visiting Oxford

I would take a guided tour - they show you so much more than you could find out by yourself.

ninathenana You lucky duck! We managed a day trip to Oxford last year and I can't wait to go back. We had a trip on one of the open top buses you can hop on and off as you please and the ticket (I think) lasts for two days. It's a great way to see the city.

I believe the Botanic Garden is well worth a visit.

I contacted their Tourist Board via email explaining it was just a day trip with disabled DH and we wanted to get the most out of a short visit. They were very helpful.

Have a lovely time.

University Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers

The old hop on hop off bus is good as a way of getting around and being shown the interesting points.
The Pitt Rivers is a good old fashioned museum with dinosaurs etc. Blackwells book shop is iconic if you like books, go right downstairs for all the really clever stuff!
There are also walking tours that you can do. The Covered Market is a nice foodie place.

The botanic garden is lovely but the cold weather means that spring is late this year and it won't be at its best. The Pitt Rivers is fantastic if you are interested in ethnology and anthropology. It's a huge collection from all over the world - dionsaurs and so on belong to the Natural History Museum which is attached to the P-R. My GSs love both of them, though that may not be a recommendation!

I live in Oxford, but can't add to the suggestions given. All I know is that the open-topped bus is very popular. I have been trying to think of hidden gems, but gone blank. For the locals, town and gown are very separate, and I am ashamed to say I haven't visited the colleges for many years. My favourites were Magdalen for the deer park and Christchurch meadows.
It may not be available yet, but I hear that the weather is going to get much warmer, so how about taking a punt on the river? If you don't feel that energetic, I think you can have an escort to do the hard work, or you could take a steamer trip.
I hope you have a great time.

Like Shysal, I live in Oxford (and my mind's gone blank!). I'd recommend the Eagle and Child pub (locally known as Bird and Brat) in St. Giles for a good and not too expensive meal. It's where Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, et al, used to hold their literary meetings and more recently it was featured in quite a few Inspector Morse programmes.

If you want to eat at a reasonable price try following Browns in the covered market, pub wise far from madding crowd prices about £7-10.

Shysal the thought of DH and I trying to board a punt makes me giggle. But the steamer may be an option.
Goose love the nickname "bird and brat"
I had seen the bus tour on line. Will definitely do that. Thanks everyone.

Christ Church Cathedral is a must .Small but lovely. I confess to looking you up on the Prayer thread to see if this might be acceptable to you though I know many people visit cathedrals for their architecture etc.

Goose /shysal is the Eagle and Child pub opposite the Ashmolean Museum?

Its near to the Ashmolean....more behind and to the right though. The excellent tourist info office is just along from the Bodlean (?) in the square where they do so much of the Morse/Lewis filming. Oh and the Radcliffe is just behind the Bod. Hopfelly I shall be having an 'Oxford' day in early May too! (am an ex-local who gets withdrawl symptoms)

Sook - no (I think you may be thinking of the Lamb & Flag). The Eagle & Child is the same side of St Giles as the Ashmolean but further down (about 5min walk)

www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/theeagleandchildoxford/
If you stand with your back to the steps of the Ashmolean there are traffic lights to your left. Turn left at the lights and you are in St. Giles. The pub is a couple of hundred yards along on the left. I have never been there as I am not a pub person, so can't tell you more.
Have a great week-end.

Thank you I think I was confused .