The Americans were stunned by an “unexpected gem” in Bristol (Image: Getty Images)
An American duo set their sights on Bristol, after it was hailed by followers as the “UK’s coolest city”.
Jeremy and Cara, YouTubers from The Magic Geekdom channel, were unexpectedly charmed by Bristol’s diverse offerings.
Speaking to their 72,800 subscribers, an enthusiastic Cara explained: “We are spending the next few days exploring Bristol, a city known for its maritime history and modern culture, among a lot of other things. From Banksy’s iconic street art to engineering marvels like the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol has a lot to offer and over the next three days we are going to explore just what makes the city so unique and cool.
“Already I love it here. I think we have seen a lot of cool things like there’s really old, neat buildings, there’s new modern buildings, there’s a building that looks old but it has a unicorn on the top (council building). There’s a lot to take in so far.”
Unexpected gem
Low and Slow Barbecue proved to be a highlight (Image: lowandslowbarbecue/Instagram)
Don’t miss…
The underrated and pretty city that’s one of Europe’s ‘food capitals’ [LATEST]
Toxic puffer fish that’s ‘dangerous to humans’ spotted in country loved by Brits [LATEST]
Amid expectations of being captivated by Brunel’s legendary works, the pair stumbled upon a delectable surprise within St Nicholas Market.
On approaching Low and Slow Barbecue, Cara shared: “We have heard that if we are going to find good barbecue in the UK, that it is here and I am really excited to try it.”
The American couple was left gobsmacked after sampling some brisket, with Cara saying: “This is hands down the best brisket we have had in the UK. It is really hard to come by here and this is not only the best but one of the best we have ever had including all of our travels throughout all of the southern United States.
“Now I understand why they have the queues and popularity that they do because that was incredible. If you come here you definitely have to check this place out and that’s coming from two Americans who have tried all kinds of delightful barbecue pretty much in every state that it’s pretty much famous for in the US and this tops them all.”
The steamship is hugely popular with tourists visiting Bristol (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Tourist hotspots
Seeking out quirky accommodations, they checked into Brooks Guesthouse, where they stayed in a ‘Retro Rocket’ caravan positioned on the hotel’s roof, offering city centre views. They said it “might just be the coolest accommodation we have ever stayed in” before setting off to experience Bristol’s landmarks like the Clifton Suspension Bridge, SS Great Britain, and the M Shed museum.
Cara admired the Clifton Suspension Bridge, noting: “Seeing it from this angle, you really get a sense of what a huge accomplishment it is, especially when Brunel designed this in the 1830s, it was unlike any bridge that had ever been built before.”
Brooks Guest House with Carvans on rooftops (Image: Brooks Guest House)
Yet, it was their visit to the steamship SS Great Britain that truly captured their imaginations, ranking at the pinnacle of Bristol’s many attractions.
The duo marvelled at the “incredible ship”, discussing its history of abandonment in the Falklands in the 1880s and subsequent restoration to splendour in Bristol during the ’70s. Cara later reflected: “It sits in the same dry hole that it was built in so that’s pretty fascinating. What an incredible life the ship has had and it is going to keep on giving. So make sure you come here because this was one of the highlights for me so far.”
They walked across the Clifton Suspension Bridge (Image: Getty)
During their exploration, they passed the now-empty plinth of the 17th-century slave trader Edward Colson’s statue, which was toppled into the harbour during the Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020.
Cara shared her surprise at finding the actual statue in M Shed museum, saying: “We saw the empty place he was supposed to be yesterday, our tour guide spoke about it, but I wasn’t expecting to see the actual statue here – very interesting.”
Local delights
After their sightseeing, the pair sought a more authentic experience and turned to someone with intimate knowledge of the city.
Bristol was named the happiest city in the UK last year by The Happy City Index (Image: Getty Images)
Bristol comedian and DJ John Robins offered his insights via video, stating: “As a Bristol boy I am gutted I can’t be there to show you the greatest city on earth. Bristol has an energy that is rooted in its history of radicalism, it is protective of its community of independence both in the shops and the art you see there. It has a wonderful history of alternative music and performance and man what a place.”
He elaborated: “If I was showing you Bristol, even though I don’t drink anymore, I would give you a tour of some of its best pubs because I think that’s such a great way to explore any city.
“So I would start on The Hare on the Hill and I would then go next door to the Hillgrove where I spent many a night in my 20s with friends.”
He went on to suggest visiting The Highbury Vaults, boasting an electric train running through the pub and the chance to play bar billiards. John’s pub crawl concluded with a trip to King Street, touting it as a place with a “wonderful collection of pubs”.
Jeremy and Cara decided to follow his recommended pub route and had a blast experiencing Bristol’s nightlife; however, they were somewhat hungover the day after….
People queue at the entrance of M Shed museum as the Edward Colson statue goes on display (Image: Getty Images)
Cara summarised their adventure, saying: “We have had an incredible time here. People have told us that if we lived in the UK, we would live in Bristol, and I think they might be on to something, because we really enjoyed our time here.”
Upon sharing their experiences on YouTube, one fan commented: “You wait till you see Bristol on a hot summer’s day, all those tables on King Street would be full, College Green would be covered in people and the harbour will be bussing. There will be skateboarders all around the city centre. Bristol is such a chill place in summer.”
Another said: “Thanks for your lovely words about the food. Really really pleased you enjoyed it, always good to get an American stamp of approval. See you next time.”
