Oxford day trip

[PoopaPoopa]

I’m wondering if anyone can give me advice on taking a day trip at Oxford please? We’re passing through on our way to elsewhere and I thought it might be a nice place to stop and do some touristy stuff. I‘ve looked up a bit online and saw they filmed a few Harry Potter scenes there which would be lovely to see as I’m a huge fan.
I’m just wondering about the logistics of it all, how close together are the different places, what’s car parking like etc.? We’ll have about 3/4 hours there so not a huge amount of time.
Is there anywhere that’s a must see? Any tips or suggestions on anything?
Thanks so much.

Look up Park and Ride locations: city centre parking can be pretty terrible. Hogwarts' dining hall was, I think, filmed in Christ Church and the slug vomiting scene in the cloister at New College. Both are lovely and worth seeing in their own right. Ten minutes walk from one another. Another 10-15 minutes from New College is the brilliant Pitt Rivers Museum- natural history and anthropology. Whilst at Christ Church you can walk along the river, watch the rowing and look back at Oxford across the meadows.

Traffic in the centre is awful so use a park and ride if you can - much less stressful.

It's lovely to just wander around the colleges and parks; there are lots of cafes and restaurants and there's also several museums. I don't know about HP stuff but the shops are certainly full of HP-related souvenirs! There are probably tours you can do too.

The Harry Potter dining hall was partly based on Christ Church dining hall but not filmed there as it wasn't big enough to fit four tables. They did film a bit on the steps outside the dining hall (where the kids are greeted when they first arrive at the school). And as a pp said New College was also used as a location and has appeared in the Golden Compass film amongst others (tbh a lot of Oxford has appeared in films and TV). The city has given mad over the Harry Potter link though so definitely no shortage of souvenirs to buy (it's got a bit like central London with lots of small shops selling a jumble of London/the Queen tourist stuff plus Harry Potter and some university stuff.

Christ Church do cash in on being known as the Harry Potter college and having the cathedral so are the most expensive college to visit.

If it's nice the river is a pretty walk. If it's raining there are several museums - Ashmolean, natural history, history of science and Pitt rivers. The covered market is nice to walk around and you can get quick food there not from a chain of shops ie: they have Greek takeaway, ice cream shop, sit down sandwich type place. Delicious cookies from Ben's Cookies.

You can walk to most places in the centre in 10-15 minutes though Christ Church up to the Ashmolean is probably more like 20min as they are at opposite ends.

Worth being aware that not all the college's are open to visitors all day, quite a few only open in the afternoon. They mostly have that information online if you Google ones you fancy looking at.

Parking in town is v expensive compared with most other towns but to be honest the worst bit is the slow traffic getting to the centre. Park and ride is quicker due to bus lanes and cheaper.

Much of the Centre is banned for cars, definitely use Park and Ride.
Christ Church Hall is the original Hogwarts, but you need to find out when they are open to visitors. They accept visitors on Saturdays I think.

Paying to go up the tower of the university church (st Mary's on the high street) is nice - you get a classic aerial view of historic colleges from up there.

Thank you so much for all your help everyone Really appreciate :)