Oxford - Bath/Cotwolds - London trip

A few comments:

I'd be inclined to drop at least one of the Cotswold days and add it to London but note your comments about not wanting to do touristy things.

There are quite a few threads on this forum about the Cotswolds. It can be done without a car but most of the travel would be by bus, which are infrequent (and one poster added unreliable). The clocks will have changed by the time you arrive, so it will be getting dark by around 4.30pm and it can be cold and/or wet - so not much fun waiting at bus stops?

Re: London - I think hotels in Soho and Covent Garden would be noticeably more expensive than Paddington (and probably Notting - not Nottingham - Hill too). The advantage of the first two places is that you can walk to a number of attractions and walk home from the theatre if you go to a show. From the other two (and Paddington is better located for public transport), you'd probably want to get the tube (subway) or bus to and from the centre. The best location depends on which London attractions you most want to visit and whether you want to be close to theatres - the tube is a safe way home in the evening.

I’m not sure what you hope to get or are expecting from the Cotswolds - they do repay slow tourism with a car and maybe a pair of hiking boots.

But if you don’t want to drive (and I wouldn’t recommend it for the rest of your itinerary) your best bet is to get a taster of the Cotswolds via a day trip from Bath: Mad Max are often recommended here - https://www.madmaxtours.co.uk/

However I note you’re travelling in November which might make it a little tricky as tours probably won’t run every day. Daylight hours are starting to get short and weather can be unpredictable (I mean, it always is).

Thank you both for the replay. Will definitely look into dropping one of the Cotswolds days and see what the tour bus situation would be like. As for London, we are definitely weighing what is more important to us - paying more to be able to walk places or paying less and relying more on the tube and public transp.

If you like to try new foods and your girlfriend loves markets, when you are in London go to Borough Market (tube to Borough station or a short walk from London Bridge). Worth noting it’s closed on Mondays.

The Covered Market in the centre of Oxford is quite foodie too, but much smaller. My favourite pub in Oxford is the Turf Tavern- down a tiny alley from New College Lane- with good beer and food and it claims to be where Bill Clinton didn’t inhale (you may need to ask your parents to explain).

As for London, we are definitely weighing what is more important to us - paying more to be able to walk places or paying less and relying more on the tube and public transp.

I would suggest looking at Premier Inns. It is a chain of hotels and they are throughout the UK. I have stayed in them in various locations and have always been pleased. They are consistently clean, comfortable (great beds!), and very reasonably priced; especially for London. They have them all over London, so it's easy to find one in a convenient place. Breakfast is available but costs extra (although the price is good for what you get).

I recently stayed at the Premier Inn County Hall, which had the advantage of being within walking distance of the Westminster area, and many other places. But it was also convenient to places like Borough Market, which has such good food and interesting things. The Premier Inn Paddington Station is the newest PI, and is right next to the Paddington station, which can be helpful for local transport. And there are plenty of others. But do book as soon as you can, as the price goes up the closer you get.

ETA: I second the rec for the Turf Tavern in Oxford. I had a wonderful meal there, and it is very historic, but also kind of funky and cool with it's mismatched buildings sort of stuck together. :-) And also like Bill, I enjoyed getting food at the Gloucester Green market (open Wed through Sunday). Lots of good ethnic foods available.

One thing to know: If you make Oxford your first or your last destination, the easiest way to get there (or leave from there) to or from London, is via the Airline Bus, which goes directly to Heathrow airport. So if you are traveling to Oxford first after flying in, you would just get the bus and take it directly to Oxford. No need to head into London. Then finish your travels and end up in London. By the same token, you can also do that in reverse (like I did). I made Oxford my final destination, so after coming from the north to Oxford, I was then able to take the Airline Bus directly to Heathrow. It's a 90 minute trip and not too expensive.

Blessed to be able to enjoy a trip to London ( my favorite city on the planet ) nearly every year. Been going since Nixon was in office. Bath can be reached by train. Cotswolds are lovely but best seen by car. I live in LA where cars and traffic are part of a daily existence. Have driven in England, Ireland and N Ireland. IMHO opinion not as difficult as others have claimed. Then again if you don't wish to rent an automobile then don't. It's your trip, your vacation so why be stressed for any reason.

As referenced above look at the Premier Inn chain. Personally given your likes I'd spend more days in London. Excellent restaurants, cafes, food markets, pop ups. London is always changing, always the same. Definitely experience London Theatre.
Pubs are nice spots to enjoy food, use the loo and discover pub pets. Great cat at the Griffin Pub in the Brentford neighborhood.

As far as history it's all around you. Remember the Blitz in WW2 pretty much leveled London....nearly all except St Paul's Cathedral..

You want to learn about London then visit the Churchill War Rooms, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London,
Guildhall, Imperial War Museum and Bletchley Park. The later is where the codebreakers lived and worked.

If you like noise then stay in SoHo or Covent Garden. Lastly, London is expensive but you can cut costs using the 2 for 1 deal offered by the National Rail System. You"ll need to research.

Research Eater London and Timeout London websites.....also buy pre made sandwiches, chips and a drink meal at a Tescos, Sainsburys and Waitrose grocers.

I like using the Underground but others prefer buses. Just know London traffic is abysmal although the view from the front row seats in a double decker bus are enjoyable.

Great city, lots to explore and if you desire to see old and new London within feet of one another.....Take the tube to Blackfriars Station, exit and cross the road and have a pint and food at the Blackfriars pub. Or visit Leadenhall Market and the adjacent futuristic looking building who's name has changed over the years. You can't miss it.

Great city to explore and enjoy!

