Weston-super-Mare

United_Kingdom

Weston-super-Mare beach, looking north towards Grand Pier and town Weston-super-Mare is a typical English seaside resort on the shore of the Bristol Channel, in the traditional county of Somerset, approximately south-west of Bristol, 35 miles west of Bath and 20 miles north of Bridgwater. The main attraction, Weston Bay, has miles of clean sandy beach and traditional seaside attractions.

  • Tourist Information Centre, Winter Gardens Royal Parade, BS23 1AJ (follow signs for sea front from J21, M5, +44 1934 417117. 9:30AM-5PM. Accommodation booking, discount tickets, travel information, maps, tourist leaflets
  • The Grand Pier, Marine Parade (follow signs for sea front from J21, M5, +44 1934 620238. The Pier suffered a devastating fire in 2008, but in October 2010 the £39-million rebuilt pier opened to the public. The Grand Pier includes multiple attractions including a Go-Kart Track, Robo Coaster and Ghost ride. Entry is £1. food and drinks are available and there is also a themed bar
  • The Wheel of Weston, Beach Lawns, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1AT (2 minute walk from town centre, on the seafront, due to its size very easy to find, +44 1934 620058. 10AM-8PM. The Wheel of Weston is a 40-meter high observation wheel which 30 pods are attached. Each pod can take 8 people, brilliant views of surrounding area on clear day. Adult £6.50, child (14 years and under) £4.00.
  • North Somerset Museum, Burlington Street (five minutes walk from Tourist Information Centre, near High Street, +44 1934 621028. M-Sa 10AM-4:30PM. Illustrates the history of North Somerset from prehistoric times to the present day. Finds from Worlebury Hill Fort are on display and other exhibits include minerals, natural history, costume, a chemist shop, dentist and dairy. Shop and cafe
  • Helicopter Museum, The Heliport, Locking Moor Road, +44 1934 635227. Apr-Oct: 10AM-5:30PM, Nov-Mar: 10AM-4:30PM. Claims to be the largest dedicated helicopter museum in the world. Over 80 rotorcraft from all over the world. Many foreign helicopters are featured, in particular Soviet-era and Eastern European craft. Also helicopters from the Queens Flight, including a Wessex. Offers regular 15 mile summer Helicopter Experience Flights over the area. £3.50-£5.50.
  • Brean Down, Brean, +44 1452 814213. National Trust-owned peninsula 2 miles to the south of Weston, jutting out into the Bristol Channel, with a Victorian fort and steep cliffs. Refreshments in Brean Cove car park. free, donations welcome.
  • The Beach. Has two miles of sand, although at low water the sea can be nearly a mile away from the Promenade. There are designated areas for kite buggies, small land yachts and kite boards, while jet skiers, power boat users and other boats can launch from Knightstone slipway. Traditional donkey rides. free.
  • Marine Lake. Located at the northern end of the beach, Marine Lake is a small man-made lake filled at high tide by the sea. It has a beach as well as a concrete walkway around the landward side, and a causeway at the ocean side. Popular with families as the water is calm and fairly shallow. free.
  • Seaquarium, Marine Parade (follow signs for sea front from J21, M5, +44 1934 613361. Daily 10AM-4PM. Over 25 displays allowing visitors to see aquatic life from local waters and regions of the world. An underwater tunnel lets visitors get close to the sharks, rays and other creatures as they swim by. Shop and cafe £9.50.
  • Boat Trips, Knightstone Harbour, +44 1934-636734. Trips around Weston Bay lasting for an hour, and also a longer day trip to the nature reserve of Steep Holm and Flatholm Island in the Bristol Channel. The MV Balmoral and the PS Waverley occasionally call in at Weston. Details from Tourist Information Centre
  • Sand Bay, Kewstoke Road (M5 Junction 21. signs for Kewstoke. access from beach road.. Sand and shingle, salt marsh and site of Scientific Special interest at northern end. Cafe, restaurants, shops, toilets, a campsite and caravan park are all available.

Tourist Information Centre, Winter Gardens Royal Parade, BS23 1AJ (follow signs for sea front from J21, M5, +44 1934 417117. 9:30AM-5PM. Accommodation booking, discount tickets, travel information, maps, tourist leaflets

The Grand Pier, Marine Parade (follow signs for sea front from J21, M5, +44 1934 620238. The Pier suffered a devastating fire in 2008, but in October 2010 the £39-million rebuilt pier opened to the public. The Grand Pier includes multiple attractions including a Go-Kart Track, Robo Coaster and Ghost ride. Entry is £1. food and drinks are available and there is also a themed bar

The Wheel of Weston, Beach Lawns, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1AT (2 minute walk from town centre, on the seafront, due to its size very easy to find, +44 1934 620058. 10AM-8PM. The Wheel of Weston is a 40-meter high observation wheel which 30 pods are attached. Each pod can take 8 people, brilliant views of surrounding area on clear day. Adult £6.50, child (14 years and under) £4.00.

