Headed to Clevedon, England in November for work - booking travel in the next day or two.

Anyone been?

Looks like it's right outside Bristol, so not sure if it's worth staying in Bristol or Clevendon. Looks like Clevedon is only a 30 min drive from Bristol, so not an issue either way.

3+ hour drive from London, but I'm guessing I'll fly from DFW -> LHR, then maybe train to Bristol? Pick up a car and hotel there, drive to Clevendon has needed.


Not familiar at all with the area, so open to suggestions.

I can't advise on staying in Clevedon, but we spent a few days in Bristol in 2019 and really enjoyed it. The city had a fun and laid back vibe and I would definitely visit again in the future. There's a lot of history there as it was a major trading port (spices/tea, general goods, and even slave trade).

Restaurants

Hat Bistro
Awesome Greek restaurant owned by a family from Greece. We ate there twice because it was so delicious and authentic.

Giuseppe's
Great Italian!

The Ivy Clifton Brasserie
Nice spot in a cool area (Clifton) and near the suspension bridge.

Graffiti
They have an area of the city with a lot of graffiti/street art on buildings.

We stayed at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel which is in a great location/walking distance to a ton of restaurants and bars. Their parking garage, like most in the UK, was exceptionally small with tight spaces.

Bath is about 30 minutes away and would be worth a half day visit if you have free time.

It's an easy drive to Bristol from LHR, but I'd say your plan to take a train and then rent locally makes sense for your trip and would be one less thing to deal with immediately upon landing in London.

I looked up the hotel and it looks great. Booked it.

Also decided to just get a car at LHR. Smaller towns are often hit or miss, vs airports usually have plenty.

Thanks for the restaurant suggestions too. Hopefully I get some decent time to explore the area.

Mind the speed cameras on the M4! It felt like they were setup every 3-5 miles. I finally just set the cruise control so I wouldn't have 27 tickets arrive two months later like a belated souvenir.

I've never been to Bristol, but have taken many trains in the UK and they are usually pretty good and much more convenient than driving a longer distance. Especially if do not have experience driving on the "wrong" side of the road. I would be surprised if you need a car at all on the trip, unless you just really want one.