A charming Victorian seaside town on the North Somerset coast, within easy reach of Bristol, it has wild coastal walks, independent shops and restaurants, a beautiful historic pier and one of our favourite places to swim anywhere.

Having called Clevedon home ourselves for over 10 years, these are the places and experiences we genuinely recommend- from morning swims and sunset walks to our favourite restaurants, family days out and places worth making the short journey into Bristol for.

No visit to Clevedon is complete without a walk along its beautiful and historic Victorian pier.

Well worth the cost of entry, the pier is lined with hundreds of beautiful personalised plaques-  tiny dedications, memories and love stories that make the walk to the end feel unexpectedly moving.

For years, this was also one of our children’s favourite places to play hide and seek- despite the fact there are really very few places to hide! It is one of those places that feels special in a wonderfully simple, old-fashioned way.

At the end, stop for tea and cake in the unique café inside the Victorian Pagoda, or head back to the Pier’s Glass Box restaurant for classic fish and chips with a view.

More than anything, give yourself time to simply be here- breathe in the sea air, look back towards Clevedon’s coastline and take in the very special atmosphere that make Clevedon Pier such a memorable place.

One of the loveliest things about Clevedon is how easy it is to leave the house on foot and find yourself somewhere beautiful.

Poet's Walk

If you do one walk in Clevedon, make it this one.  Stepping out of Pierside Coastal Retreat on foot, stroll over to Clevedon Marine Lake and climb into the woodland paths of Poet's Walk, following the coastline around Wain's Hill.

Along the way you'll find beautiful views across the Bristol Channel, the old Sugar Lookout, St Andrew's Church and the remains of an Iron Age hillfort.

From Marine Lake it can be a gentle one-mile wander or incorporated into a longer walk along Clevedon's sea wall and surrounding countryside.

Our tip: go in the late afternoon and wander back towards the seafront for a drink or dinner as the sun goes down.

Layde Bay

Also accessible on foot, head in the opposite direction from the Pier and follow the coast towards Ladye Bay, a small pebbled cove tucked beneath the cliffs.

It's a lovely stretch of Clevedon's coastline and feels surprisingly tucked away from town. Bring the dogs and a picnic! 

This is one of the things that makes Clevedon really special.

Built in 1929, Clevedon Marine Lake is a vast seawater swimming lake overlooking the Bristol Channel - and swimming here has become very much a year-round Clevedon ritual.

On warm summer days it's full of swimmers, paddleboards and families playing in the water. On crisp winter mornings you'll find hardy locals heading in for a cold-water dip.

The Suvi Sauna beside the lake means you can alternate between the cold water and the warmth of the sauna while looking out over the stunning Clevedon Pier and across the Bristol Channel.

A cold swim followed by a sauna as the sun goes down is one of our favourite ways to experience Clevedon.

For a rainy afternoon (or simply because it's lovely!) head to the Curzon Cinema.

The Curzon has been showing films in Clevedon since 1912 and is one of Britain's oldest continuously operating cinemas. Behind its wonderfully old-fashioned exterior you'll find a beautiful historic auditorium showing everything from new releases and independent films to live screenings and special events. Run largely by volunteers, the Curzon is a truly special place- and even more so if you can reserve one of the beautiful seats up on the balcony.

For a day out on two wheels, head to nearby Yatton Station, where you can hire a bike and set off along the beautiful Strawberry Line - a largely traffic-free former railway line winding through the North Somerset countryside towards Cheddar.

The Strawberry Line Café & Cycle Project hires adult and children's bikes, e-bikes, tandems and child seats, as well as an excellent range of adaptive cycles for people with disabilities and additional needs, making this a wonderfully inclusive family activity.

The route itself is mostly flat and easy-going, passing through countryside, woodland and old railway cuttings, so you can simply turn around whenever you've gone far enough-  or make a proper day of it and cycle towards Cheddar.

We particularly love the story behind the project. The café and cycle hire are run as a not-for-profit social enterprise, creating employment and training opportunities for people with learning disabilities.

Our tip: start with breakfast at the Strawberry Line Café, hire your bikes from next door and ask the café to prepare a picnic to take with you-  perfect for enjoying somewhere along the route.

For a relatively small seaside town, Clevedon has a genuinely excellent independent food scene. These are some of the places we'd send friends.

Escala

For tapas by the sea

A modern Spanish tapas bar on Clevedon’s seafront, serving excellent small plates with a particular focus on seafood.

We’ll admit to being a little biased towards this one- with our other home tucked away in a seaside village in Andalucía, Spanish food tends to make us feel rather at home. Order far too many plates for the table, add a bottle of wine and settle in for the evening.

