Brunel’s Bristol Packet Boat Tour Review

All Aboard: Relaxing Bristol Boat Trips on the Floating Harbour

Looking for a relaxing way to see Bristol? A Bristol boat tour is the perfect way to sit back, soak up the sun, and enjoy the sights without worrying about buses, trains, or parking.

Our journey began with Bristol Packet Boat Tours, a family-run business established in 1974, offering guided tours around Bristol’s famous Floating Harbour and the River Avon. Unlike your typical boat ride, this tour was led by a humorous, modern-day version of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, one of Bristol’s most famous historical figures. (Sadly, the real Brunel passed away in 1859!)

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Departure Point: Conveniently Located Near SS Great Britain

The boats depart near the SS Great Britain, beside the old railway line at Bristol Harbour. From here, passengers can enjoy panoramic views of the harbour while learning fascinating stories about Bristol’s history, industry, and maritime heritage.

Why the Floating Harbour is Unique

The Floating Harbour was created to solve the problem of Bristol’s tidal River Avon, which sees the UK’s highest tidal range in the Severn Estuary. Before the harbour was built, boats could get stuck at low tide. Brunel helped design to keep the harbour navigable, transforming it from a bustling shipping hub into the scenic harbour we see today.

Onboard Experience

Our one-hour Bristol harbour boat tour offered:

Comfortable seating with large windows for perfect harbour views
A bar serving hot and cold drinks
Onboard toilets
Expert commentary from our entertaining “Mr Brunel”

Mr Brunel was available to chat before and after the tour. What a man!

The Cheese Lane Shot Tower is a grade II listed shot tower it was built in 1969, and was a replacement for an earlier shot tower, the very first such tower ever built. It now forms part of an office development called Vertigo,

Once we disembarked we then made our way onto another ship, this time Brunel’s SS Great Britain, which was the largest ship in the world when it was launched in 1843.