2 Dewars Farm Cottages

Blenheim Palace is one of England's largest houses, found in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Designed in the rare English Baroque style, it was a reward to the 1st Duke of Marlborough for his victory at the Battle of Blenheim, which gave the palace its name.

Tip: Look out for Fair Rosamund's spring, which survives from the old royal deer park at Woodstock.

The Ashmolean is the University of Oxford's museum of art and archaeology, founded in 1683 and widely described as Britain's first public museum. Its collections range from Egyptian mummies to contemporary art, telling human stories across cultures and across time. Highlights include the Egypt and Nubia galleries and the Chinese Picture Gallery, the only museum gallery in Britain devoted to Chinese paintings.

Tip: Groups must book ahead, and booking is strongly recommended for the major ticketed exhibition.

Gulliver's Land is a children's theme park resort in Milton Keynes, designed with rides and shows for ages 2 to 13. It opened in 1999 and has themed areas including Lilliput Land, Adventure Land, Discovery Bay and Toy Land. Rides range from gentle first rides to family adventures, with Western World and the JCB Zone among the highlights.

Tip: Parking is free on site. If you're coming by car, put MK15 0DT into your satnav and follow the brown signs from M1 Junction 14.

Bletchley Park was the principal centre of Allied code-breaking in the Second World War. Its codebreakers penetrated the German Enigma and Lorenz ciphers, and the team behind Colossus, the world's first programmable digital electronic computer, worked here. Today the estate in Milton Keynes is a heritage attraction and museum, set around a Victorian country house.

Tip: Pick up a Top Secret Mission Pack or a free family multimedia guide if you're visiting with children.

Waddesdon Manor is a French-inspired château built for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in the late 1800s as a weekend home for entertaining and for his collection. It is now cared for by the Rothschild Foundation in partnership with National Trust. Inside, the opulent rooms hold portraits by Gainsborough, Reynolds and Romney, along with Sèvres porcelain.

Tip: Book tickets ahead and check the website for opening days, as the house and grounds have different hours.

Worcester College is one of the University of Oxford's colleges, founded in 1714 on a site where learning had gone on since the late 13th century. The main quad mixes an imposing 18th-century neo-classical building with a row of medieval "cottages", among the oldest residential buildings in Oxford.

Tip: Check the college's visiting hours on its website before you go, and look at the self-guided tour.

Christ Church is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, founded by King Henry VIII in 1546. It is the only academic institution in the world that is also a cathedral, and Christ Church Cathedral doubles as the college chapel.

Merton College is one of the University of Oxford's oldest colleges, founded in 1264 by Walter de Merton. Visitors can explore the four quads and the College Chapel on Merton Street, just off the High Street in central Oxford. An admission brochure includes a map to guide you round.

Tip: Oxford has limited parking and many one-way streets, so consider using one of the city's Park and Ride services.