Best Things to Do in Oxford UK: Beyond the Day trip, Oxford, England

We rolled into Oxford UK as part of a longer England road trip, and well, we didn’t give it enough time. Oxford is one of those cities that looks manageable on a map but rewards every extra hour you give it. The colleges are spread out, the history is layered, and the pubs…well, we’ll get to those.

If you’re planning an England road trip and wondering whether Oxford deserves more than a rushed afternoon stop, the answer is yes. Here’s exactly what to do in Oxford, where we stayed, and what we’d do differently if we went back.

We stayed at Newton House, a guesthouse that worked well as a base. It was comfortable, good value, and walkable to a pub (important criteria). It’s about a 20-minute walk to the main college area, which is worth knowing upfront: Oxford is more spread out than you’d expect, and the majority of the things worth seeing cluster around the university.

If you’re driving in (as we were), book accommodation with parking arranged in advance. Central Oxford parking is limited and the city is much easier to navigate on foot once you’ve dropped the car.

If you are into luxury or plan on spending a bit more per night, The Store is Oxfords new hotel and is getting rave reviews as well as the Old Bank Hotel in the city center. Both are somewhat out of our price range, but visitors love these places. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).