Oxford

Oxford is known as the city of dreaming spires, yet it could just as easily be called the city of family dreams, with stacks to do for everyone.

Oxford has inspired countless films: Harry Potter fans can’t miss Christ Church or the Bodleian Library whose hall and chained books inspired or featured in the films. The original ‘Alice in Wonderland’ lived at Christ Church and bought her sweets at Alice’s shop.

It’s an amazing city to tour by bus with Citysightseeing, or on foot, with Family Walking Tours from Oxford Tourist Information Centre. Check out special tours such as ‘Pottering with Harry’, ‘Magic, Murder and Mayhem’ or ‘Lyra’s Oxford’.

Parks and Green spaces

See Oxford’s massive parks and green spaces. The Botanic Garden offers Great Growing Picnic Events. Cutteslowe and Sunnymead Park has an aviary, paddling pool, play park and miniature railway. Older kids can compete on the orienteering course, the basket ball & street sport site or the skate park. Hinksey Park’s open-air heated pool is free for kids, with a splash area for toddlers. The open green spaces mean there’s always somewhere safe to blow off some steam while the rest of the family picnic. The Thames and Isis offer a leisurely river perspective - take Salter’s Steamers or an Edwardian launch (Oxford River Cruises) to see a different side. Punting is one activity you won’t want to miss. 

Activities and Adventures

A 15-minute private lesson at the Ice Rink is great for the superactive (skates available for toddlers) with evening disco sessions for others.

As darkness falls, enjoy Bill Spectre’s Ghost tours about Oxford’s ghoulish past, while Oxford Castle Unlocked offers samples of bygone punishments - the treadmill and the screw……..

On your next day, be sure to get up early - there’s still lots to pack in – the Pitt Rivers Museum is probably Britain’s most eccentric museum: write in hieroglyphics, see a chair with human teeth, a witch in a bottle ……

Head up Carfax Tower’s 99 steps or the Saxon Tower of St Michael at the Northgate for a bird’s eye view of the ‘dreaming spires’.

University Museum of Natural History offers great family events and concerts; see the dodo, the dinosaurs and the stuffed animals. For those needing more, we have the Museum of Oxford, the Museum of the History of Science and the world-leading Ashmolean, doing a speciality in mummified cats!

Artistic families have “jampacked” programmes. Creation Theatre perform a packed season of outdoors plays around Oxford, while Modern Art Oxford has workshops for 8-12 year olds. For the boffins, the Hands On science gallery is crammed with interactive experiments whilst musical protégés can experience the Jacqueline du Pre Music Room’s informal cushion concerts.

Teens can head out to Ozone Leisure park for bowling or to catch a film at The Multiplex. Budding Lewis Hamiltons can try their hand at Karting Oxford, whilst others enjoy the shops along Cornmarket Street or the bustling Jericho quarter. By night, they can catch some great bands at the Carling Academy

Eating Out

Where to eat – the Covered Market has a wealth of traditional British grub, The Big Bang offers award winning, traditional Bangers and Mash and Las Iguanas’ kids’ menu has a fun Mexican feel.

Fact Box

For more information on Oxford visit: www.visitoxford.org.