The Tunnel

Warwick Castle stands on a sandstone bluff at a bend of the River Avon. The Normans built a motte-and-bailey castle here in 1068, and it was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. The 14th-century facade facing the town is one of the best-known examples of medieval military architecture in Britain.

Tip: Pre-book online to guarantee entry; advance tickets are cheaper and include a Rainy Day Promise.

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.

The British Motor Museum at Gaydon in Warwickshire tells the story of Britain's motor industry through its designers, factories, workers, cars, adverts and drivers. It holds the world's largest collection of historic British cars, spanning the veteran, vintage and classic eras.

Tip: Parking is free. For sat nav, enter "British Motor Museum" as a point of interest rather than the postcode.

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.

Broughton Castle is a Grade I listed medieval fortified manor house, about two miles from Banbury. It sits on an artificial island in pastureland, surrounded by a wide moat. It has been home to the Fiennes family, Barons Saye and Sele, since 1451. Inside, the main rooms are mostly Elizabethan, including a great hall, a long gallery and a 14th-century chapel.

Tip: Head across the small bridge to see the parish church of St Mary the Virgin and its historic cemetery.

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.

Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire is run by English Heritage, and much of it is in ruins. Its massive Norman keep dates from the 1120s, and in 1266 the castle endured one of the longest sieges in medieval English history. Later, Robert Dudley, a childhood friend of Elizabeth I, spent fortunes turning it into a showpiece mansion to impress the queen.

Tip: Climb up to the queen's apartments for views over the castle and surrounding countryside.