11 Best Sights in The West Country, England

In a refurbished transit shed on the harborside, this museum is dedicated to the city's history. The collection comprises three main galleries—Bristol People, Bristol Places, and Bristol Life—that focus on everything from the slave trade to scientific inventions to recent cultural innovations associated with the city. Check out the artifacts, photos, and sound and video recordings of and by Bristolians, all jazzed up with the latest interactive technology. Don't forget to take in the magnificent harbor views from the top-floor terrace.

On view in the harbor is the first iron ship to cross the Atlantic. Built by the great English engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1843, it remained in service until 1970, first as a transatlantic liner and ultimately as a coal storage hulk. Everything from the bakery to the officers' quarters comes complete with sounds and smells of the time, and there are even shadowy glimpses of rats in the galley. You can try on typical garments of the time, descend into the ship's dry dock for a view of the hull and propeller, and climb the ship's rigging (daily between Easter and October and during school vacations, or weekends at other times; £10). Your entry ticket also admits you to engrossing exhibits on the ship's history and to Being Brunel, a separate museum dedicated to the life of Isambard Brunel. A short walk east along the harborside from here will bring you to a replica of the Matthew, the tiny craft that carried John Cabot to North America in 1497, moored here when it is not cruising up and down the river or sailing on the high seas. Tickets are valid for one year.

This extravagant, 35-bedroom Victorian–Gothic Revival mansion has been magnificently restored to reveal a showcase of the decorative arts where every ornate detail compels attention. Besides magnificent woodwork, stained glass, tiles, and original furniture and fabrics, the house contains the modern conveniences of the 1860s, such as a heated billiards table; the servants' quarters are equally absorbing. There's a restaurant and family play area, too. You can see the house, garden, and chapel at your own pace, or join a free tour of the grounds (no booking required).

Arrive early in the day or in the early afternoon on weekdays to avoid the crowds—Monday and Tuesday are the quietest days. Tyntesfield is 7 miles southwest of Bristol; the daily bus service X6 is the most convenient public transport from the city. The house is a 15-minute walk from the bus stop.

One of the country's top family-friendly science centers, this multimedia attraction provides a "hands-on, minds-on" exploration of science and technology in more than 300 interactive exhibits and displays. All About Us is dedicated to the inner workings of the human body. Another section allows you to create your own animations. A 3-D planetarium in a gleaming stainless-steel sphere takes you on a 30-minute voyage through the galaxy. There are up to 10 shows a day, bookable when you buy your ticket (£4). A popular exhibit lets kids test their skills at creating animations. Allow at least three hours to see it all. Buy your tickets online for a 5% discount.

In the sleepy village of Berkeley (pronounced bark-ley), this castle is perfectly preserved, down to its medieval turrets, and full of family treasures. It witnessed the murder of King Edward II in 1327—the cell in which it occurred can still be seen. Edward was betrayed by his French consort, Queen Isabella, and her paramour, the Earl of Mortimer. Roger De Berkeley, a Norman knight, began work on the castle in 1153, and it has remained in the family ever since. Magnificent furniture, tapestries, and pictures fill the state apartments, but even the ancient buttery and kitchen are interesting. Guided tours are available, and summer sees a program of events for all ages, including jousting, archery sessions, and theater. The castle is 20 miles north of Bristol, accessed from M5.

Built by Bristol merchants who wanted a place in which to pray for the safe (and profitable) voyages of their ships, the rib-vaulted, 14th-century church was called "the fairest in England" by Queen Elizabeth I. High up on the nave wall hang the arms and armor of Sir William Penn, father of the founder of Pennsylvania. The church is a five-minute walk from Temple Meads train station toward the docks.

A monument to Victorian engineering, this 702-foot-long bridge spans the Avon Gorge. Work began on Isambard Kingdom Brunel's design in 1831, but the bridge wasn't completed until 1864. Free hour-long guided tours usually take place on weekends at 3 between Easter and October or 2 from November to Easter, departing from the tollbooth at the Clifton end of the bridge. At the far end of the bridge, the Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre has an engaging exhibition on the bridge and its construction, including a range of videos and hands-on experiences. Near the bridge lies Clifton Village, studded with cafés, boutiques, antiques shops, and smart crafts shops in its lanes and squares. Bus No. 8 from Bristol Temple Meads Station and the city center stops in Clifton Village.

John Wesley and Charles Wesley were among the Dissenters from the Church of England who found a home in Bristol, and in 1739 they built the New Room, a meeting place that became the first Methodist chapel. Its simplicity contrasts with the style of Anglican churches and with the modern shopping center hemming it in. Upstairs you can visit the Preachers' Rooms, now containing a small museum. Charles Wesley's house, situated nearby, is also visitable ( www.charleswesleyhouse.org.uk).

Three rings, two avenues of standing stones, and a burial chamber make up the Stanton Drew Circles, one of the largest and most mysterious monuments in Britain, dating from 3000 to 2000 BC. The size of the circles suggests that the site was once as important as Stonehenge for its ceremonial functions, although little of great visual impact remains, and Stanton Drew is far less well known than Stonehenge and other circles. English Heritage supervises the stones, which stand on private farmland. Access is permitted at any reasonable time, and a donation of £1 is requested. The site lies in a field often used by cows, so wear sturdy shoes.

To get here from Bristol, head south on the A37 and turn right after about 5 miles onto the B3130, marked Stanton Drew. The circles are just east of the village, where more of the stones may be seen in the garden of the Druid's Arms pub.

John Pinney, the owner of a Caribbean sugar plantation and the many enslaved people who labored there, lived at this elegant address at the end of the 18th century, and the house has been restored and furnished according to how it might have appeared then. Eleven rooms spread over four floors reveal what life was like above and below stairs, from the kitchen and "cold water plunge bath" in the basement to the elegant reception rooms and bedrooms above. One room provides context on Pinney's—and Bristol's—role in the slave trade.

Dating from the Elizabethan era, this former lodge of a much larger property long since disappeared is beautifully preserved, with carved oak paneling and grand, manorial fireplaces. The Great Oak Room is the only surviving Elizabethan room in Bristol, and the plasterwork ceilings and sturdy oak furniture—including a four-poster bed—are among the finest you'll see anywhere from this period. Among the paintings is one which may be the earliest portrait of an enslaved person in the United Kingdom. There are also memories of the building's time as a reform school for girls, founded by the educational reformer Mary Carpenter and Lord Byron's widow, Annabella, who bought the property in 1854 and shared Carpenter's vision.