Oxfordshire Attractions and Things to do

Whether you want to be active or relaxed, tour historic sites and buildings, or simply immerse yourself in the peace of the Cotswold countryside, there are more than enough things to see and do in Oxfordshire – here are just some ideas.

Top 10 Things to do in Oxfordshire

Eat, drink or even stay in a charming traditional village pub, guest house or B&B.

Visit the splendours of Blenheim Palace – you can have lunch it its restaurant

Blenheim Palace
Woodstock
Oxfordshire
OX20 1PP

Tel: 08700 602080
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Blenheim Palace at Woodstock, one of the finest baroque houses in England, is home to the 11th Duke of Marlborough, having been built and gifted to his ancestor John Churchill, the 1st Duke by Queen Anne in recognition of his victory over the French at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704.

Sir Winston Churchill was born in the palace in 1874 and is buried in the graveyard in the nearby church at Bladon. In addition to guided tours of the palace, the visitor experience, 'Blenheim Palace: the Untold Story', brings to life key moments from more than 300 years of the Palace’s history.

The 2,000 acres of parkland and gardens surrounding the palace were designed by ‘Capability Brown’ and include the recently-restored 'Secret Garden', Italian Garden, Water Terraces and Rose Garden. The Pleasure Gardens offer a range of family-friendly activities including the Adventure Playground, the Malborough Maze and the Lavender Garden. A range of admission tickets are available, offering access to selected attractions, with some including cost of guided tours.

Steep yourself in history by visiting some of the many lovely country churches around the county.

Step back in time and discover all the National Trust houses dotted around Oxfordshire.

Shop for upmarket labels at bargain prices in the designer outlet at Bicester Village.

Bicester Village
Tel: 01869 323200
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Just a few miles (with excellent road and public transport links) outside Oxford in the Bicester Village is home to over 130 designer outlet boutiques set around delightful open-air pedestrianised streets, offering up to 60 per cent off previous seasons’ collections from the world’s leading fashion and lifestyle brand names including, Anya Hindmarch, Aquascutum, Ted Baker, Church’s, Bally, Pringle of Scotland, DKNY, Salvatore Ferragamo, Samsonite, Ermenegildo Zegna and Hugo Boss.

Visit the Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford – a great family day out.

Cotswold Wildlife Park
Tel: 01993 823006
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One of the county’s major attractions, this wildlife park extends to 160 acres of landscaped parkland with fine old trees, diverse planting schemes, all home to many rare and endangered animals, including giraffes, white rhinos, lions, leopards, meerkats and penguins. The Park is an active participant in several important captive breeding programmes and is particularly proud of its group of the highly-endangered Madagascan lemurs – some of which are allowed to roam freely in their own enclosure. A cafeteria, picnic areas, adventure playground and narrow-gauge railway help to ensure something for all the family.

Play a round of golf, followed by a spa treatment and a light, healthy lunch (or dinner) at one of the county’s many golf courses.

Take a cruise on a Salter’s Steamer at Abingdon, or ride a steam train at the Didcot Railway Centre, or explore the old-fashioned buses at the Oxford Bus Museum at Long Hanborough.

Salter’s Steamers
Folly Bridge
Oxford
O X1 4LA

Tel: 01865 243421
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One longest established boat companies, Salter’s has a large fleet on the Thames and offers a wide variety of cruises, combining traditional style and contemporary comforts with the highest modern standards. Salters’ larger boats are available for private hire and in Oxford, you can hire punts and other small craft. Among the special cruises available are jazz cruises from Oxford and others along unusual routes, or for special events.

Didcot Railway Centre
Tel: 01235 817200
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Based around the 1930s engine shed, the Didcot Railway Centre has a unique collection of Great Western Railway (GWR) steam engines, coaches, wagons other railway memorabilia, the Centre and Museum is also home to a re-creation of Brunel's broad-gauge railway.

Open most weekends throughout the year, details of the ‘Steam Days’ and special trips are available on the website.

Oxford Bus Museum
Old Station Yard
Main Road
Long Hanborough
Witney OX29 8LA

Tel: 01993 883 617
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The Oxford Bus Museum’s collection of buses and other road transport associated with Oxfordshire, was started in 1967 and is operated by a charitable trust. The collection of more than 40 vehicles on show, all with local associations, includes buses from World War I to 1980s minibuses, as well as double-decker sectioned to show its construction and there is a conservation workshop with public viewing gallery.

Also at the site is the Morris Motors Museum, devoted to the history of the Morris Motor Co. and its founder William Morris (Lord Nuffield), and displaying a dozen vehicles in a reconstructed section of the former factory at Cowley. Between May and October, special events bus rides are available on the first Sunday of each month; details of other opening times are available on the website

Local country museums can be a rich source of local information – and some also have teashops where you can enjoy wholesome home baking.

Walk or cycle along part or all of some of the many foot and cycle paths in the county...

From all or part of the 65-mile Oxfordshire Way, which affords amazing views as it passes through some of the most peaceful and scenic rural parts of the county. Two areas of outstanding natural beauty, prehistoric tracks, Domesday Book manors, medieval churches and the 18th-century ‘designed’ landscapes of Blenheim Palace Park – all can be seen on this route. Download maps and more information from this website

... to the 12 short and easy, wheelchair-accessible walks on the Thames Path, along the Oxfordshire parts of the 184-mile length of the River Thames from near the river's source in the Cotswolds right through to Hampton Court on the edge of London. Downloadable maps are available from the National Trails Thames Path website:

More walks, for example, along the d'Arcy Dalton Way or sections of The Ridgeway, are just some you can explore. Maps for these and many more are available from the Oxfordshire Council site or from the Oxford Tourist Information Centre.