From free dinosaur exhibits and creepy prison tours – the UK city break perfect for kids
OXFORD is famous for its dreaming spires, world-leading university and storytelling heritage.
But can it keep adults and kids entertained on a summer city break?
With his family in tow, David Whitley puts it to the test.
FIRST UP
OXFORD’S hop-on, hop-off bus is a great way to get your bearings. City Sightseeing has departures every ten minutes in the summer (citysightseeingoxford.com).
So no excruciatingly long waits as your kids scream for ice cream.
The trip isn’t too long either, taking about an hour and there’s a great commentary aimed at kids.
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Our eight-year-old daughter stuns us by listening intently all the way around and remembering some of the facts later.
Our five-year-old girl can’t fit the earphones in her ears — but she’s generally happy on the top deck in the sunshine, looking at all the gargoyles on the college buildings.
Family tickets (including up to three children) cost £45 and include a 45-minute walking tour.
THE SURPRISE HIT
THE Museum of Natural History (oumnh.ox.ac.uk) and Pitt Rivers Museum (prm.ox.ac.uk) are right next to each other, so it’s easy to take the kids to both.
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The stuffed animals and dinosaur skeletons in the Natural History Museum are a safe bet for youngsters.
Our girls loved stroking the fox and are awestruck by the T-Rex towering over them.
The Pitt Rivers Museum is a stuff-in-glass-cabinets affair — usually kid kryptonite.
But the free activity sheet challenging the girls to find little wooden mice in the cabinets works a treat.
For grown-ups, the vast collection from around the world is staggering.
Expect everything from colourful Mexican masks to an Ethiopian priest’s crown.
Both museums have free entry.
THE MAIN EVENT
THE Story Museum (storymuseum.co.uk) brings more than 1,000 years of Oxford storytelling to life — from Arthurian legends to Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy.
Presentation is fabulous — think magical woodlands, explorable mock-ups of Narnia and Horrid Henry’s bedroom.
The girls want to tell their own stories in the storytelling circle, and then try with all their might to pull a sword from a stone.
The most engrossing section is about comics, and the girls are thoroughly absorbed while learning to draw cartoon animals. Tickets cost £10pp.
KIDS’ CHOICE
MY five-year-old happily leads the charge up the 1,000-year-old tower at Oxford Castle and Prison (oxfordcastleandprison.co.uk).
Meanwhile, her older sister has a million questions about the castle in its second incarnation as a prison.
The tours weave in enough stories of daring escapes, mysterious curses and drunken ghosts to get their little imaginations whirring.
They’re shocked to learn that children were jailed for stealing food in the past — which throws up big thoughts about what’s fair and what isn’t.
Tickets cost £15.25 per adult and £9.95 per child.
THE FAMILY FEAST
OVERLOOKING Christ Church Cathedral, The Independent Café at 85-87 St Aldate’s has a convenient location, with affordable mains, homemade cakes and decent coffee.
Posh cheese toasties are the speciality, costing £6.95. One toastie is big enough to share, and it is quickly demolished.
SOMEWHERE TO STAY
JURYS INN (jurysinns.com) is on the northern outskirts of the city, but it’s handy if you’re coming by car and need to park.
The rooms have stylish paintings of the Oxford skyline above the headboards.
The hotel pool is a huge bonus, ideal for children needing to burn off energy.
Family rooms cost from £110 with two double beds. Interconnecting rooms are also available.
MAYBE NEXT TIME…
SALTER’S STEAMERS (salterssteamers.co.uk) rents out punts for those wishing to travel along the river in traditional Oxford style.
With a restless five-year-old in tow, we opt for a 40-minute cruise instead.
It’s a pleasant jaunt past the boatsheds and the lumbering cows in Christ Church Meadow.
The girls turn the cruise into a game, seeing how many people they can get to wave back at them.
Tickets cost £9.50 for adults and £6 for children.
THE VERDICT
OXFORD’S walkability and beauty are a hit with our kids — and us.
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This city may have some serious academic prestige, but its fun attractions, plus good food and accommodation options, tick all the right boxes for a family-friendly city break.
For more information, see experienceoxfordshire.org.
