Bristol Airport Viewpoint

The runway at Bristol Airport stretches out below you, and if you time it right, you'll watch a plane lift off or touch down from this free vantage point on the edge of the airfield. It's a straightforward spot - a designated viewing area where you can stand and watch the aircraft come and go. Kids absolutely love it, especially younger ones who haven't yet tired of the novelty of planes. Bring binoculars if you're serious about spotting registration numbers.

There's not much to do here beyond watching, so don't expect a full afternoon's entertainment. Give it twenty minutes to an hour, depending on traffic through the airport. Come mid-morning when flight frequency tends to pick up, or check the airport's schedule online if you want to time a larger aircraft arrival.

If you're based at one of the nearby campsites - Somerset Glamping, The Batch, or Wild Goose Glamping are all within five miles - this makes a decent filler activity between longer outings to somewhere like Cheddar Gorge or Weston-super-Mare. It's the sort of place you pop to when the weather's decent and you want a quick dose of something different without driving far. Free admission is a bonus. Realistically though, it's worth a detour only if you've got plane-obsessed children in tow. Everyone else will find more rewarding ways to spend their time in Somerset.