Island Retreat

Colchester Zoo has been open since 1963 and is home to many rare and endangered species, including big cats, primates, birds, invertebrates and fish. The animals are arranged in themed zones, so you move from one habitat to the next as you explore.

Tip: Arrive close to opening, and book e-tickets online at least 24 hours ahead to get the cheaper rate. If you arrive after midday, visit Kingdom of the Wild and Elephant Kingdom first, as they close an hour early.

Colchester Castle is a Norman castle dating from the second half of the eleventh century. Its keep is mostly intact and is the largest of its kind anywhere in Europe. The Normans built it on the foundations of the Roman Temple of Claudius, the largest Roman temple in Britain, so Roman and medieval history sit together in one building.

Layer Marney Tower is a Grade I listed early Tudor house in Essex, built in rich red brick with some of the finest Italianate terracotta in the country. Its gatehouse is the tallest Tudor example in Britain, and it was begun by Henry, 1st Lord Marney, who served Henry VIII as Lord Privy Seal.

Hedingham Castle sits on a hill above the village of Castle Hedingham in Essex. Its Norman keep was built around 1140 by the de Vere family, later Earls of Oxford, and is widely described as the best preserved of its kind in England. The estate is still a family home, owned by their descendants, the Lindsays.

Tip: Check the events calendar and book tickets online in advance before you go.

Christchurch Mansion is a Tudor house in Christchurch Park, close to Ipswich town centre. Built on the site of a medieval priory, it has over 500 years of history. You can wander through period rooms, from the Tudor kitchen and the Georgian saloon to the Victorian wing, and imagine how owners and servants once lived.

Tip: Download the free Bloomberg Connects guide before you go, as the Mansion has no Wi-Fi, and note there is no parking at the museum.

Gainsborough's House is the birthplace of the English painter Thomas Gainsborough, in the Suffolk town of Sudbury. It is now a museum and gallery in a Grade I listed building, parts of which date back to around 1500. It is described as the National Centre for Gainsborough, with a large collection of his oil paintings, works on paper and artefacts on permanent display.

Tip: Check the website's exhibitions and events pages before you go to see what is on during your visit.

Mangapps is a working railway and museum set on a farm near Burnham-on-Crouch. Trains run along a standard gauge line past restored stations and signal boxes brought in from various sites across East Anglia and beyond. The railway has 18 steam and diesel locomotives and over 80 carriages and wagons, some of considerable historic and technical interest.

Tip: It isn't open every day, so check the website for open days before you set off.

Ross Revenge is the former pirate radio ship of Radio Caroline, moored on the River Blackwater in Essex. Visitors are taken out by tender from Bradwell Marina at Bradwell-on-Sea, with a fully qualified skipper, then shown round the ship on a guided tour.

Tip: Email to check availability and book ahead, and wear sensible grippy footwear, not sandals or flip-flops.