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Oxfordshire Family-friendly activities

Our most recommended Oxfordshire Family-friendly activities

London: Harry Potter Studio Tour and Oxford Day Trip

1. London: Harry Potter Studio Tour and Oxford Day Trip

Join a full-day bus trip from London which combines a trip to the Warner Bros Studio Tour 'The Making of Harry Potter' with a walking tour of Oxford University. Start your tour at the historic city of Oxford, home to England's oldest university. Enjoy a guided walking tour that takes you past famous college buildings, cloisters, quadrangles, and cobblestone squares. See the Bodleian Library, Radcliffe Camera, the Sheldonian Theatre, and selected colleges. Enjoy free time to explore all that Oxford has to offer at your own pace. Continue to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour and begin your magical experience at The Making of Harry Potter. Discover behind-the-scenes secrets and hear about the filmmaking techniques used to make the magic of the Harry Potter films. Visit the most recognizable set features from the films: the Great Hall, Dumbledore’s office, the Gryffindor common room, the Ministry of Magic, 4 Privet Drive, the Weasley kitchen, Hogwarts Express, and Diagon Alley. Board the original Hogwarts Express train and see a recreation of Platform 9-3/4. Explore the interior train carriage set that was featured during filming and take a selfie with a luggage trolley as it disappears through the brick wall.

Oxford: Harry Potter Tour with Divinity School Entry

2. Oxford: Harry Potter Tour with Divinity School Entry

Follow in the footsteps of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and other characters from the Harry Potter movies. J.K. Rowling applied to study at Oxford University and so she was familiar with Oxford. When they were producing the films, Rowling walked the producers around Oxford, pointing out various sights which they could use, such as the statue that looks like 'Nearly Headless Nick', and Turf Tavern Lane, which looks like Knockturn Alley. This tour showcases where the Harry Potter movies were filmed in Oxford. It includes entry to the Divinity School film site, where they filmed the classroom, dance, and infirmary scenes. You will be passing the city's famous sights and colleges from the outside. You will also be provided with lots of insights about the actors, the producers and about JK Rowling's inspirations. As you walk around, you will take part in a Harry Potter quiz to test your knowledge of the books and films. The guide will also describe how student life in Oxford compares with Hogwarts.

Oxford: Harry Potter Tour with New College & Divinity School

3. Oxford: Harry Potter Tour with New College & Divinity School

Enter the magical world of Harry Potter, visit the filming locations of New College and Divinity School, and learn interesting facts and trivia from your guide during this Oxford tour experience. Get transported to the beloved fiction universe that surrounds Oxford. Escape into the Harry Potter universe as you visit their filming locations in Oxford along with an expert guide. Walk by the New College cloisters and see where Malfoy was turned into a ferret by Mad-Eye Moody in 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.' Visit the Divinity School, used as Hogwarts' hospital wing in several Harry Potter movies. Remember the scene where Harry has to stay overnight to regrow his bones after Professor Lockhart removes them all? That was filmed right here. On any dates when the New College cloister (the actual film site) is closed, the tour will run but not include access to the cloister. Additionally, on any dates when Divinity School is closed, you'll visit an additional college instead (not a film site).

From London: Day Trip to Harry Potter Studios and Oxford

4. From London: Day Trip to Harry Potter Studios and Oxford

Take a day trip from London and journey towards Warner Bros. Studio to take "The Making of Harry Potter" tour. Located in former aircraft hangars in Leavesden, the attraction recreates the magic of Harry Potter and all your favorite characters. Then, visit Oxford and explore the Divinity School. Board the original "Hogwarts Express" train at a recreation of Platform 9¾, and explore the inside of the train carriage featured in the films. Take a selfie with a luggage trolley as it disappears through the station's brick wall. The studio staff will reveal the behind-the-scenes secrets and unveil the intricate prosthetics and make-up that transformed actors into creatures in blockbuster films. See sets from the original movies, and get a peek inside the college of Hogwarts during the 4-hour studio tour. Journey through attractions such as The Great Hall, Gryffindor Common, Hagrid's Hut, the Weasleys' kitchen, and the Ministry of Magic. Take a tour of the backlot and a special effects tour, see a model of Hogwarts Castle, and much more. Depart the Studios and journey to Oxford to explore the real college buildings, including the medieval Divinity School. Upon arrival in the university city founded in 1167, take a guided tour of the historical center and admire some of the most famous college buildings, cloisters, and quadrangles. Delve down alleyways and into chapels, look inside dining halls and across cobblestone squares under the shadows of the legendary "dreaming spires." Enter the hallowed heartland of academia, including the Bodleian Library, Radcliff Camera, Sheldonian Theatre, and other select colleges.

London: Downton Abbey Countryside Black Taxi VIP Tour

5. London: Downton Abbey Countryside Black Taxi VIP Tour

Begin with a pickup from your central London hotel and a drive through London and out into the Oxfordshire countryside. Your first stop will be in Oxfordshire, where you will visit the villages that became the village of Downton. Have photographs outside Matthew Crawley’s house, and see the Hospital, the village church, and the two village pubs. Discuss the filming with the locals and visit inside a village home used in the filming (owner being in of course). Have time to buy Downton souvenirs before moving on. Visit several other villages, plus a farm, which will be a secret to surprise you on the day. Leaving the villages behind you, start to head cross country to Highclere Castle. On the way to the castle, take an authentic countryside pause, stopping for lunch at an old English pub. Arrive at Highclere Castle after lunch, where your tour continues. Your expert guide will explain all there is about the castle’s history as well as the Downton locations you will see before you enter the rooms. Later in the afternoon why not have a cream tea, before returning to London.

