Bristol, Pennsylvania
Bristol is a borough of 9,902 people in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, founded in 1681.
Why visit Bristol
Townapedia lists 20 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 4 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Burlington–Bristol Bridge, Delaware River – Turnpike Toll Bridge, Bristol College and Bristol Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Bristol
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bristol
Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located 23 miles (37 km) northeast of Center City in Philadelphia opposite Burlington, New Jersey, on the Delaware River.
From the Wikipedia article Bristol, Pennsylvania (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Burlington–Bristol Bridge
Bridge · 1.7 mi
Truss Bridge Connecting New Jersey & Pennsylvannia
Delaware River – Turnpike Toll Bridge
Bridge · 1.5 mi
Bridge linking Pennsylvania and New Jersey turnpikes
Museums and landmarks20
Bristol College
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Defunct college in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Bristol Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Pennsylvania, United States
Bristol Industrial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Pennsylvania, United States
Burlington Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Burlington County, New Jersey
Dorrance Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States
Harriman Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic district in the United States
High Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Listed on the NRHP in New Jersey
Jefferson Avenue School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
School building in Bristol, United States of America
Jefferson Land Association Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Pennsylvania, United States
Quaker School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
School building in Burlington, New Jersey
William R. Allen School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic school building in Burlington County, New Jersey
Grundy Mill Complex
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
8 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
Restaurants and cafes4
History
Samuel Clift founded the Borough of Bristol, having received a land grant from Edmund Andros, who was then governor of New York. The grant became effective on March 14, 1681 (new style) or March 4, 1681 (old style) at the same time as William Penn's Charter from Charles II became effective. Clift was required by the grant to maintain ferry service across the Delaware River to Burlington, New Jersey, and to run a public house or inn. The inn later became known as the George II.
Bristol Borough was settled in 1681, and named after Bristol, England. It was originally used as a port and dock. It is rich in history, with many historic and restored houses along the streets of Radcliffe and Mill. In 1697, the Pennsylvania Provincial Council ordered that a town be laid out in the location. A petition was submitted by Joseph Bond, Anthony Burton, John Hall and William Wharton to the council for incorporation, and was granted in 1702.
Until 1725, Bristol Borough served as county seat of Bucks County.
From the History section of Bristol, Pennsylvania on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship4
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries48
Bucks County Community College Gene and Marlene Epstein Campus at Lower Bucks
School · 1.5 mi
1304 Veterans Highway
Benjamin Banneker Preparatory Charter School
School · 4.9 mi
11 South Sunset Road, Willingboro
Healthcare1
Map of Bristol
95 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 22°F | 3.7 in | 7.0 in |
| Feb | 42°F | 23°F | 3.1 in | 5.7 in |
| Mar | 50°F | 29°F | 4.6 in | 3.5 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 40°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 65°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 64°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 56°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 44°F | 4.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 55°F | 33°F | 3.6 in | 0.2 in |
| Dec | 44°F | 26°F | 4.7 in | 3.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Neshaminy Falls (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Bucks County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2021-09-10: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-30: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-03-23: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2014-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2013-01-10: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Burlington 2 mi south, about 3 min by car
- Florence 3 mi northeast, about 4 min by car
- Levittown 3 mi north, about 6 min by car
- Tullytown 3 mi northeast, about 6 min by car
- Roebling 4 mi east, about 7 min by car
- Beverly 5 mi southwest, about 7 min by car
- Fairless Hills 5 mi north, about 8 min by car
- Penndel 5 mi northwest, about 8 min by car
- Eddington 5 mi west, about 8 min by car
- Cornwells Heights 6 mi west, about 9 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Delaware River Bristol, Smallbones, Public domain
- Dorrance Bristol, Smallbones, Public domain
- Harriman historic district, Marduk, CC0
- BurlingtonNJ NewStMarysChurch 03, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- BurlingtonNJ WilliamRAllenSchool, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jefferson Land Bristol, Smallbones, Public domain
- Bristol College 1919, John Thomson Faris, Public domain
- Industrial 1, Smallbones, Public domain
- BurlingtonNJ WoodStreet, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bristol Friends, Smallbones, Public domain
- BurlingtonNJ QuakerSchool, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jeff School Bristol, Smallbones, Public domain
- Grundy Mill Bristol, Smallbones, Public domain
- Delaware River Turnpike Toll Bridge, Werd678 at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Burlington-Bristol Bridge heading south, User:Dough4872, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dorrance window, Catherine D. Kerr, CC BY-SA 3.0
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