A weekend in Oxford

While Rick always says that he prefers Cambridge, you have good reason to visit Oxford. I found Blenheim Palace very impressive - both grand and homey - and would spend the money to visit again.

Does your friend have a car or want to go to the Cotswolds? A one-day car rental can be expensive to reserve online through the major agents, but in that area Rick suggests Value Self Drive, [email protected], who would arrange to meet you at Moreton-in-Marsh train station.

Your friend will probably have up-to-date local knowledge, but the University Museum (natural history) and Pitt Rivers Museum (anthropology) are not to be missed for their atmosphere and Victorian Gothic architecture. Your friend may think it touristy and be too cool to go, but the Turf Tavern is worth visiting as well (a very old pub hidden away in a back street near Hertford College).

I spent an entire summer in Oxford when my husband was doing some academic work there and there is PLENTY to do and see.
Visit several colleges...my favorites are Christ Church, Magdelen College, and Lincoln. Brasenose is really nice if you can get in but it isn't always open.
Have a meal at the Eagle and Child Pub, where Tolkien and Lewis met to discuss their manuscripts.
Tour the Bodleian Library.
Take in a concert in the Sheldonian Theater.
Go visit the covered market.
Visit the Ashmolean Museum.
Walk along the Thames past Christ Church College by the college boathouses and watch the rowers and the swans.
Definitely see Blenheim Palace - I used to ride the bus out there to walk around and sit and read a book on the grounds. It is one of the grandest country houses in England and worth the price to take the tour.
Have lunch on the patio of the cafe at St. Mary's Church with a view of the Radcliffe Camera.
The Natural History Museum in Oxford is a Victorian masterpiece!
There are so many more things to see in this town but these are a few of the highlights to help you plan.
I know that Rick talks a lot about Cambridge, and it is a lovely college town as well, but Oxford has much more to do and to see in my opinion.
Enterprise Rental Car in Oxford will deliver a car to you so that you can drive out to the Cotswolds - it isn't far and it is worth the drive.

You can easily fill a three-day weekend in and around Oxford. If your friend is up for a road trip to Blenheim and into the Cotswolds, so much the better. Cambridge is great too, and it's probably not a good use of time to visit both unless you're really into universities, but having a friend to show you around adds a lot of value to Oxford.

How long to spend there depends partly on how much time you want with friend, and partly on what else you want to do in your (presumably) time-limited trip. You have to weigh the tradeoffs re time.

Thank you all
I will spend the full weekend there, and will see Blenheim. I read another forum with people saying how much they loved it, so I guess I will. I don't think that my friend minds doing touristy things. She is from Oxford but lives in the states now, and is back to visit for the next month.
I think I've decided that I'm in a try to come back and take a separate trip to the Cotswolds since Oxford can take the full time. But I'm in London for the next four months so I figure maybe I can squeeze a trip in in a month or two.
As a Tolkien fan, I am excited to do the silly things, like eat where he did :)

Oh and Laura, thank you for the car info... Will keep that in mind.