6 Best Picnic Spots in Bristol for Students

Bristol is a beautiful city that’s full of history, art, culture, music, sport, and events throughout the year. As a bustling city with stunning architecture and plenty going on, it is a beacon for students from across the world to come and visit.

In the past we’ve helped you find the best brunches in Bristol and the best nightclubs for Bristol students, but there is plenty to explore in terms of greenery and the outdoors in this fine city too. As we enter Spring and the weather begins to brighten up, there are some extraordinary picnic spots in Bristol for you to enjoy.

The Best picnic spots in Bristol

The Downs

A large expanse of green grass in Clifton, this is a nature spot in the city that is loved by many people all-year-round. You’ll see dog walkers, runners, people out for a stroll, at all times of year. During the spring and summer months however, it is a fabulous spot for a picnic with friends, and if you get to the right spot there are some fantastic views of the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Eastville Park

A grand Victorian city park, just to the northeast of the city centre, Eastville Park has plenty of green space to explore and sit with your picnic hamper. There’s a fishing lake with ducks and swans, adding to the calming ambience of the park. A great place to sit and relax as a break from your studies.

College Green

At the bottom of Park Street, College Green is a hideaway from the fast pace of life all around its boundaries in the city centre. Sit on a bench with a lunchtime picnic of your own and consider how long this green space has been here alongside Bristol Cathedral.

Brandon Hill

This is the oldest park in the city, at the top of Park Street and a climb up the hill. Cabot Tower provides stunning views of the entire city that are hard to beat, and it is a calming, serene place to sit with lunch or a picnic. There is a nature reserve and a tree trail if you want to go for a wander before or after your snacks too.

Ashton Court

Ashton Court is an historic estate of wide open spaces, ancient woodland and stunning parkland. Deer roam the grounds, there’s a miniature railway, disc golf, a café next to the house, as well as another selling hot and cold drinks. It’s hard to beat Ashton Court if you want to take your picnic out to somewhere that truly feels like the countryside.

Queen Square

A Georgian park right in the very heart of Bristol city centre, Queen Square is a magnificent example of town planning from that era. The green space contains trees for some shade, cobbled streets surround the perimeter, and during the summer you’ll find outdoor theatre, concerts, and other events. There are some great views of the Georgian architecture and it’s a haven just steps away from the busy Bristol Harbourside and Old City.

Benefits of a picnic for students

There are loads of reasons why picnics can be a great way to recharge for students. At university, you are likely packed with work, and extracurricular activities. It’s vital that at times you take a step out of all that and really chill. When the weather is nice, a picnic brings with it a whole host of benefits, including:

A different type of social interaction

It’s easy to get distracted by the digital world. Everything is online, and there are loads of great things about making and maintaining friendships and interactions online. Similarly, you might have a social routine with your friends that includes post-university drinks, nights and meals out, but not much else.

A picnic provides you with a chance to develop a different type of social interaction, out in nature, strengthening bonds with your friends and meeting new people.

Enhance your well-being

There’s something spiritually satisfying about being outside in nature. A relaxed picnic out in the fresh air, plenty of natural light, a warm breeze, and good laughs and food with friends is exactly what the doctor ordered.

If you spend hours inside studying, taking a picnic is a great way to unwind and remain well-balanced.

Interesting study spots

On the flip side, if you feel you have been cooped up inside too long and the weather is nice, why not head outside to study in a park?

Take a small picnic with you and head out for a solo study in nature, or as a small group of course mates and friends, just to shake things up. It can make a different to how motivated you are to study if you are not facing the same four walls every day.

Connect with nature

Picnics offer a great chance to connect with nature. It encourages you to go out for a walk, to breathe in fresh air, and to calm your mind down. It can be stressful studying at home or in the university library most of the time.

Artificial lights and long, sedentary hours at your desk are not good for your mind and body. Connecting with nature is a soothing balm to your hectic lifestyle.

What do you think of our list of ​​picnic spots in Bristol? Are we missing anywhere that you love to sit and have great food and drinks with your friends? When the weather is lovely, the sun is in the air, and you’ve got some time to spare, there are few better ways to relax and have fun with friends than to head out for a picnic.

It brings people together, gets you out in nature and offers something completely different to your regular university schedule. Make the most of the stunning picnic spots in Bristol this spring and summer!