Just to clarify Mardee’s comment, Gloucester Green market and the Covered Market aren’t the same, although they are only a short walk apart. I’m not familiar with the Gloucester Green market (I remember it as the bus station) but there have been a number of posts on various threads singing its praises.

Further on BillS719 from Bucks' post about the Covered Market in Oxford - I love the atmosphere, and especially Moo Moos where you can get any possible combination of milkshake (big, thick, with a matching straw) with candy/choc mixins. Just look for pink in the southwest corner.

https://www.moo-moos.co.uk/

Great advice from Claudia. I'll just add on that a car is very beneficial in the Cotswolds (not so much anywhere else on your trip). Since you simply stated "We would rather not if we can help it," I am guessing you are at least open to it—unlike people that just make a blanket statement that they won't rent a car. The Cotswolds are fairly rural, and if you want to visit some of the smaller and more charming towns, a car will be a big help.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I think we will be adding a day to London. We still think we will try to do the Cotswolds too, will have to suck it up and rent a car. The quiet November beauty we think will be a nice break from the cities. We are just deciding which out of Oxford, Bath, Cotswolds to take a day from for London. If it is the Cotswolds, we would resort to trying for a day tour.

Much as I love Oxford, I think if you had two days there but stayed only one night you could see most of the main sights (I think you need more than just one day). There are several threads on the forum about things to see in Oxford. Many of the colleges are free to enter, you can google a website giving the cost (if any) of entering each of the colleges. Christ Church (of Harry Potter film fame) is quite expensive. Do book your tour of the Bodlean Library early as these do get booked up and you can only see the really interesting parts on an organised tour.

Do be aware that if you have a car, that parking in Oxford is a nightmare and the one-way system isn't much better.

If you do rent a car, maybe you could see the Costwolds and Blenheim palace in the same day. (Its about a 15 minute drive) Blenheim is a beautiful palace and gorgeous grounds. (Winston Churchill was actually born there.)

Do be aware that if you have a car, that parking in Oxford is a nightmare and the one-way system isn't much better.

Keep in mind that in Oxford there is also lodging a bit out in the suburbs. Years ago we stayed at Cotswold House, which is out on Banbury Road - they provide parking for those with cars - which we didn't have. There is a bus to Oxford proper passing by what seemed to be every 10 minutes, so we didn't feel at all isolated. We took a cab from the train station to reach the lodging initially.

We still think we will try to do the Cotswolds too, will have to suck it up and rent a car.

Not true at all. You don't have to rent a car. You said, "We would rather not if we can help it." and "we are trying not to rent a car if possible."
A day tour will give you a taste of the Cotswolds.

We are just deciding which out of Oxford, Bath, Cotswolds to take a day from for London. If it is the Cotswolds, we would resort to trying for a day tour.

I highly recommend a day tour with Go Cotswolds.
You can take the train from Oxford to Moreton-In-Marsh and be picked up there for the tour.
https://www.gocotswolds.co.uk/
If you stayed in Moreton-In-Marsh overnight, you could do their "Cotswolds In A Day" tour one day, then do their "Secret Cotswolds" tour the next day. This would give you a really good taste of the Cotswolds without renting a car.
There are several good hotels and B&B's in Moreton. If you want recommendations, please say so.
This is also a good place to take some walks and enjoy the countryside.

My girlfriend and I are going to England first week of November for the first time.

Since you said this, you may want to get the Rick Steves England guidebook, as there's a lot of good information there. If you don't care for the touristy things in London so much, then there may be no reason to add a day there. Non-touristy things to do include the museums or just walking around London. Check out the London Walks website; they give guided walks around London and daytrips out of London, too.
https://www.walks.com/

To see Blenheim Palace, you don't need a car. It's a short distance north of Oxford. If you're staying in Oxford, take a bus north to Blenheim and then back to Oxford.

You may find the posts on these two threads useful about getting from Oxford to Blenheim by bus:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/location-of-oxford-bus-station
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/oxford-and-blenheim-palace-in-48-hours

and this thread useful information about Moreton-In-Marsh and seeing the Cotswolds without a car:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/two-weeks-in-moreton-in-marsh-without-a-car

This is really the definitive link on seeing The Cotswolds by public transport, and seems to have up to date timetables. Even since July there have been further service enhancements- the 3rd round of improvements in the area this year.
Government money has been made available, and now that Pulhams (the biggest bus company in the area) are part of the far larger Oxford Bus Company there are more resources available as well.
https://explorethecotswolds.com/cotswolds-by-public-transport/#:~:text=Our%20bumper%20guide%20to%20public%20transport%20in%20the%20Cotswolds%20explains

I agree with much of what has been mentioned here: check out Premier Inns, stay in London for more days, take Airliner Bus to/from Heathrow to Oxford, take day tours of Cotswolds from either Bath or Moreton in Marsh. BTW, my last trip to England in 2022 I used both the Mad Max tour from Bath to see the southern end of the Cotswolds plus more and the Go Cotswolds day tour from Stratford & Moreton to see Chipping Campden, Stow-in-Wold, and more. I really saw alot that way without a car. Since you like to walk be sure to look up all that London Walks has to offer. I can particularly recommend the Greenwich one that includes a Thames boat ride.

We rented a car in Oxford, used it in the Cotswolds, and returned it in Bath. All with Enterprise and very easy. Roads in the Cotswolds are not scary.

We went to additional locations, but I think you would like our unique Oxford hotel and the food tour, etc. we did in London at the East End. We also thought our Premier Inn Hub hotel was a great choice for London. Excellent food in the Cotswolds region!

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/june-2023-england-wales-trip-report