North Somerset Museum, Burlington Street (five minutes walk from Tourist Information Centre, near High Street, +44 1934 621028. M-Sa 10AM-4:30PM. Illustrates the history of North Somerset from prehistoric times to the present day. Finds from Worlebury Hill Fort are on display and other exhibits include minerals, natural history, costume, a chemist shop, dentist and dairy. Shop and cafe

Helicopter Museum, The Heliport, Locking Moor Road, +44 1934 635227. Apr-Oct: 10AM-5:30PM, Nov-Mar: 10AM-4:30PM. Claims to be the largest dedicated helicopter museum in the world. Over 80 rotorcraft from all over the world. Many foreign helicopters are featured, in particular Soviet-era and Eastern European craft. Also helicopters from the Queens Flight, including a Wessex. Offers regular 15 mile summer Helicopter Experience Flights over the area. £3.50-£5.50.

Brean Down, Brean, +44 1452 814213. National Trust-owned peninsula 2 miles to the south of Weston, jutting out into the Bristol Channel, with a Victorian fort and steep cliffs. Refreshments in Brean Cove car park. free, donations welcome.

The Beach. Has two miles of sand, although at low water the sea can be nearly a mile away from the Promenade. There are designated areas for kite buggies, small land yachts and kite boards, while jet skiers, power boat users and other boats can launch from Knightstone slipway. Traditional donkey rides. free.

Marine Lake. Located at the northern end of the beach, Marine Lake is a small man-made lake filled at high tide by the sea. It has a beach as well as a concrete walkway around the landward side, and a causeway at the ocean side. Popular with families as the water is calm and fairly shallow. free.

Seaquarium, Marine Parade (follow signs for sea front from J21, M5, +44 1934 613361. Daily 10AM-4PM. Over 25 displays allowing visitors to see aquatic life from local waters and regions of the world. An underwater tunnel lets visitors get close to the sharks, rays and other creatures as they swim by. Shop and cafe £9.50.

Boat Trips, Knightstone Harbour, +44 1934-636734. Trips around Weston Bay lasting for an hour, and also a longer day trip to the nature reserve of Steep Holm and Flatholm Island in the Bristol Channel. The MV Balmoral and the PS Waverley occasionally call in at Weston. Details from Tourist Information Centre

Sand Bay, Kewstoke Road (M5 Junction 21. signs for Kewstoke. access from beach road.. Sand and shingle, salt marsh and site of Scientific Special interest at northern end. Cafe, restaurants, shops, toilets, a campsite and caravan park are all available.

  • Playhouse Theatre, High Street, +44 1934 645544. 658 seat theatre hosting summer variety, concerts, dance, films, drama, local amateur productions and a Christmas pantomime. £4-20.
  • The Winter Gardens, Royal Parade, +44 1934 417117. Ballroom dancing, conferences, farmers' markets, fairs, wrestling in a pavillion opened in 1927. free-£12.00.
  • Odeon Cinema, The Centre, High Street (5 minutes from railway station, +44 871 22 44 007. Daily noon-10PM, occasional late screenings. 4 screen miniplex showing main feature films, online booking available £3.25-8.10.
  • The Blakehay, Wadham Street (just off High Street, +44 1934 645493. 200-seat community theatre and arts venue, with a programme of plays, concerts, puppet theatre, films and dance performance.
  • Weston Air Festival, Beach Lawns, Sea Front, +44 1934 635227. Two-day event in June with air displays and static exhibitions.
  • Sand Sculpture Festival, The Beach (Follow seafront signs from J21 of the M5, +44 1934 888800. daylight. Spectacular sculptures by artists from around the world. The largest may be as high as 10 feet tall and use up to 20 tons of sand. free.
  • Weston Beach Race, The Beach (Follow seafront signs from J21 of the M5. October - annual extravaganza of motorcycle stunts and races over a specially constructed sand course. £4-16/day in advance.
  • Weston Illuminated Carnival, town centre and seafront. 7pm-10pm. part of the Somerset carnival season, November annually free, donations collected.
  • The Campus, Highlands Lane, Locking Castle (Travel along Elmham Way in Weston-super-Mare following road signs for Worle and Sand Bay. At the roundabout take the first exit onto Bransby Way. Turn left onto Highlands Lane, +44 1934 427427. Skateboard park, BMX area, sports halls and pitches
  • Hans Price Sports Centre, Marchfields Way, BS23 3QP (Follow the A370 into Weston-super-Mare. Take the first turning on the left after the retail park which contains KFC and Gala Bingo, into Wyvern School. Follow the signs for the sports centre., +44 1934 642426. M-F 5-10PM; Sa 9AM-2PM. Sports hall, indoor climbing wall (term time Mondays only 5-6PM), all-weather floodlit artificial turf pitch, outdoor floodlit courts, gymnasium, multi-use games area, outdoor grass pitches, fitness suite.

