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Top 10 Fun Things To Do in Bristol With Friends in 2026
Quick summary
- For competitive groups: Race the clock in an Escape Hunt room, take on the jungle courses at Treetop Golf, or settle a ‘’rivalry’’ over a few lanes at King Pins.
- For a slower day out when the weather is looking good: Stretch out in Castle Park, walk the open grass of Clifton Downs, or wander along Bristol Harbourside.
- For the foodies: Try out different flavours at Wingstop, share peri-peri at Nando's, or book a tasting menu which changes every six weeks at Six By Nico.
- For something a bit different: Catch the latest movies in a reclining seat at ODEON Luxe or hunt down Banksy's originals across the city.
In this guide, we’ll go over the top 10 fun things to do with your friends in Bristol, including activities for foodies, thrill seekers, and movie lovers.
Race the clock in an Escape Hunt room
Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground, BS1 3BX.
Escape Hunt in Cabot Circus gives your group sixty minutes to crack a run of puzzles and break out of a themed room.
You pick your story first, then split the clues between you as the clock counts down.
You can choose between interactive activities, such as escaping a sinking ship in Blackbeard's Treasure or breaking codes in Our Finest Hour.
There are also outdoor city hunts that take you around Bristol on missions like shutting down a rogue AI or tracking vampires.
Rooms take two to six players, so it's best suited to a smaller group.
➡️ The moment you're out, the rest of Cabot Circus is right there for food, drinks or a look around the shops.
It's worth booking ahead, as the best time slots tend to go fast.
Catch a film in a reclining seat at ODEON Luxe
Location: Cabot Circus, Glass House Lane, Broadmead, Bristol, BS1 3BX.
ODEON Luxe is one of the most comfortable ways to watch a film in Bristol, with seats that recline and a tray table at every one.
There are eight screens in total, including an IMAX and an iSense screen built for big sound and picture.
Two of them have VIP beds if you want to really stretch out, and online tickets start at £7.95, correct at the time of writing.
You can also order ahead through the ODEON app and have snacks or a cocktail waiting when you arrive at the cinema’s own Oscar’s Bar.
Here are some of the movies that you can enjoy with your friends that are currently (as of June 2026) airing:
➡️ There are bars and restaurants on the floor below which make it simple to turn the film into a full evening out.
Play the jungle courses at Treetop Golf
Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground, BS1 3BQ.
Treetop Golf is a rainforest-themed mini golf venue with two 18-hole courses to play through.
The courses are full of water features and oversized props that make each hole different.
It's a good laugh for any group, and it tends to even the odds between the seasoned players and the complete beginners.
When you've finished, you can grab a slice at Pizza Cabana or head up to The Thirsty Toucan for cocktails.
Walk-ins are welcome, though it's worth booking if you're a bigger group.
Settle a rivalry over a few lanes at King Pins
Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground, BS1 3BX.
King Pins is a lot more than a bowling alley, even if the lanes are the main draw.
Under the same roof you'll also find ice-free curling, tech darts, pool, karaoke and a large arcade.
That mix makes it ideal for a group, as there's something for everyone whether they want to compete or just mess about.
The food menu and the long list of drinks mean you can easily make a full night of it.
And the good news is that you don't need to be any good at any of it to have a great time, which is the whole appeal.
➡️ Like the other leisure venues, it's inside Cabot Circus, so the shops and restaurants are only a short walk away.
Refuel at one of Cabot Circus's restaurants
Where you eat can make or break a day out with friends, and Cabot Circus has plenty of options to choose from:
Wingstop
Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, George White St, BS1 3BX.
Wingstop is the stop for American-style buffalo wings, saucy chicken, with flavours running from sweet and smoky through to seriously hot.
Everything is made to order, halal certified, and there are gluten-free options too.
Nando's
Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground floor, BS1 3BX.
Nando's serves its famous peri-peri chicken at whatever spice level you can handle.
The Cabot Circus restaurant also has a heated terrace so you can sit outside, and a full menu of sides and bottomless drinks.
Thaï Express Kitchen
Location: Cabot Circus, Level 3, BS1 3BX.
Thaï Express Kitchen serves fresh, fast Thai food, from Pad Thai and Thairacha wings to aromatic curries and sharing platters.
There are vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal choices on the menu, and the mango rice pudding is worth saving room for.
Six By Nico
Location: Cabot Circus, Bristol.
