Tadpole Mews at Frog Hall

Chester Zoo is a conservation charity and one of the UK's largest zoos, covering 130 acres with over 30,000 animals from more than 500 species. You can explore over 10 indoor habitats, including the UK's largest tropical biodome, and walk through the lemur area to get close to the troop. The Monsoon Forest habitat and award-winning gardens add plenty more to see.

Tip: Book online in advance to save on gate prices, and parking in the zoo car park is free.

Gulliver's World is a theme park in Warrington, loosely based on the world of Lilliput from Gulliver's Travels. It is split into themed areas including Western World, Safari Kingdom, Land of Oz, Smuggler's Wharf and Lost World. Rides such as The Antelope, Desperado Drop and Apache Falls sit alongside play areas, both indoors and outdoors, designed for children between 2 and 13.

Tip: The website says booking tickets early can save money, so check online before you go.

Peckforton Castle is a Grade I listed Victorian country house built in the style of a medieval castle, designed by Anthony Salvin. It has a gatehouse, a portcullis, a dry moat and large towers, and it stands in woodland in the Peckforton Hills. It now works as a hotel and events venue, and has appeared in films and television productions.

Tip: Check what is on before you go: the castle runs ticketed events and the Land Rover Experience, so contact them to book ahead. All vehicles use the on-site car park.

Beeston Castle is a former royal castle built in the 1220s on a rocky sandstone crag high above the Cheshire Plain. Winding woodland paths lead up the hill to the gatehouse and the summit, where you can look out across eight counties towards the Welsh Mountains.

Tip: There is no indoor seating at the kiosk, only outdoor picnic tables, so plan for the weather. You can use the kiosk without paying castle admission.

Knowsley Safari is a safari park in Prescot, Merseyside, set in the parkland of Knowsley Hall. The main event is the 5-mile Safari Drive, where you travel in your own vehicle past animals such as African lions, southern white rhinos, Bactrian camels, European bison and olive baboons. There is a bypass around the baboons if you would rather keep them away from your car.

Tip: Book online in advance, as tickets are cheaper that way and online booking is essential.

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct carries the Llangollen Canal across the River Dee in the Vale of Llangollen. Designed by Thomas Telford and William Jessop, it is a cast iron trough held 127 ft (39 m) above the river on eighteen hollow masonry piers, with 19 arched spans. It is 336 yards (307 m) long and about 12 feet wide.

Erddig is a late 17th-century country house near Wrexham, saved from dereliction in the 1970s. The Yorke family had an unusual relationship with their servants and commemorated them in portraits and poems, and the servants' quarters and estate workshops survive well. Outbuildings include the Joiners' Workshop, Smithy, Sawmill and Stables, and the house holds a fine collection of 17th-century furniture.

Tip: Postcodes aren't always recognised by sat navs, so follow the brown signs on the A525 or A483. Parking is free. Dogs are welcome in the garden and on the estate on a lead, but not in the Hall, Hayloft Restaurant, shop or Wolf's Den (assistance dogs are allowed everywhere). Check the National Trust dog page before you go, as rules can change.

Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker sits in the Cheshire countryside near Nantwich. It was built to let the government keep running after a major nuclear attack, and it stayed secret for more than 50 years. It has since opened to the public as a Cold War museum, with a labyrinth of rooms and authentic equipment to explore.

Tip: Check opening days before you go: it's closed Mondays and Tuesdays except during school Summer and Easter holidays and bank holidays. Download the free audio tour first.