And if it leaves you craving the real thing, you can always take a peek at our Spanish hideaway.

Murrays of Clevedon

For relaxed Italian food

A Clevedon institution! Family-run and independent since 1984, Murrays combines a relaxed neighbourhood restaurant with an Italian deli and enoteca.

It's equally good for breakfast, lunch, pizza, pasta or an easy family dinner.

Five the Beach

For breakfast, brunch or cake

Right on the seafront and directly behind the home, Five the Beach is an easy favourite for breakfast, lunch, coffee, cocktails and excellent homemade cakes.

There's a large terrace overlooking the water, and dogs are welcome outside.

Mon Plaisir

For a special dinner

A gorgeous little neighbourhood restaurant tucked just off Hill Road, serving thoughtful, beautifully presented food with a distinctly European feel and an excellent wine list. It’s intimate, grown-up and just the place for a slower evening over a really good meal.  Definitely one to book ahead, particularly at weekends.

The Royal Oak

For a proper local pint

Just a few doors from home, The Royal Oak is our local boozer- unfussy, friendly and wonderfully convenient. Perfect for a pint at the end of the day, and close enough that you’re practically within rolling distance of home.

The vibrant city of Bristol is only around half an hour away from Clevedon; It's close enough to dip into for lunch or an afternoon, but we'd recommend giving yourself a whole day if you can.

Clifton & the Suspension Bridge

Start in Clifton Village, with its beautiful Georgian streets, independent boutiques, cafés and restaurants.

From here, walk across Clifton Suspension Bridge for extraordinary views over the Avon Gorge. Continue into Leigh Woods if you want a longer walk, or wander back through Clifton for lunch.

Bristol Harbourside

For a completely different side of the city, head down to the harbour.

Walk beside the water, hop onto a Bristol Ferry and explore some of the city's best-known attractions, including Brunel's SS Great Britain, M Shed and We The Curious.

With children, it's one of the easiest ways to spend a day in Bristol because there's plenty to do without travelling between different parts of the city.

Eat at Wapping Wharf

When everyone gets hungry, head for Wapping Wharf.

This regenerated corner of the harbour is packed with brilliant independent restaurants, cafés and small food businesses, many clustered around the converted shipping containers of Cargo.

It's relaxed, lively and particularly good when everyone in the family wants something slightly different.

For special occasions we can also highly recommend Gambas Private Dining Room- an intimate space within Wapping Warf  for gathering with friends, where a Spanish feast can be tailored to your group by their amazing Head Chef Gustavo Benet. 

Bristol also works surprisingly well without an itinerary: find some Banksy street art, watch the boats, stop for ice cream and let the city unfold around you.

Clevedon is a particularly easy place to explore as a family. Children will love discovering the independent shops and cafés- including our lovely community bookshop just along the road-  as well as all the places already mentioned in this guide: Marine Lake, Salthouse Fields, Clevedon Pier, the seafront and Poet’s Walk, with swimming, playgrounds, rock pools, ice creams and plenty of space for little adventures.

Let's Go Crabbing!

For a wonderfully old-fashioned seaside activity, pick up a crabbing line, bucket and bait from Tescos and head down to the water. Children can happily spend ages seeing what they can catch — just remember to handle the crabs gently and pop them safely back into the water afterwards.

Pack up the Little Red Wagon 

You’ll find our little red wagon tucked under the kitchen worktop. Load it up with towels, games (check out our games cabinet in the piano room) and a picnic for Alexandra Park - or bring a disposable beach barbecue down for an easy supper by the sea.

Noah's Ark Zoo Farm

Set across more than 100 acres of Somerset countryside,is home to elephants, giraffes, rhinos, lions and many more animals, alongside enormous indoor and outdoor play areas. It's the sort of place you can easily spend most of a day and works particularly well if you're travelling with younger children.

Bristol Zoo Project

Bristol Zoo Project offers large natural habitats, animals including bears, wolves, red pandas and lemurs, and excellent adventure play areas. Its focus is increasingly on conservation, with the majority of species ultimately connected to conservation projects around the world. It's a lovely combination of animals, nature and space for children to run.

Puxton Park

A very good choice for when you need a reliably child-focused day out- especially for those with younger children and also if the weather isn't perfect.

Part farm park, part adventure park, you'll find animals, huge indoor and outdoor play areas, tractor rides, pedal go-karts, climbing areas, miniature railway, water activities and plenty of space to burn off energy.

More Bristol Adventures

Children of all ages will also enjoy We The Curious, Brunel's SS Great Britain, M Shed, Bristol Aquarium or simply taking a ferry around the harbour.