Six By Nico is the one to book when you want the meal itself to be the event.
It runs a six-course tasting menu that changes completely every six weeks, each one built around a theme or a memory, so no two visits are the same.
There are wine and cocktail pairings to go with it, and the menu includes both bold meat dishes and inventive vegetarian creations.
Browse the fun stores in Cabot Circus
Sometimes the best part of a group day out is just browsing the shops with no real plan:
Flying Tiger Copenhagen
Location: Cabot Circus, Upper Ground floor, BS1 3AU.
Flying Tiger Copenhagen is full of colourful, affordable bits and pieces, from games and stationery to homeware and party supplies.
It's the kind of shop where you go in for nothing and come out with a basket full of things.
MINISO
Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, Brigstowe St, BS1 3BH.
MINISO is a favourite for anyone into collectables, with Sanrio and Pokémon merchandise, blind boxes and plenty of affordable everyday bits.
If someone in the group is a fan of a particular character, they'll happily spend a while in here.
UNIQLO
Location: Cabot Circus, Ground floor, BS1 3BX.
UNIQLO is the go-to brand for well-made basics, such as its light down jackets, which can easily fit into your style.
The store also offers on-demand T-shirt printing, repair services, and tailoring.
It's also worth exploring UNIQLO's exclusive local collections, created in collaboration with Bristol-based cultural icons. Look out for designs inspired by Aardman Animations, the creators of Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, as well as the independent music platform Noods Radio, giving shoppers the chance to take home something with a uniquely Bristol feel.
Sephora
Location: Concord Street, Bristol BS1 3BD.
Sephora is a premier beauty destination, bringing top beauty brands, viral favourites, and emerging names together under one roof. Explore makeup, skincare, fragrance, haircare, and more, with testers available and expert staff on hand for advice.
The store also offers beauty consultations, in-store appointments, gift vouchers, in-store redeemable makeup services, and a digital beauty scan.
Stretch out in Castle Park
Location: Castle Park, Bristol (between Broadmead and the Floating Harbour).
Castle Park is the closest bit of green space to Cabot Circus, and a good place to relax once you've had enough of the crowds.
It has a large open lawn that fills up the moment the sun comes out, along with a sensory herb garden and a bandstand.
You can also see the ruined St Peter’s Church, which was heavily bombed during WW2, although the roofless stone shell has been preserved.
It's free and open at all times, which makes it an easy place to start or finish the day.
Walk the open grass of Clifton Downs
Location: Clifton Down and Durdham Down, north of Bristol city centre.
Clifton Downs is a huge expanse of open grassland with plenty of room to spread out.
There's space for a kickabout, a picnic or a long walk, while taking in beautiful views of the Avon Gorge and the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Best of all, it's completely free and open whenever you want to visit.
💡 Local tip: You can head over to the gorge side near the Observatory for the best views.
Take a walk around Bristol Harbourside
Location: Bristol Harbourside, central Bristol.
Bristol Harbourside is one of the nicest walks in the city, and it's flat and easy the whole way round.
You can cross Pero's Bridge and stop off at the galleries and museums that line the old quays.
There are historic ships moored here too, including Brunel's SS Great Britain and a replica of the Matthew, so there's plenty to see.
The route winds through the heart of the city, past water, bridges and converted warehouses.
You can take it slow with a camera or walk straight through to wherever you're headed next.
Hunt down Banksy and Bristol's street art
Location: Various spots across Bristol (you can start around Stokes Croft or Park Street).
Bristol is Banksy's home city, and a number of his original works are still out on the streets for you to find.
You can start with the Mild Mild West in Stokes Croft, which shows a teddy bear throwing a petrol bomb at riot police, then head to Well Hung Lover on Frogmore Street, a naked man hanging from a bedroom window.
The route takes you through some of the most colourful parts of the city, where Banksy's work appears alongside murals from plenty of other local artists.
Going at your own pace turns it into a proper wander, and there's always a good debate over which piece is the best.
Plan a day out with your mates at Cabot Circus
Cabot Circus is far more than a shopping destination, and a day out here with friends shows exactly why.
You'll find games, food, films and a great range of shops all in one place, with the rest of Bristol right on the doorstep.
You can plan your visit to Cabot Circus on our website, with all the details on getting here by car, taxi, train, bus or bike.
And if you're driving in, our smart parking solution is designed to skip the queues at pay machines, so you can spend less time parking and more time enjoying the day.
