Days out with the kids in Oxfordshire

It’s officially the end of July, which means the school summer holidays are well and truly in full swing. If you are already wondering what to do to keep the children entertained, we’re rounding up a list of activities for days out with the kids in Oxfordshire and beyond this summer. Share you top days out with us, and we will add them in.

See a Shakespeare play

Plays & Drama

Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre at Blenheim Palace

Experience Shakespeare as it was in his day, with bloody battles, comic mayhem, gruesome murders and grand oratory!

Visit a royal residence

Royal outings – 7 royal residences to visit on a day trip from Oxford

Arts & Entertainment

Cultural day trip: 7 royal residences to visit on a day trip from Oxford

From Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle, our pick of the best royal residences – palaces, castles and houses – you can visit on a day trip from Oxford.

Visit a national trust property

Historic Houses & Sites

Greys Court, Henley-on-Thames

Historic Houses & Sites

Great Coxwell Barn, Faringdon

Historic Houses & Sites

Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury

Take afternoon tea

Food & Drink

9 indulgent Country House Afternoon Teas near Oxford

Treat yourself and your loved ones to an indulgent afternoon tea in the picturesque surrounds of a Country House within stricking distance of Oxford.

Visit a museum

Oxfordshire is home to many family-friendly museums and galleries. Whether you’re looking for things to see at the Museum of Natural History or exploring the Ashmolean, each museum and gallery offers a unique and memorable immersive learning opportunity. PS: Many are free, so days out with the kids in Oxfordshire does not have to cost the earth.

Museums & Art Galleries

Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Museums & Art Galleries

Roald Dahl Museum

Museums & Art Galleries

Ashmolean Museum

Oxford Castle and Prison

Historic Houses & Sites

Oxford Castle & Prison

Take a guided tour of Oxford Castle & Prison and let the characters reveal their fascinating stories entrenched in the building’s 1000-year history.

Visit the LEGO Expo at the Vale & Downland Museum

Wantage LEGO Expo at Vale & Downland Museum Wantage in Oxfordshire

Exhibitions & Displays

The Wantage LEGO Expo 2019

Running from 27 July to 31 August, see exciting LEGO models throughout the Vale & Download museum galleries, plus loads of hands-on LEGO-themed activities.

Have a picnic

There are tons of other places to have a picnic in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside – from village greens to public parks and gardens. Many of the parks and public gardens in Oxford and across Oxfordshire allow family picnics. If you want to enjoy the sunshine with a picnic in the park, here are some of our favourite picks.

Parks & Open Spaces

Oxford University Parks

Parks & Open Spaces

South Park, Oxford

Nature Reserves

Rye Farm Meadow, Abingdon

Visit Cogges Manor Farm

Historic Houses & Sites

Cogges Manor Farm, Witney

Cogges is a unique historic farm. With a beautiful manor house, stunning walled garden and friendly animal residents, it’s a place for people of all ages to relax, learn and have fun.

Go to a farmers’ market

Local farmer’s markets have sprung up everywhere, specialising in the best of local and seasonal food. And when you take your kids along to one, there’s more than just fresh, healthy food to be found. It can be a great place for learning and growing knowledge about our food chain. Take a look at the farmers’ markets in Oxford and across Oxfordshire.

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See a play

Plays & Drama

War Horse at New Theatre Oxford

Following 8 record-record breaking years in London’s West End, the National Theatre’s acclaimed play War Horse is touring the UK.

Go sailing

You don’t need to own a boat or even know how to sail to join a club. In fact, that’s the whole point. The clubs provide the boats and the training you’ll need. Most clubs offer a wide range of sailing activities, both for those interested in racing and those who prefer cruising or just pottering around in boats. Take a look at some of the sailing clubs in Oxford and across Oxfordshire.

Sailing Clubs

Henley Sailing Club

Sailing Clubs

Banbury Cross Sailing Club

Sailing Clubs

Oxford Sailing Club

Punt on the River Cherwell

Punting is a truly timeless, slightly eccentric, quintessentially oxford, idyllic pleasure: sail leisurely upstream or down the river, admire the wildlife, picnic on a riverbank, or drift past the University.

Cherwell Boathouse Restaurant Punting and Wedding Venue Oxford

Punt Stations, Restaurants

Cherwell Boathouse, Oxford

The restaurant was started in an authentic Victorian working Boathouse, alongside the punt station (established in 1904), on the banks of the River Cherwell. It is still family-owned and managed and offers seasonal menus prepared by Head chef Paul Bell and delivered by a friendly waiting staff.