Clifton Observatory

The Clifton Observatory stands at the hill just by the stunning Clifton Suspension Bridge, a fabulous backdrop for an epic family photo. Inside the building there is a Camera Obscura within the tower, one of the last fully original operational models in Britain! The Camera Obscura is very cunning but quite simply reflects the view of what you see outside in real time, which is amazing thing for kids to see but should really still be an amazing thing for us too: no green screens here, friends! You don't just see an image you really see the people currently walking around and life outside, so allow plenty of time for all the kids in turn to go outside and wave at the rest of them!

Also in the building there is an underground feature aptly called the Giant's Cave. At the very bottom of which there is a well-placed viewing platform offering stunning views of the bridge, the city and the river Avon! You simply won't get views better than this, today, wherever you go! The cave is a whopping 100 feet underground and there are a fairly epic 136 steps leading to it, so please do plan it carefully if you've got small or elderly legs to consider! That said however, very small legs aren't allowed anyway as you must be over 4 years old to explore the caves, for safety reasons. For your interest and to mention to the kids when you're down there, the tunnel leading to the Giant's Cave, which is 61m long, took 2 years to build at a staggering cost of £1300 and initially opened to the public back in 1837!