Weston-super-Mare (England)

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Weston-Super-Mare is a small seaside town in North Somerset found about 18-20 miles from Bristol. The town is close to junction 21 on the M5 motorway. Weston has a lot of history and buildings can still be found from as early as the Iron Age (1700’s). The town is one of Britain’s most popular seaside resorts for tourists and it has many attractions and entertainment features to cope with the high demand. There is a large town ...
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My opinions of Weston-Super-Mare are very high. I really love the sea side town and will be going there a lot more in the future. As it is only an hour away from me it is a great place to go for a day trip and relax with friends and family. We have been going there every year and in my opinion even without the famous Pier it still has a lot to offer you and your family. The atmosphere in the place is really nice. A mixture of fun, laughter ... more

~ That’ll Do Donkey ~

This Monday bank holiday a few friends and I decided to go on abit of a road trip and we eventually after getting bored of our first destination Cheddar came to Weston Super mare. As a downfall the weather turned out to be rubbish and we typically choose the Monday to go visit the town which was annoying as the rest of the weekend was pretty nice. Anyway not really planning on going there it was the next place that was near Cheddar that I could think of that had plenty to do and see. I have been to the sea side town many of times before as I used to go every year at some point when I was younger but I hadn’t been there for about three years prior this visit. I have always liked Weston Super Mare as I think it has a variety of attractions for all age groups and it can be a brilliant beach resort when the weather is good.
I drove me and my friends to Weston and by the time we got there it was about 2 o’clock. We did spend a good three hours there and even though it was really windy and slightly cold we still found certain things to do to keep us entertained. For those of you who have not ever been to Weston here is some general information below for you-

TOWN INFO

Weston-Super-Mare is a small seaside town in North Somerset found about 18-20 miles from Bristol. The town is close to junction 21 on the M5 motorway. Weston has a lot of history and buildings can still be found from as early as the Iron Age (1700’s). The town is one of Britain’s most popular seaside resorts for tourists and it has many attractions and entertainment features to cope with the high demand. There is a large town centre which like anywhere that has many tourists visit, a good sized shopping centre. The beach provides a place to lay and relax in the sun and even there, there are attractions for the children if they get bored such as donkey rides and the tea cup rides. All of which I will go into more detail.
The population in the town is over 70,000 people who live amongst the tourists every day.
Town Address- Weston-Super-Mare, BS22 and BS24.

As I drove from Cheddar it only took me twenty minutes to get there but normally from Bath where I live it takes about an hour to get to Weston, either using the motorway or by B roads. When we arrived a little after two the next trouble was parking.

Parking

There is actually quite a lot of choice on where you can park but during peak season it will be difficult to find somewhere if you do not turn up early. Even though it was a bank holiday weekend, because of the weather there were not a lot of tourists about but there were still enough cars around to make it slightly difficult to fins a space. The main parking is a line of spaces right on the beach front. There are spaces running all the way down the front which provides quick, easy parking with the best access to the beach if you’re planning a whole day or most of the day on there. As this is always the first place people look it was full up when we got there so we decided to try the town centre as we wanted to do some shopping anyway. There are a number of car parks in and around the centre some small short stays and some which we used, large multi story car parks where you can stay for long hours. The car park we used was right in the centre of town attached to a shopping mall.
The car park was huge and there were plenty of spaces available. It was also only a five minute walk to the beach so you can’t go wrong with this car park.
The prices were reasonable. Well living in Bath where the prices are ridiculous I was pretty happy with the £1 an hour charge to park in the multi story car park.
Other than this there are spaces along roads and even the pubs have some decent sized car parks all providing tourists with places to stay.

Transport

If you are not driving then there are other ways of getting to and around the town. There is a railway station close to the centre and is a ten minute walk from the beach and most trains go from major towns such as London. I know I could have got a train from Bath to Weston quite easily. There are also other stations in nearby villages which all have services to London Paddington, Bristol and Cardiff.
If you fancy the bus this is the main option in the town with many services running. Most bus services are provided by First and there is a service that even runs to Bristol airport and for those rich people (which is not many of us I can assure you), there is a heliport at the town’s Helicopter Museum.

ATTRACTIONS

~ The Beach ~

Even though it was a cold day we had to have a stroll on the Beach and we walked up and down the shore for half an hour. There were still people walking around and using the facilities on the beach.
The beach is the main attraction of the town and has so much to keep you entertained for a brilliant day. The sandy beach stretches over two miles.
There are many social events hosted on the beach which also makes it popular, these include- T4 on the beach. The channel 4 weekend show T4 host a music festival on Weston’s beach front every year with famous artists which attract over 40,000 music fans and is shown on TV. This year the beach will host stars such as Alesha Dixon, Dizzee Rascal and the Saturdays. For more information on T4on the Beach visit- http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/t4/microsites/O/onthebeach/index.html

Another event hosted is the motocross beach races which stage on the beach with crowds reaching to 20,000. This is an annual event which takes place on the beach every autumn.
For a different age and culture there are garden shows run by The Playhouse which provide sea front talks, exhibitions and flower shows. The Playhouse is suited right on the beach front and has events and attractions all year round.