Oxford: Harry Potter Film Locations Tour with Oxford Alumni

6. Oxford: Harry Potter Film Locations Tour with Oxford Alumni

Explore the world's the oldest-English-speaking university on a guided tour. See the filming locations for the Harry Potter movies and other blockbusters. Learn about Oxford University and its relationship to the world of entertainment. Find out about Oxford's connection to J.K. Rowling and other celebrities. Visit the spots where major Marvel movies were filmed. Explore the New College and Divinity School and see some of the influences on the Harry Potter universe.

Oxford: Harry Potter Walking Tour Including New College

7. Oxford: Harry Potter Walking Tour Including New College

Meet your Oxford University student guide in central Oxford and head for the Hogwarts' Infirmary, set in one of the halls of the famous Bodleian Library. Imagine the infirmary’s beds in place here, and admire the richly sculpted beasts and biblical carvings that appeared in many of the Harry Potter movies. Next, explore one or two of Oxford’s oldest colleges, delving into the rooms and cloisters that featured as Hogwarts’ gloomy interior. See other filming locations and hear trivia about the characters and movie productions. Test your knowledge of all things Harry Potter with our custom quiz. Along the way, hear about Oxford’s influence in famous children’s literature, from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to The Hobbit. Finish with a tour of the exterior of Christ Church, whose hall was an inspiration and not the actual Dining Hall at Hogwarts.

Oxford Treasure Hunt: The Mystery of the Bullingdon Burglar

8. Oxford Treasure Hunt: The Mystery of the Bullingdon Burglar

The legendary Oxford mystery... unsolved for 50 years... until now. Start your adventure at the historic Chequers tavern, and embark on a quest to unravel Oxford's unsolved mystery of The Bullingdon Burglar! In 1972, Oxford’s annual Town Vs Gown cricket cup ended in disaster, when a mysterious burglar broke into the clubhouse and snatched the golden trophy… Was it an act of revenge? Nobody knew... But the villain left a trail of clues and this is where you come in. The pages of your Mystery Guide™ take you on an exciting puzzle adventure through the heart of historic Oxford, as you follow the maps, unlock the clues, and unravel the epic tale. Your challenge is to track down hidden objects, decode symbols, and uncover hidden messages, as you eliminate suspects and gradually unpick the crime. And an exciting twist awaits… Make it to the end and you'll be struck by an amazing ‘wow’ moment when the case is solved and the villain is revealed before your eyes! Simply grab your Mystery Guide™, head to the start, and set off at a time that suits you. Don’t let the villain get away... Your time to start is now!

Oxford: Harry Potter Walking Tour

9. Oxford: Harry Potter Walking Tour

Immerse yourself in the Harry Potter universe as you visit the movie's filming locations in Oxford. Visit Christ Church, the Divinity School, and other fan favorites as you learn interesting facts about the movie and J.K. Rowling. Let your guide take you into this beloved fictional universe as you explore the sights of Oxford on this guided Harry Potter walking tour.

London: The Cotswolds and Broadway Tower with Cream Tea

10. London: The Cotswolds and Broadway Tower with Cream Tea

The Cotswolds is classified as an area of outstanding beauty, famed for its traditional villages, rolling hills, cream teas, sheep, and Victorian follies. It is one of the UK’s most popular tourist spots so join us on our small group tour to get a more ‘off the beaten track’ experience of this charming area. Beautiful in all seasons we will visit some of the highlights of the Cotswolds, all within a day’s driving distance from London. A rural idyll that was once the heart of the wool industry in the medieval times, exporting textiles throughout Europe. During the Victorian Era the newly built railways passed this area by, meaning that its medieval charm has been preserved. It was rediscovered by the pioneers of Arts & Crafts Movement and the Pre-Raphaelites in the late Victorian era, who made it fashionable and created lots of small artisan workshops making goods such as furniture, jewelry and ceramics. First we will go to Burford, known as the Gateway to the Cotswolds, an old Market town on the River Windrush that winds around a medieval church with a fascinating history. Then we will visit a variety of villages including Bibury with its Trout Farm and the old Weavers Cottages of Arlington Row. After a meander through nearby villages including Bourton on the Water, we will visit the iconic Broadway Tower for some great views across the countryside.

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What people are saying about Oxfordshire

A great tour — perfect for my almost 10yo HP fan, but covered so much more than just the film locations. Really touched on various ways that Oxford history and culture influenced both JK Rowling as well as other well known literary figures (CS Lewis, Tolkien, Lewis Carrol as well as some references to Shakespeare and Jane Austen). Enjoyable for both kids (late elementary and middle years) and adults with an interest in literature and English history.

Valentina and James were great, fun to be with, took the time to get to know each guest and asked often how we were doing. 3-4 hours in Harry Potter Warner Bros studios with children was good, not too many people together in one group (we went in winter, maybe there are more people later in the year). I thought the trip would be heavy, with Oxford in the afternoon, but that was not the case at all! Very nice trip, all in all.

The enthusiasm of tour guide Valentina was contagious. Her fun stories/anecdotes about Oxford, London and the Harry Potter locations told more than just the history. Driver James drove us safely through hectic London traffic. Thanks for the nice day. Glad it was a small group excursion.

Great value for money and you get to see inside the colleges at no extra charge

Very good experience, very complete and well explained everything by the guide.