Bath City Farm’s the place to meet the wild and the woolly: sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, pigs, and ponies. And there’s more furry fun at Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park. Or maybe you’d prefer 18 holes of waterfalls and waterways at Victoria Falls Adventure Golf.
See the whole city and pick and mix your stops on an open-top bus taking in the Roman Baths, the Jane Austen Trail, and the Royal Crescent. Or try the Egg Theatre, with a programme of performances and events specially for children and teenagers. It comes complete with play area and family-friendly café.
How about a Sally Lunn bun? Sally was a French refugee who came to Bath in 1680 and established a bakery. You can still eat her famous buns at the Historic Eating House and Museum. Or how about the play area, duckpond, skateboard area, and mini golf at Royal Victoria Park?
Heading further afield, the mysteries of Stonehenge wait to be unravelled down the A36. Head out across Somerset to discover breathless walks at Glastonbury Tor and Brean Down. Or discover Wookey Hole and Cheddar Gorge, home of the show caves, with their stalactites and stalagmites
Welcome to one of Britain’s few World Heritage Sites, with some 500 of Bath’s buildings considered of historical or architectural importance. You can see plenty of them on a Bath Skyline Walk, a six-mile network of footpaths with awesome views of the city. Watch out for the Royal Crescent – the best address in Bath.
Stay here at year’s end and enjoy the Bath Christmas Market, among the largest festive shopping events in the country. Or come in late spring and catch the Bath Festival, when the city comes alive with culture, from classical to jazz, folk to roots, plus films, talks, and dance.
Don’t leave without seeing the Roman Baths, containing 43 different minerals and pumping around 275,000 gallons a day at a depth of almost 10,000 feet. The water’s a balmy 46.5 degrees Celsius – but don’t jump in. If it’s a thermal bath you’re after, get down to the Thermae Bath Spa rooftop.
Just yards from Founders House, Bath Abbey offers a guided tower tour program, taking in the bell chamber, clock face, and roof. The views are well worth the 212-step climb. Finally, shop yourself silly at Pulteney Bridge, and come back after dark to see the bridge lit up and reflected in the Avon.
Hens love spas and where better than in a natural thermal bath. So head up to the rooftops at Thermae Bath Spa for a scorching hot dip in the mineral-rich waters and a great view of the city. Or head to Pulteney Weir to hire a boat by the day or the hour. Get yourself a chauffeur and you can simply sit back and relax.
For shopping, Bath’s all about top fashion designers, leading department stores and quirky retailers. Kick things off in Milsom Street, with Milsom Place at its heart, a lively courtyard perfect for shopping and socialising. Follow the trail of designer bags all the way down to the Southgate area.
We all love a flutter from time to time and Bath Racecourse claims to be the South West’s most vibrant racecourse and events venue, with top bands playing after the regular meets. Or maybe come in March and take in the Cheltenham Festival’s four days of spectacular jump racing.
Try a little mixology, with a cocktail masterclass at Sub 13. Or how about traditional afternoon tea at The Pump Room, with its grand interior and live classical accompaniment? Finally, chill out back at base with manicures, pedicures and massages on a home spa from the Pamper Company.
