Visiting Cambridge - help please :)

[May09Bump]

The plan is to combine a general look at the universities with a bit of a Christmas break, looking at November 23rd weekend (I think the universities are still in term then?) I know probably limited to what we can see as not an open day. My son's wants to apply for Computer Science (the amount of people applying is mind blowing for these courses), so the main campus we will visit is in the Madeningly Road area.

Please can anyone advise of the best hotels to stay - ideally with parking, park and ride nearby. Also, any must see's in Cambridge, university and generally?
Thanks in advance.

Thanks so much everyone for all the detailed posts, links and advice. I've signed up for the newsletters and will be browsing the information provided and planning the trip with my son over the weekend.

Have a great weekend!

Any recommedations for lovely pubs either in the town itself or outside off the beaten track - also any good quality but not stuffy restaurants?

My favourite restaurant is "Little Petra." The Eagle is the famous pub right in the centre with a lot of history, but I haven't been there for ages.

If you visit the West Cambridge 'campus' at a weekend, it will be deserted. There is a 'hub' with a canteen, library etc, but it only opens on weekdays.
Source: DS lives there (by choice: he likes the quiet and being close to labs).

I would definitely try to visit some colleges to get a sense of the variation in size, age and location. Churchill is the college geographically closest to the Computer Science department.

Cambridge has a lot of lovely pubs, particularly off Mill Road and Parkers Piece: Cambridge Blue, the Free Press, the Alex, the Petersfield Arms, the Carpenters... A lot of them do really nice food. There are lots of restaurants all along Mill Road too, I wouldn't describe any of them as stuffy.

I grew up just outside Cambridge and went to sixth form there, Long Road not the more famous but less cool Hills Road. When I had to return recently to spend time with my mother whilst she was in hospital I literally couldn't believe how lovely Cambridge is. All those medieval and tudor buildings and so many churches.
And the Fitzwilliam Museum is fabulous. I think my favourite thing was the mad guided bus. Its more like a roller coaster than any normal bus. And everyone else on it acting like it was no big deal. It is. And they built some sort of hospital theme park next to Addenbrookes that the guided bus goes through. I really advise you to have a go on it.
Also if you see an ice cream cart in the street have one, best ice cream anywhere in the world for me. Even in November.