Bletchley Park/Oxford

[Pupsiecola]

Thinking of a weekend away to include a day or two in Oxford and a trip to Bletchley Park. They're about an hour apart so should work well. Assuming two nights in Oxford, any recommendations on what to see/do? And where could we stay nearish Bletchley Park for a night? Looking at either Easter, or early July inset days.

We are a family of four with two DSs (13 and 11).

Thank you.

I don't think anyone should be allowed to visit Oxford without punting! With several people it works out fairly cheap since you pay for the boat. An hour will probably be enough for you, so £15 or so. If coming by car, use the Cherwell Boathouse which is on a more peaceful stretch of the river where you will also be able to park free. If on public transport, easiest is the one off Magdalen Bridge. There's another by Folly Bridge but the punting is more tricky there.

Lots of cultural stuff to do in town, and nice walks down by the river. If the kids are into Harry Potter you could book a HP-themed walking tour to take in some of the film locations. University Museum of Natural History is good, not only for its collections but also the architecture. Also it has a good lawn out front which is one of the few places in central Oxford which is handy for picnicking. Accessed through the same museum is the quirky Pitt Rivers Museum with shrunken heads and other oddities.

What sort of things do you like?

Parking in town is very expensive and the one-way system is tricky and poorly signposted, so best to use park and rides.

We had a family day out to Bletchley over the Christmas holidays and loved it. We took a guided tour (free, but numbers are limited so you need to book when you arrive). Lots to see and al very interesting.

We're pretty local so I'm afraid I can't suggest anywhere to stay nearby.

I was looking at this sort of trip just yesterday! There's a couple of Premier Inns in Milton Keynes not too far from Bletchley, we will probably stay in one of those as our kids love the breakfast.

Thanks all. Saracen some brilliant suggestions there. Punting is definitely on the list. We've all read and watched HP and I hadn't realised some of it was filmed in Oxford so that sounds good. The museums sound great too!