East stand

The East Stand at Oxford United's Kassam Stadium is where you'll find yourself if you're after a proper football match in Oxfordshire. It's one of four stands encircling the ground on the edge of Oxford, and it's the sort of place that matters most on a Saturday afternoon when the U's are playing at home. You won't be here for the architecture - it's a functional modern stadium from 2001, all steel and angles rather than the crumbling Victorian charm of older grounds. But that's rather the point. The atmosphere is genuine, the crowds manageable, and you'll actually see the pitch without craning your neck.

This isn't a tourist attraction in the traditional sense. You come here if you care about football, or you're dragging someone along who does. Match days are lively enough - Oxford's got decent support and the occasional uptick when bigger sides roll through the Football League. The stand itself offers decent sightlines and won't leave you frozen solid in winter, though getting parked and finding your seat takes the usual rigmarole.

If you're staying at Durham Leys Farm or any of the caravan sites dotted around Oxford, catching a U's match is a reasonable afternoon out, especially if the weather's turning and indoor entertainment appeals. Check their fixture list first though - there's no point heading over on a Tuesday evening in August when they're not playing. Entry fees and opening match times vary by fixture, so ring ahead or check the club website. It's honest football, local and unpretentious.