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This is your guide to getting the most out of summer in Bath. Think of it as a bucket list you can tick off as you complete each activity. You’ll feel even more summery as you mark each one off!
Whether you’re a local or visiting the city this summer, you’ll find activities you’ll enjoy doing on your own with friends or family in this travel guide to Bath.
Visit the Holburne Museum for Up Late
The Holburne Museum should be on your list to do for any season. Its grounds change so much with the weather so you’ll always find something new there. However, I recommend visiting if you’re in Bath this summer because you can make the most of its Up Late events during daylight hours.
Up Late takes place on the last Friday of each month and here are the benefits:
- Free access to the collection galleries
- Discounted entry to the exhibitions
- Themed evenings with fun activities
- A chance to visit the Holburne Museum after hours – Up Late is 5-9pm
All of this takes place before 9pm which is why I recommend going in the summer. During the winter it’ll feel like the dead of night at this time!
Each event has a different theme. Visit the Holburne Museum’s website to find out what the next event’s theme is for when you plan to visit.
Bathscape Walking Festival
A more wholesome activity for your Bath in summer bucket list is the Bathscape Walking Festival. It takes place annually, usually in September. During the festival, residents and visitors are encouraged to celebrate Bath’s natural landscape by joining a group walk, a tour or a self-guided walk.
The full programming is usually announced in July so you can view the latest updates here.
Sunbathe in the park
Sunbathing is an essential summer activity and that’s just the same for Bath in summer. Many people live in flats without a garden (myself included) so we generally go to a park to sunbathe if it’s not a beach day.
These are the best parks to sunbathe in during summer in Bath:
- Royal Crescent and Victoria Park – you will find many sunbathers here
- Parade Gardens – more family-friendly and deck chairs are available to hire if you prefer to comfortably sunbathe
- Henrietta Gardens – better for the very hot days as there is plenty of tree cover, people regularly picnic here
- Further afield, Warleigh Weir is a great place to sunbathe and take a dip. Be warned: It gets very busy and loud with families and here on weekends
Do the Bath Skyline Walk
If you’re a Bath local and you haven’t done the Bath Skyline Walk, you should have! And if you’re visiting Bath, you should do it! This walk is a big one. It’s a six mile circular which takes you through meadows, farmland, woods all with plenty of panoramic views along the way.
You can combine the start of the Bath Skyline Walk with a quick stop at Sham Castle which is a really popular non-touristy activity I recommend during any season in Bath.
Dine alfresco during summer in Bath
Bath is known for its delicious foods and independent eateries. You should make the most of it being summer while you’re in Bath by eating alfresco at one of the many places that have outdoor seating.
My top recommendations for alfresco dining are:
- Bath Pizza Co – the perfect place for an outdoor pizza. Also the option to eat from Green Park Brasserie if this is more to your taste
- Montagu’s Mews – the perfect Parisian terrace hidden within the walls of the Royal Crescent Hotel
- Bath Brewhouse – if you’re looking for somewhere with good food to line your stomach and have a few drinks… This is it
- The Oven – the perfect people watching spot and delicious pizzas to boot
- The Boater – expansive beer garden with a covered terrace overlooking Pulteney Weir. I love it
If you want even more recommendations for what to do in Bath this summer, take notes from my Instagram post below!
Do a river tour on the Pulteney Cruiser
Nothing says Bath in summer like soaking up the sun from aboard a boat on the River Avon. The Pulteney Cruiser offers you just that! Alight from Pulteney Bridge (here’s a guide to everything you need to know about Pulteney Bridge) and cruise towards Bathampton to see the wildlife in the local area.
Boats leave the bridge everyday at regular times between 10am and 5:20pm. Subject to river and weather conditions. You never know what the British weather will bring, even in summer!
The boat is £12 for an adult and you can pay an extra £18 each onboard for an afternoon tea, but I’d recommend sitting on the sundeck and taking in the beautiful scenery and getting an afternoon tea elsewhere.
Walk to Beckford’s Tower and back
Beckford’s Tower is Bath’s latest museum to open… or I should say re-open, with perfect timing for summer in Bath! The history of Beckford’s Tower is a complex and troubling one, but it’s well worth the visit to learn more about the story.
You can make your visit to the tower a summery one by taking a walk from town up to the site. It’s just under an hour from town to get there and it is quite steep but if you’re looking for a walk to get your blood pumping, this is one for you.
When you’re there, explore the recently discovered grotto, museum artefacts and don’t forget to climb the stairs to the roof terrace and viewpoint at the very top of the tower. Trust me, it’s worth it!
Locals get 25% off the ticket price with a Discovery Card and for now it’s only open weekends and bank holidays.
Go to the American Museum
Located just outside of the centre, the American Museum is a place I personally think of as a Christmas destination, its Christmas light trail and US-themed log cabin is quintessentially festive. But it’s also an amazing place to go in the summer.
Not only does the museum have a broad schedule of events throughout the summer, it has impeccable contemporary gardens to explore and enjoy with all your senses!
If you visit on a bright day, you’ll see beautiful views of the rolling hills, but even on a rather drab day, the fauna in the gardens will fill you with summery joy.
Note: Visit on 15th September for Heritage Open Day to access the gardens and deli for free!
Go to an NGS open garden
The National Garden Scheme is a charitable enterprise that donates money to nursing and health charities. What does this have to do with Bath in summer, I hear you ask?
Each year, people with beautiful gardens open their doors to the public for a small fee with much of the proceeds going to charity. Some gardens even offer light refreshments while you look around the garden.
To find an open garden in Bath click here.
Roman Baths Summer Lates
Venues love a late night opening during summer in Bath and the Roman Baths are no different! I’d say this late opening is one of the most exciting ones, the baths are open until 10pm everyday from 20 July – 31 August so not only can you experience a beautiful Bath sunset, but you can actually be there after dark.
I find it’s generally quieter during this time, especially if you go on a weekday, so it’s the perfect time to capture the iconic shot of the baths with Bath Abbey in the background, plus any Instagram content you want to share without other tourists in the background!
There’s even a bar available to purchase drinks at the great baths. Visit the venue’s website for all the details.
Tip: If you’re local, make sure to use your Discovery Card to get completely free entry.
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