Playhouse Theatre, High Street, +44 1934 645544. 658 seat theatre hosting summer variety, concerts, dance, films, drama, local amateur productions and a Christmas pantomime. £4-20.

The Winter Gardens, Royal Parade, +44 1934 417117. Ballroom dancing, conferences, farmers' markets, fairs, wrestling in a pavillion opened in 1927. free-£12.00.

Odeon Cinema, The Centre, High Street (5 minutes from railway station, +44 871 22 44 007. Daily noon-10PM, occasional late screenings. 4 screen miniplex showing main feature films, online booking available £3.25-8.10.

The Blakehay, Wadham Street (just off High Street, +44 1934 645493. 200-seat community theatre and arts venue, with a programme of plays, concerts, puppet theatre, films and dance performance.

Weston Air Festival, Beach Lawns, Sea Front, +44 1934 635227. Two-day event in June with air displays and static exhibitions.

Sand Sculpture Festival, The Beach (Follow seafront signs from J21 of the M5, +44 1934 888800. daylight. Spectacular sculptures by artists from around the world. The largest may be as high as 10 feet tall and use up to 20 tons of sand. free.

Weston Beach Race, The Beach (Follow seafront signs from J21 of the M5. October - annual extravaganza of motorcycle stunts and races over a specially constructed sand course. £4-16/day in advance.

Weston Illuminated Carnival, town centre and seafront. 7pm-10pm. part of the Somerset carnival season, November annually free, donations collected.

The Campus, Highlands Lane, Locking Castle (Travel along Elmham Way in Weston-super-Mare following road signs for Worle and Sand Bay. At the roundabout take the first exit onto Bransby Way. Turn left onto Highlands Lane, +44 1934 427427. Skateboard park, BMX area, sports halls and pitches

Hans Price Sports Centre, Marchfields Way, BS23 3QP (Follow the A370 into Weston-super-Mare. Take the first turning on the left after the retail park which contains KFC and Gala Bingo, into Wyvern School. Follow the signs for the sports centre., +44 1934 642426. M-F 5-10PM; Sa 9AM-2PM. Sports hall, indoor climbing wall (term time Mondays only 5-6PM), all-weather floodlit artificial turf pitch, outdoor floodlit courts, gymnasium, multi-use games area, outdoor grass pitches, fitness suite.

High Street. main shopping centre

Sovereign Shopping Centre, High Street, Salisbury Terrace, BS23 1HL (just off High Street, +44 1934 644111. 38 shops and a cafe.

There are many fish and chip shops, cafes and other fast food outlets in and around the High Street and sea front. Also a small number of Indian and Chinese restaurants and take-aways.

  • Yo-Ji, 25-27 St James Street, BS23 1ST, +44 1934 620800. 11AM-3PM, 5PM-10:30PM. Japanese restaurant serving fine cuisine and sushi
  • Old Thatched Cottage, 14 Knightstone Road, BS23 2AN, +44 1934 621313. Situated in the oldest building in Weston is this family-run restaurant specialising in steak and fish.
  • Bengal Raj, 8-20 Boulevard, BS23 1NA, +44 1934 420824. Indian restaurant.

Yo-Ji, 25-27 St James Street, BS23 1ST, +44 1934 620800. 11AM-3PM, 5PM-10:30PM. Japanese restaurant serving fine cuisine and sushi

Old Thatched Cottage, 14 Knightstone Road, BS23 2AN, +44 1934 621313. Situated in the oldest building in Weston is this family-run restaurant specialising in steak and fish.

Bengal Raj, 8-20 Boulevard, BS23 1NA, +44 1934 420824. Indian restaurant.

A range of traditional style pubs and national chain outlets, many serving food, concentrated around the High street area and sea front.

Map of places with Wikivoyage articles nearby

Other local attractions near Weston-super-Mare are:

  • Glastonbury
  • Wells and the nearby Wookey Hole Caves (full of adventure for little kids)
  • Street (with Clarks Shopping Village)
  • Bath
  • Mendips
  • Cheddar
  • Bristol
  • Bridgwater