Location: Banbury
Top Things to do in Banbury
What to do and see in Banbury, England: The Best Budget-friendly Things to do
Banbury /ˈbænbrɪ/ is a historic market town on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England. By road, the town is situated 74 miles (119 km) northwest of London, 42 miles (68 km) southeast of Birmingham, 27 miles (43 km) south of Coventry and 23 miles (37 km) north-by-northwest of the county town of Oxford. It had a population of 46,853 at the 2011 census.
Restaurants in Banbury
1. Scramm Live Escape Rooms
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 107 reviews
A real live escape room, solve clues, puzzles and problems to escape the themed room within one hour!!
Reviewed By peteraJ4602CO
We had a fantastic hour of fun and laughter in Scramm escape rooms yesterday! We had decided to do something different as a family, for a. Roth day treat and the four of us took on The Chocolate Room, managing to escape with just a couple of minutes to spare! :) The owners were great. They helped us relax and get into the spirit, making the whole experience more enjoyable, to the point that even the Oompa-loompa outfits, complete with pink wig were donned without hesitation by teenagers and parents alike! Having wrapped up our hour of fun and headed home, the owners went out their way to reunite us with some shopping we had inadvertently left behind. Thanks! I really am happy to highly recommend this venue.
2. Upton House & Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,197 reviews
Come and see how Lord & Lady Bearsted made Upton House and Gardens the perfect country retreat for their family in the 1930s. You can also discover Lord Bearsted's famous art collection including works by Bosch, Stubbs and Canaletto. We have a stunning collection of porcelain too; so if you are visiting us for the first time you may wish to expect your visit to the house to last a minimum of an hour. Viewings of the house available by timed ticket from 11:00am with last entry to the house at 15:30 before closing at 16:00; the gardens, shop and cafe close at 17:00. Please bear in mind that the car park is 300 yards from the house.
Reviewed By srablair - Lytham St Anne's, United Kingdom
This is a wonderful property with a lot to see so allow plenty of time. We spent around 4 hours here including a nice visit to the cafe. Access to the house is by timed appointment and there is a choice of 3 tours to do at timed appointments too, so I would advise getting these scheduled in As soon as you arrive. There is a large garden to visit with a few surprises along the way and a good kitchen garden which I found inspirational. The house dated back to 17th Century although it was extensively redesigned in 1921. The redesign is interesting in its own right and the main draw is the house contents including spectacular art collection including paintings tapestries and Chinaware. We were interested in the history of the house and it's owners over the years which provide a glimpse into the past. Quite fascinating. There is a temporary natural science exhibition of portraits of scientists and environmental contributors which is very interesting. Is a tribute to the work of people from a range of backgrounds from Darwin to David Attenburgh via Chris Packham and Vivien Westwood! Nice little exhibition which is worth 20 minutes look if you are here anyway. The cafe was doing a roaring trade and we enjoyed tea/coffee ,scone and jam and very nice shortbread. We we were pleased to see that the clotted cream for the cream tea was served in a reusable pot which is much more sensible than the standard foil sealed type pot. Very good visit.
3. Broughton Castle
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 348 reviews
A moated fortified manor house, about 2 miles west of Banbury. Built in 1300 and then later added to in 1550, the Castle had strong links with the Parliamentary side in the English Civil War (1642-51). Still a family home, Broughton Castle is lived in by the Fiennes family. Beautiful formal garden and park. Public open days will resume from the beginning of April 2017 (2pm - 5pm Wednesdays and Sundays). We are open for group tours at any time of the year by appointment. We have a recently refurbished tea room offering light lunches and delicious afternoon teas,
Reviewed By lindamV7611EC
A magnificent old building with beautiful gardens, Broughton Castle is a lovely place to visit. The house has a lived in feel, with different architectural styles and periods blended beautifully together. Tea and cake in the gardens after our tour ended our visit on exactly the right note.
4. Sulgrave Manor
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 172 reviews
Sulgrave Manor is a Tudor house with later additions, originally built by the ancestors of George Washington, the first President of the United States. The house and garden were purchased, restored and opened to the public in 1921 as a lasting memorial to peace between Britain and the United States.
