Oxford Day Trip Guide
With beautiful architecture, lush green spaces, and plenty of independent shops and cafes, Oxford is one of my favorite day trips from London. This prestigous university city will transport you back in time and is the perfect place to live out your dark academia dreams.
Here are my tips and recommendations for planning your Oxford day trip itinerary.
Getting there
From London, there are plenty of train services to Oxford, but I would highly recommend taking the Oxford Tube. The Oxford Tube is a bus that runs between London and Oxford and is much more comfortable than many of the trains I’ve been on in the UK. It has really comfy seats, wireless phone chargers, and air conditioning at every seat. It was such a nice way to travel on a hot, summer day and avoid the chaos of train stations on the weekends.
You can hop on the Oxford Tube at London Victoria, Shepherd’s Bush, or Hillingdon for an hour/ hour and a half journey. A round trip ticket cost £24.
Vaults & Garden Cafe
My first stop when I arrived in Oxford was Vaults & Garden Cafe. The building has been around since 1320 and is a lovely spot to have lunch or coffee with a view of Radcliffe Camera.
Blackwell’s Bookshop
If strolling around Oxford is inspiring you to get into an academic mindset, stop by Blackwell’s to pick up your next read. You could easily spend hours wandering this massive bookshop. With chairs dotted between the bookshelves and a cafe inside, it’s a great spot to take a break from walking through the city.
Christ Church Meadow
Oxford has some beautiful greenspaces with views of the stunning academic buildings. Christ Church Meadow is easily accessible from the city centre and offers free gardens and a pathway along the river where you can watch punting boats float by.
George & Davis’ Ice Cream
On a hot day in June, a stop for ice cream was much needed! George & Davis’ is a local chain with delicious ice cream produced in the surrounding countryside.
Oxford Covered Market
When you’ve worked up an appetite, head to the Oxford Covered Market to peruse the food stalls. There are plenty of options for various cuisines and independent shops. I especially loved browsing the bookshop bar, Gulp Fiction.
Exploring Oxford University
Exploring Oxford University is a big draw for tourists, but it takes some planning to fully experience the beauty of this historic campus. Many of the academic buildings have ticketed entry and can sell out on busier days. I would recommend booking the spots you’d really like to see in advance - especially places like Christ Church College as it was a Harry Potter filming location.
Some of the Oxford colleges are free to the public. I was able to explore St Edmund Hall and Lincoln College without a ticket.
I loved seeing Oxford so green and sunny in the summer. I’ve also been in December and it’s absolutely gorgeous with the Christmas lights.
For more day trips from London, check out my guide to my favorite cities accessible by train here. You can also find more in-depth guides for Rye, Bath, and Cambridge on my blog.
