip.
King Pins
Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground, BS1 3BX.
King Pins pairs ten-pin bowling with ice-free curling, tech darts, shuffleboard, American pool, karaoke and a large arcade under one roof.
You’ll be able to make a night of it by booking the lanes and arcade games to keep everyone happy and entertained.
Private karaoke booths give a work group somewhere to peel off to when the competitive part of the evening has run its course.
Food runs to pizzas, wings and tenders built for sharing across a table, with a full drinks menu alongside.
Thinking of booking with a young family or friends? There are highchairs, baby changing and step-free access throughout.
➡️ Treetop Golf is open until 11 PM from Thursday to Saturday, and King Pins until 10:30 PM on Friday and Saturday.
3. Buy skincare and fragrances that people will actually use
Six beauty and wellness shops inside Cabot Circus cover the gifting range from a single bath bomb up to a full fragrance.
Free consultations are offered at several of them, which can be worth taking up when you are buying presents for your special ones:
Lush Cosmetics
Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, BS1 3BH.
Bath bombs, skincare, haircare and scented gifts fill the shelves at Lush Cosmetics, where a free hand and arm massage is offered to anyone who walks in.
Past collaborations have included Hello Kitty and Minecraft, so watch out for this December’s special products.
Rituals
Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, Brigstowe Street, BS1 3BD.
Rituals sells body care and home fragrance built around ingredients of natural origin, with the shop laid out as a calm space to browse.
Gift sets (luxury candles!) are one of the obvious December buys here, and Click and Collect covers anyone ordering before they travel in.
Boots Beauty
Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, BS1 3BF.
Boots Beauty brings premium cosmetics, skincare, wellness and fragrance together in one store: only the second Boots Beauty in the UK and the first outside London.
It's a strong stop for gifting, with gift sets, premium beauty minis, a K-beauty range and electricals like Dyson hair tools and GHD.
In-store, you can book a complimentary skincare consultation, have a free cosmetics service or try the No7 3D Face Scan.
LOOKFANTASTIC
Location: Ground Floor, Brigstowe Street, BS1 3BH.
New to Cabot Circus this year, LOOKFANTASTIC on Brigstowe Street stocks Jo Malone London, Medik8, SkinCeuticals, Color Wow, Maison Margiela and Laneige.
The in-store team will work through a skincare routine or a fragrance choice with you, and treatments and makeup appointments can be booked in advance.
It's also the home of the LOOKFANTASTIC Beauty Box (six beauty products worth over £55 for £15) which makes an easy Christmas gift or stocking filler.
Sephora
Location: Concord Street, Bristol BS1 3BD.
New to Bristol this year, Sephora brings its own Sephora Collection together with premium and accessible brands across makeup, skincare and fragrance, including "Only at Sephora" names like Rhode, Haus Labs, Makeup By Mario, Merit, Tatcha, Half Magic, Yepoda, Aestura and Tower 28, most of which you can't buy in person anywhere else in the region.
For anyone unsure where to start, you can book a beauty consultation, redeem an in-store makeup service or try the digital beauty scanner.
Gift vouchers, cards and wrapping are available too, covering the people whose taste you genuinely cannot guess.
The Body Shop
Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, BS1 3BH.
The Body Shop stocks skincare, body care and gift sets, and most of the range still carries the Vegan Society trademark, though a small number of products now contain beeswax or honey, so check the label if that matters for the person you are buying for.
Skincare consultations and personal shopping are available, and student discount applies here as well.
4. Work through the stocking filler shops in Cabot Circus and Quakers Friars
Six shops across Cabot Circus and Quakers Friars cover the small-gift end of a December list, from stationery and toys through to collectables and homeware:
Oliver Bonas
Location: Brigstowe Street, Ground floor, BS1 3BX.
Oliver Bonas stocks fashion, accessories and homeware with more colour than most of the high street, and the gift range is the reason to go in December.
Anyone eligible for the blue light discount can use it here as well.
Typo
Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, George White Street, BS1 3BX.
Stationery, travel accessories and gifting make up Typo, a shop pitched squarely at the small-budget end of a Secret Santa list.
Notebooks, desk pieces and novelty items land well with students and with colleagues who barely know each other.
Flying Tiger Copenhagen
Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground floor, BS1 3AU.
Flying Tiger Copenhagen is the Danish brand selling gifts, games, homeware, stationery, party supplies and craft materials at prices low enough to buy several things without much thought.