Reviewed By colinc342 - Wallingford, United Kingdom
An excellent place to visit with plenty of detail about the previous owners including the ancestors of George Washington. It's a good size and can be visited in 2-3 hours or less if your pressed for time. There are interesting gardens with plants from the New World which the Pilgrim Fathers would have had to rely on
5. Fir Tree Falconry
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 46 reviews
Reviewed By 784belug - Banbury, United Kingdom
I gave my husband one of the falconery experience and my little boy and myself went to watch with him. Dian was absolutely amazing. They are all really welcoming and they have mor birds than I could ever imagine! The talk was absolutely brilliant, Dian is a real expert and the birds are so beautiful and respond to her as if they where part of her family! Definitely recommended and we will be coming back!
6. Deddington Farmers' Market
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 54 reviews
Deddington Farmers' Market is one of the most successful and well loved farmers' markets in the county. It has 40+ carefully selected food producers selling foods that have been grown or produced within 30 miles of the pretty ironstone village. The stallholders are happy to talk to you about the provenance of their foods and answer your questions. There is also a craft market in the church on market days. The market is held on the 4th Saturday of the month.
Reviewed By OxonLioness
Farmers' Market in Oxfordshire village of Deddington. Held on the fourth Saturday of every month. Very friendly and bustling market with 40+ stalls selling a wide range of locally sourced produce (where possible) including meats, fruit/veg, plants, cakes, breads, fish, etc. Also a lovely range of crafts, some of which are in the Church. A great market to visit with a lively sociable atmosphere. Plenty of excellent venues in the village to relax for coffee/lunch. Run for 14 years by local volunteers for the benefit of the whole community.
7. The Butchers Arms
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 18 reviews
The Butchers Arms in Balscote is a North Oxfordshire’s hidden gem it is a very unique pub and boasts being one of the areas last "Parlour" style pubs with a cosy "at home" atmosphere, and with our award winning garden, this is the place to relax and watch the world go by. Our doors are always open we are a family friendly pub and families with children are most welcome, not forgetting well behaved canine companions (on leads). The Butchers Arms is situated just 5 miles from Banbury off the A422 Banbury to Stratford road.
Reviewed By BeetlingAbout
We love to come here. In the summer the garden is a pretty and sunny place to relax and there is a playground just behind, by the village hall. Great that there is now delicious food available too, every night a different dish. We ate on a Saturday night, which is burger night, the burgers are big and juicy and accompanied by perfectly cooked chips. it was cold outside but the fire was going and we were so cosy enjoying a glass of wine and a game of cards. Dogs are welcome too and the atmosphere and landlady are friendly and welcoming. We'll be back!
8. St. Mary's Church
9. Rugrats and Half Pints Banbury
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 160 reviews
The Children's Activity Centre where babies first experiences happen! Rugrats and Half Pints is an award winning concept in indoor activities for children aged 0 to 12, which includes a wide range of sensory and soft play activities all under one roof. Committed to providing a safe, clean and stimulating environment with emphasis on fun.
Reviewed By wesmond77 - Birmingham, United Kingdom
A regular soft play for the kids. They love it and the food is great too. Good for a variety of kids ages with a dedicated area for under 3’s, a multi-level soft play and trampolines too!
10. Banbury Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 206 reviews
Welcome to Banbury Museum! We are a family friendly museum located in Banbury’s town centre, next to the idyllic canal side. The Civil War, plush manufacturing, the Victorian market town, costume from the 17th century to the present day, Tooley’s Boatyard and the Oxford Canal, are just some of the stories illustrated in the museum. There are also regularly changing exhibitions and activities to ensure that there is always something new to see and do
Reviewed By G9885BBclareb
Banbury Museum holds different exhibitions some with a small charge. The museum has lovely items to look at for free, we took our young kid's here often now they have grown up they still visit the exhibition.The Cafe is really nice and friendly staff, I go here quite regularly.
