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Getting to Oxford
When you are planning a day trip to Oxford, the first thing you have to consider is how you get there. Luckily there are a number of options! Then you can move on to planning all the things you will do when you get there.
There are a number of coaches from London including:
Oxford Tube: Yes, we know this is a bit confusing. Oxford Tube is the name of a coach service which runs up to every 10 minutes. The London stops include Victoria Station, Marble Arch, Marylebone,Notting Hill Gate, Holland Park, Hillingdon.
National Express and Megabus also have a number of pick-up points across London. Tickets tend to be between 12-16 pounds depending on how in advance you purchase them.
The Gloucester Green bus station is close to the city centre and they also have luggage storage options nearby.
The fastest train from London is from Paddington Station. Off peak day return tickets generally cost £30/person without a railcard. However, buying your tickets in advance can cut down these costs by quite a bit.
Trainline will provide you with train and coach options and also give alerts for any disruptions.
If you are planning on taking the train please make sure to check for any strikes!
If you are travelling by car please note that parking inside Oxford can be very difficult. The city has a large zero emissions zone and most street parking is limited to 2 hours. We would recommend dropping your car off at one of the five Park & Ride locations around the city. Then you can get a bus into the centre.
Breakfast - The Handle Bar
To start off your Oxford day trip on the right foot we recommend grabbing your breakfast and morning coffee at the Handle Bar.
This is a cosy cafe and restaurant tucked away above a bike shop on St Michael’s Street. They have a charming atmosphere and a bicycle themed decor which makes all visitors smile. Additionally they make excellent food with dishes catering for a range of dietary requirements. Their ingredients are sourced from independent suppliers around Oxford!
You can of course get your coffee and pastries to go as you head towards our second stop of the day!
Botanical Gardens
A visit to Great Britain’s oldest botanical gardens in the world is great way to ease yourself into all the wonderful things Oxford has to offer.
Following your delicious breakfast now you get to stretch your legs and explore one of the oldest scientific gardens in the world. It was founded in 1621 growing plants for medicinal research. Now it contains over 8000 different species, most of which will bloom in the summer. However, the garden is a great destination any time of the year. No Oxford day trip is complete without exploring this beautiful green space!
There are lots to do inside for the whole family, including two trails for children, a garden cafe & shop, and frequently changing events and activities.
My favourite part is the Serpentine Ride, which is a grassy path in the oldest part of the Arboretum, and the Walled Garden. You can see the original 17th century stonework and that’s where you can find the Garden’s oldest tree!
University & City Tour
After your morning walk it is time to join our University & City Tour at 11 am. This is our most popular experience, which received international recognition in 2020 being chosen as one of the top 10 experiences in the world.
It is a 2-hour walking tour covering central Oxford, focusing on the history of the University and its traditions. Our guides have great insights into Oxford and they are committed to providing interesting and enjoyable tours, rather than dry, stuffy tours that put people to sleep. The majority of our guides are either current or former Oxford University students, so they have detailed knowledge of how this ancient institution really works behind the scenes.
If you have a different itinerary in mind these tours also go ahead at 2pm daily and at 4pm on Saturdays. We recommend you book ahead of time as this is our most popular tour and it tends to sell out! You wouldn’t want to miss out on the perfect introduction to Oxford.
Lunch - The Vaults
A good Oxford day trip takes advantage o the great food the city has to offer!
It is now 1pm, the walking tour has just finished and a good lunch is a must. Look no further than the Vaults! Another Oxford gem with locally sourced ingredients and plenty of ambiance.
The building itself is from the 1300s and the vaulted ceilings of the restaurant are a wonder to behold. They have a beautiful garden space, from where you can look out onto the Radcliffe Camera and enjoy the lively atmosphere of this historic university city.
Shopping at the Covered Market
Once you rested and recharged over lunch it is time to explore some local shopping! The Covered Market is located right at the heart of the city and it boasts over 50 independent traders and a wide selection of goods.
As most things in Oxford it also doubles as a historical site. It was founded in the 1770s and it is known to be one of the oldest continuously operating markets in England.
Wicked Chocolate is the best! They have something for every budget and you get to taste some really unexpected flavours. I recommend it to anyone who has a sweet tooth. I recommend it to all my friends when they come to visit!
Climbing the University Church Tower
The University Church was one of the first buildings adopted by the university and the Tower which you can climb is the oldest part of the church still visible today. Keep an eye out for all the beautiful carved gargoyles and grotesques as you are making your way through the buildings.
There are 127 steps up to the top via a mediaeval spiral staircase. Please keep in mind that unfortunately there is no accessible way up and children have to be at least 8 years old to make the walk.
However, the view from the top is absolutely worth it!
Afternoon Tea on the rooftop of the Ashmolean Museum
The afternoon is the perfect time to explore Britain’s first public museum founded in 1683. Perhaps after all the adventures of the day it is best to head to the rooftop terrace first, to recharge with a hot cup of tea or perhaps an iced coffee (depending on the season).
Once the tea cakes and sandwiches have worked their magic you can explore the museum’s diverse array of specimens. They range from Egyptian mummies to classical sculpture. Additionally they have the world’s greatest collection of Raphael etchings!
If you feel like another museum might suit you better, have a look at our article covering the best Museums in Oxford.
Buy a book at Blackwell’s Bookshop
Before afternoon turns into evening and the shops begin to close you should definitely pop into Blackwell’s bookshop on Broad Street. They have been providing the city with books for over 140 years and they are a true local landmark.
Bookworms can take hours wandering the shelves, so make sure to leave plenty of time for it if you are travelling with a fiction enthusiast. The Norrington Room is actually listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the single largest room in the world selling books!
They recently opened up a second store just on the other side of Broad Street and they have an impressive selection of graphic novels and even manga. They also have posters, board games and figurines. It is a great spot for all the proudly nerdy visitors!
Evening Entertainment
We understand that there is no one size fits all Oxford day trip, so we actually have a number of options for you!
Theatre enthusiasts can catch a show at the Oxford Play House. They are a wonderful showcase of student talent and if you are lucky you might even spot one of our guides in a play!
For those visiting during term time we can wholeheartedly recommend attending the evensong at Christ Church. They are the College which is best known for inspiring the Great Hall of Hogwarts (even though the scenes weren’t actually shot in the hall). Furthermore their choirs are world-renowned and listening to them in the Christ Church Cathedral is the perfect setting.
If you prefer orchestral performances to choral music we’d recommend visiting one of the many live orchestra performances at the Sheldonian Theatre.
Dinner and Drinks
On the ground floor of the prestigious Old Bank Hotel you will find the elegant Quod restaurant. If you want to end the evening on a luxurious note you can hire a private room for a luxury dining experience!
If you are less willing or able to splurge we recommend having a cocktail and a bite in the Morse Bar. It is one of the special rooms of ‘The Alice’ an all-day British Brasserie in the heart of the city.