That makes it stocking filler and Secret Santa heaven, and the same shelves cover the wrapping-and-table-decoration end of December without anyone needing a plan.
Miniso
Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, Brigstowe Street, BS1 3BH.
Sanrio and One Piece merchandise fill the shelves at Miniso, alongside blind boxes, collectables and everyday homeware.
Blind boxes work particularly well as Secret Santa gifts, because the recipient opens something with an element of chance attached.
LEGO Store
Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, BS1 3BX.
The LEGO Store carries sets and collectables alongside in-store activities including the Pick and Build Wall, a build-your-own Minifigure station and a demonstration table.
Children will happily spend twenty minutes at the wall while an adult gets the actual shopping done a few metres away.
The Entertainer
Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground, BS1 3BX.
Anyone shopping for a child will find The Entertainer covers toys, games and crafts for ages 0 to 11 and above, running from first bikes through to outdoor playhouses.
The team will work out a present for you if you arrive with an age and a budget and no other information.
5. Break up the shopping with lunch and a visit to Santa across Cabot Circus and Quakers Friars
Whether you're looking for a place to brunch, lunch or dine, or a takeout, there are plenty of places to go for a sit-down meal or a quick pit stop, with Santa's Grotto to round things off for anyone with young children:
Côte
Location: Cabot Circus, Bristol.
The early bird catches the worm, so why not make a day of it this Christmas? Start at Côte, the French brasserie on Quakers Friars, with croissants and coffee before the shops fill up.
It's an easy, unhurried start to the day, and you'll have the pick of the centre before the crowds arrive.
💡 Come back later for steak-frites or moules marinières if you've earned it.
Six By Nico
Location: Cabot Circus, Bristol.
Six By Nico presents a six course tasting menu, reimagined every six weeks around a place, a memory or an idea.
Vegetarian versions and dietary adjustments are built into the format, and wine and cocktail pairings are offered alongside.
It's worth booking ahead and settling in. A long lunch here is a treat in itself, whether that's a table for two, a catch-up with friends or the team Christmas get-together.
Marks & Spencer
Location: Unit 1, Cabot Circus, Bristol BS1 3BD.
Marks & Spencer spreads womenswear, menswear, kidswear, home and beauty across three floors, so the whole family's Christmas list is covered under one roof.
Womenswear has the party season sorted with the latest Jaeger collection, the upper level holds Autograph menswear and tailoring, and the beauty department is one of the biggest M&S has anywhere in the country.
Then indulge yourself in the market-style Foodhall on the lower ground floor, with an in-store bakery, Hot Chicken and Mai Sushi counters and everything you need for the big day.
The 200-seat Coffee Shop is right there when you need to put the bags down.
Harvey Nichols Second Floor Restaurant and Bar
Location: Harvey Nichols, Quakers Friars, Ground floor, BS1 3BZ.
The Second Floor Restaurant and Bar at Harvey Nichols runs seasonal menus alongside wine tastings and cocktail masterclasses.
Booking is advisable through December, particularly for anything involving a group of more than four.
Zizzi
Location: Cabot Circus, Bristol.
Zizzi does proper stone-baked pizza, pasta, risotto and steaks, with the signature Pizza Rustica coming out of a feature oven in the dining room.
It's an easy one to fold into the evening, whether that's a late pizza after a film at the ODEON or somewhere to end a day of Christmas shopping without booking weeks ahead.
Santa's Grotto
Location: Cabot Circus, Level 1, ODEON Luxe foyer, BS1 3BX.
Santa is back at Cabot Circus this year, with his grotto set up in the ODEON Luxe foyer on Level 1.
Before going in, children can write their letter at the letter-writing table. They post it, pull the lever to send it off to the North Pole, and then the phone rings in the grotto to confirm it has arrived.
The visit itself lasts around five minutes, so it fits between lunch and the rest of the shopping without taking over the day.
Every child leaves with an age-appropriate gift, and photos and Santa merchandise are available to buy on the day.
Tickets are £8.50 per child, including babies, and grown-ups go free. Dogs are welcome too.
➡️ The grotto is open every day from Friday 4 December to Christmas Eve, and tickets can be booked online in advance.
💡 For a quicker lunch with little ones, PizzaExpress, wagamama, Nando's and Five Guys are all in the centre, with Krispy Kreme and Ben's Cookies for something sweet after the visit.
6. See the animals by day or the lights after dark at Bristol Zoo Project
Location: Blackhorse Hill, Bristol BS10 7TP.
