New Years Day - what to do with teen within an hour and a half of Oxford?

[2023ideas]

After ideas please. We live in Oxford and have family staying who have a 14 year old son and we need to go out on New Year’s Day (his birthday).

We are happy to travel up to an hour and a half - but not London as that’s where he is from.

Any recommendations very gratefully received. I thought of the theatre (all seem to be closed on NYD), it seems it’ll rain - so not conducive to outdoors activities. I’m running out of ideas.

Help please !

Bumping for ideas please

Depends on the teen. If he's at all geeky/into computers then Bletchley Park is a decent trip if it's open on New Year's Day!

Bowling can be fun for a variety of ages! With food before or after

@PhotoDad thanks. I think that may be a bit museum-y for him. Great suggestion though, I’ve been and loved it.

Escape room or junkyard golf at the Westgate followed by a meal at one of the restaurants?

@ThreeRingCircus I did think that but wondered if it would fill most of the day? I’ve done the golf at the Kassam and it took about half an hour!

If you want a full day out, Portsmouth Dockyard is just on your 1.5 hour limit and has two warships to look around. Not sure whether it's too museumy though, it's certainly a very different vibe to Bletchley. (My kids have enjoyed both those places at around that age, but it's horses for courses!)

Escape rooms in Banbury. Not been, but reviews seem good

Bristol ?

The Light entertainment complex in Banbury - cinema, climbing wall, arcade, indoor golf, bowling, eating places. It's new and pretty awesome.

The escape rooms on the west gate take an hour plus some sorting out time
before and after.

Otherwise have a look at whether the snozone or Big Rock is open in Milton Keynes. That keeps my teens happy if they really have to go out and it's raining.

Cotswold Wildlife Park is a pretty good zoo, looks like it’s open New Year’s Day…

Go karting in Reading if it’s open?

I’m near Oxford and Sunday looks dry here at the moment. What about paint balling? - again might not be open and may have minimum numbers.