The Sty

Alton Towers is one of the UK's largest and most popular theme parks, set in over 500 acres of Staffordshire countryside. The rides range from big rollercoasters such as Wicker Man, Nemesis Reborn, The Smiler and Oblivion to gentler family rides, and there are over 40 rides and attractions in all. There's also a waterpark, mini golf and landscaped gardens.

Tip: Pre-book your ticket online before you go, as everyone needs one and sold-out dates can't be bought on the day.

Drayton Manor Resort is a family theme park and zoo in Drayton Bassett, Staffordshire, set in the grounds of the former Drayton Manor. It has over 50 rides and attractions split into themed areas, including Adventure Cove, Vikings, Frontier Falls and Thomas Land.

Tip: Book tickets in advance online to save money, and leave time for the zoo as well as the rides.

Twycross Zoo is a 100-acre charity-run zoo near Norton Juxta Twycross in Leicestershire. It is known as a specialist primate centre and is the only zoo in the UK to keep all four types of great ape: gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees and bonobos. It also has one of the largest collections of gibbons in Europe.

Tip: Check the 'What's On' board at the entrance for the day's talk and feed times, and book tickets online ahead to save money.

Gulliver's Kingdom is a theme park in Matlock Bath, aimed at children aged 3-13. It sits on a hillside on the edge of the Peak District National Park, so many of the rides come with views over the Derwent Valley. The Crows Nest Quest is there to climb, and the log flume runs high above the valley.

Tip: Leaving the car behind? Matlock Bath station is a 10-15 minute walk away, and a valid public transport ticket can bring a discount on entry.

Sudbury Hall is the Vernon family's 17th-century country house, now run by the National Trust as The Children's Country House. The Grade I listed hall is known for its Great Staircase, ceiling paintings by Louis Laguerre and carvings by Grinling Gibbons. Inside, you can pose for a portrait in the Long Gallery, dance in the Saloon and play games in the Drawing Room.

Tip: Parking is free, about 300m from the main entrance. Follow the path to the Hall. Check the opening times before you set off.

Derby Museum and Art Gallery holds the world's largest collection of works by Joseph Wright of Derby, the 18th-century artist known for his dramatic use of light and shade. The gallery has over 300 sketches and 34 oil paintings by Wright, including The Alchymist in Search of the Philosopher's Stone and A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery.

Tip: Head for the Joseph Wright Gallery first, as it is the museum's best-known collection.

Kedleston Hall is a National Trust country house with a Palladian exterior and Neo-classical interiors, built in the 1760s for the Curzon family and designed largely by Robert Adam. Inside, the Marble Hall is the showpiece, with twenty pink alabaster columns and a skylit roof, followed by the domed circular Saloon.

Tip: For sat nav, use postcode DE22 5JD for the main entrance, and note the paths in the park can get muddy and slippery when wet.

Calke Abbey is a Grade I listed Baroque mansion near Ticknall, built between 1701 and 1704 and cared for by the National Trust. Despite the name, it was never an abbey, though an Augustinian priory once stood on the site. The Harpur family owned it for nearly 300 years, and many rooms are deliberately shown in the state of decline in which the Trust received the house in 1985.

Tip: Check the National Trust website for current parking and admission details before you go. Enter via the Ticknall main entrance only, and note the 3.6-metre height restriction on the archway.