A conservation park about half an hour from central Bristol, Bristol Zoo Project is an easy day out for families with children past the toddler stage.
The gorilla troop in the African Forest habitat, the European brown bears in Bear Wood and the lemurs are the ones most visitors come for, and there's plenty of space to let everyone burn off some energy before the drive home.
It's worth booking your tickets in advance rather than turning up on the day.
💡 Everything else on this list is walkable from the city centre, so save this one for a day when you've got the car.
7. Walk through Bristol Christmas Market on Broadmead
Location: Broadmead, Bristol Shopping Quarter, BS1 1UX.
Bristol Christmas Market sits on Broadmead, right on the doorstep of Cabot Circus, so the two work best as one trip rather than two.
Park at Cabot Circus, book your Santa tickets in advance, then meet him on your way through the centre before heading out to the market.
Over 40 craft and gift stalls run from 6 November to 23 December 2026, alongside food traders selling bratwurst, hog roast and Yorkshire pudding wraps.
Two bars anchor the site, with the Jäger Barn Bar at one end and Bar Glissè at the other, the closer of the two to Cabot Circus. Live music runs Thursday through Sunday.
Gift stalls and food stalls keep different hours, and the bars stay open later than the traders, so it's worth checking before you set off if you're arriving late in the day.
8. Follow a self-guided street art walk through Bristol
Location: Stokes Croft, the old city and Spike Island. Start at Stokes Croft, BS1 3QY.
A free self-guided walk through Stokes Croft, the old city and Spike Island takes in Banksy's best-known Bristol pieces alongside decades of work by other artists.
The Mild Mild West has been on the side of The Canteen in Stokes Croft since 1999, showing a teddy bear mid-throw with a petrol bomb and a line of riot police opposite.
Well Hung Lover dates from 2006 and covers the side of a building on the corner of Park Street and Frogmore Street, best viewed from Park Street above.
The Grim Reaper is indoors at M Shed on the harbourside, giving the walk a free and dry ending when Bristol weather does what it usually does in December.
💡 Local tip: the light goes by mid-afternoon in December, so start before midday if you want to photograph anything outdoors.
9. Spend a free hour with contemporary art at Arnolfini
Location: 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol BS1 4QA.
Arnolfini is Bristol's international centre for contemporary arts, with several floors of gallery space on the harbourside plus an independent bookshop and a café bar.
Entry to all exhibitions is free with donations welcomed, and no booking is needed for the galleries themselves.
Through December, the main show is Joy Gregory's Catching Flies with Honey, running from 17 October 2026 to 7 February 2027 as part of Bristol Photo Festival.
More than 150 photographs, films, installations and textile works trace four decades of Gregory's practice, from Victorian printing techniques to a newly commissioned Kalahari film. Whitechapel Gallery originated the survey in London and Bristol is the only other stop on the tour.
Opening is Tuesday to Sunday from 11 AM to 6 PM, with Mondays closed all year, including bank holidays, though the festive week is worth checking first.
10. Step into four centuries of Bristol history at The Red Lodge Museum
Location: Park Row, Bristol BS1 5LJ.
The Red Lodge Museum opens a Tudor house on Park Row to the public for free, covering more than 400 years of Bristol history across its rooms.
Original panelling and a carved stone chimneypiece survive intact in the Great Oak Room, the last complete Elizabethan room left anywhere in the city.
The Original Lodge holds three of the oldest surviving rooms in Bristol, and a 1720s extension doubled the building into the family home you walk through afterwards.
A knot garden at the back was restored during the 1980s to a typical Elizabethan design.
💡 Local tip: The Red Lodge only opens Thursday to Sunday, 11 AM to 4 PM, so a Monday or Tuesday trip across town will find the red door shut. Christmas week hours go up separately on the Bristol Museums site.
Make Cabot Circus your base for December in Bristol
Christmas at Cabot Circus is a full day out.
You can wander under the twinkling lights, work your way through a run of new arrivals including Sephora, M&S, LOOKFANTASTIC and UNIQLO, then take a break over a festive menu at one of the restaurants at Quakers Friars.
And why not bring the children to meet Santa in the Grotto, pick up the last few gifts on the way home, and let the day do the work for you.
You can plan your visit to Cabot Circus here to see how to reach us by car, taxi, train, bus or bike.
If you're driving, our smart parking means there are no pay machines to find and no ticket to keep hold of.
Your number plate is read on the way in and on the way out, so you can drive straight in, do your shopping and drive straight out.