Weston has quite a nice beach, even though it is not anything like foreign beaches. I particularly like this beach because it is very British and it has a lot of other activities for children to do in case building sand castles becomes boring. The beach has a lot to offer a wide ranged tourist group.
One of these which are voted one of Britain’s top attractions is the Donkey Rides. I always remember Weston for its donkeys and no other place gives another service like this. The donkey rides are for small children up to about the age of 13. It gives the children a chance to ride on the Donkey’s up the beach and gives parents more time to relax. Let your children see the famous Weston donkeys.
The Weston beach is designed also for water sports and boat trips which could be another option for you. This includes the whole family and adults can have fun too. These are mainly in peak seasons.
The attractions on the beach front are expanding and there are new rides such as the tea cups, slides and swings and the new Weston Wheel. The Weston Wheel is a small London Eye type ride which mainly for children gives you a better view of the beach.
As well as this the Beach has also won several awards for its good condition, quality of entertainment and the hard work that goes on improving it further.

- The Grand Pier –

As many of you are aware the famous Weston Grand Pier was burnt down in accident last year which devastated local residents and many who come to see the Pier every year. After the disastrous fire in July 2008 the Pier is set to be opened again in the summer of 2010 after being rebuilt since summer of 2008. The Pier fire can be seen on the net and as it was a huge memory for me as a child and for many others it was horrible to see the news report come in that it was completely destroyed. The Pier was originally opened in 1904 so you can see why it was a huge town landmark.
The new pier is under construction as like the original it will provide more fun facilities for tourists. It will include fantastic views of the beach and sea with many relaxing spots to sit and ponder on the amazing sea area. There will be a range of games and entertainment with arcades, rides for children of all ages to enjoy.
Replacing the old a new restaurant will be open including all the area’s best food like fish and chips with also sweet treats such as popcorn, candyfloss and doughnuts. I hope it will be as good as the original Pier as it was a memory to everyone who had been and local residents. It is not Weston without it and this was the first year I had been to Weston without it and I could say it was disappointing.

~ Other buildings ~

The Helicopter museum is a place where I haven’t actually visited while been gat Weston and I will make a day to do so. The collection is one of the largest in the country and there are displays every year on the beach. The museum has many crafts ranging from helicopter’s used for the Queen. The site allows you to take a walk around these fantastic aircraft and talk to the pilots who operate them. There are also café’s, a gift shop and spaces for free parking, (which is a bonus). I think it would be worth a visit and I don’t know why I haven’t been after all the times I have been to the town.
Website- www.helicoptermuseum.co.uk/

Opening Times
Weds - Sun all year round.
April - Oct - 10am to 5.30pm
Nov - march - 10am to 4.30pm
Summer period: July - August - 10am to 5.30pm.

The Museum also provides special events for birthdays, company conferenecs and fashion events. Phone- 01934 635227 for more information.

Nearby this is the Sea Aquarium which I can remember visiting as a child.
The attraction offers a world of Weston’s sea creatures and fun for children to see what lives under their feet. There are a wide range of sea creatures to see and exhibitions to educate your children. School trips use this a lot and I am sure it is worth another visit. The creatures there are amazing especially the sea horses which I love and there are sharks and sting rays which are also very interesting to me. The Aquarium also provides a café and a Seaview tea room for those wanting a relaxing drink with the beautiful views.

Opening Times
7 Days a week. 10-5.

Tickets
Adults- £6.25
Children- £5.25
OAP- £5.25
Disabled- £5.25
Family ticket - £22.00

For info call- 01934 613361.

The Winter Gardens is a enviromental building which provides places for conferenecs, special events and seminars. There are events held in the gardens including fairs and markets, youth activities and arts festivals. The building is close to the beach and is cleary sign posted from the roads. For further info visit-
http://www.thewintergardens.com/

~ Town Centre ~

The town centre provides a heaven for those shoppers and provides a huge range of shops, café’s and restaurants. We did walk around the place for a while and there are plenty of shops to cater for everyone. Some of these include-Peacocks, New Look, Burtons, M&S, D2 and several toy shops for the children. The town has a variety of eating places, some fast food places including MacDonald’s and other more exquisite including Chinese and Tai restaurants which looked lovely. Those visiting without children there are many bars and pubs suited around the town which provide local food and a good atmosphere. The smell of fish and chips was everywhere to bad we had eaten in Cheddar before!
The town like many sea resort villages has a selection of arcades which provide many games to keep you busy, a certain way to get rid of those 2p coins!

EXTRA

If you wanted to stay overnight or for a long weekend in Weston there are plenty of choices for B&B’s and hotels which provide a great service for you.
The local hotels offer cheap rates and great rooms with sea views. I haven’t yet stayed overnight in the town but have heard it should be done. As one of my work friend’s lives nearby I know that Weston has a good night life too. The range of bars gives it a perfect place to spend a few days and there are also a number of night clubs for younger adults who want a fun filled weekend. I also know there is a rock club on the beach front which looks really good and have been told it provides amazing gig nights and is always buzzing. May have to look into staying there for a long weekend in the summer.

There is also a land train which helps visitors get a feel of the area and takes them on a tour along the Marine Lake and the Beach front.

Weston is famous for entertainment alongside the sites and events of theatres, cinemas, sea life and shops.

OPINIONS

My opinions of Weston-Super-Mare are very high. I really love the sea side town and will be going there a lot more in the future. As it is only an hour away from me it is a great place to go for a day trip and relax with friends and family. We have been going there every year and in my opinion even without the famous Pier it still has a lot to offer you and your family. The atmosphere in the place is really nice. A mixture of fun, laughter and relaxing sea sounds.
Whatever the age you will always find something to entertain you there. Even though it was a cold, windy day on Monday there were still things to see and do. I will be looking forward to the brand new pier opening next summer and hope it will be as famous as the original.

I would highly recommend this town for those who want a day trip, relaxing or fun weekend away.

Thanks for reading- Blackmagicstar4* May 09. Published on both Dooyoo and Ciao. xx

 

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