The Robins Nest

Pontefract Castle is a dramatic medieval fortress, now a ruin, with plenty of stories to tell. Built by Ilbert de Lacy in the late 11th century, it is thought to be where King Richard II died, and it saw a series of sieges during the English Civil War. Today it is also a much-loved community space, and entry is free.

Tip: Use the free car park behind the castle (sat nav WF8 2JF). It is a 122m walk to the site, cobbled and uneven in places, with a 1 in 13 gradient. Check the castle website for any roadworks affecting access before you go.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a zoo and conservation centre on the outskirts of Doncaster, South Yorkshire. You explore on foot, with three walk-through animal reserves and themed lands that recreate habitats from around the world.

Tip: Booking tickets in advance is cheaper than buying on the day, and Planet Putt next to the entrance is a good wet-weather add-on.

Tropical World is a licensed zoo in Roundhay Park, Leeds, made up of climate-controlled glass houses that each recreate a tropical environment. You start in the butterfly house, where butterflies fly freely around a swampy setting with terrapins, koi and Morelet's crocodiles. From there you move into an Aztec-themed aquarium with stingrays, octopus, seahorses, piranhas and poison dart frogs.

Tip: Free parking is close by, a short walk away, and buses 2 and 12 stop right outside. Dogs, including assistance dogs, are not allowed inside.

The Royal Armouries Museum is the home of the National Collection of Arms and Armour, in a purpose-built building at Leeds Dock on the south bank of the River Aire, close to the city centre. Its galleries look at war through the centuries, arms and armour from Africa and Asia, jousting and self defence.

Tip: The main entrance is on Armouries Square; road access is via Armouries Drive and Chadwick Street.

The Hepworth Wakefield is an art museum on the south side of the River Calder, named after sculptor Barbara Hepworth, who was born and educated in the city. David Chipperfield designed the building, made up of ten trapezoidal blocks clad in concrete cast on site, with upper galleries lit by natural light from the pitched roofs. Its brutalist look isn't to everyone's taste locally.

Tip: Exhibitions change, so check the gallery's website before you go to see what's on.

Temple Newsam is a Grade I listed Tudor-Jacobean mansion on the east side of Leeds, with grounds landscaped by Capability Brown. Inside, over 40 preserved rooms hold one of the UK's most important collections of decorative arts, plus Leeds' Old Masters paintings.

Tip: Book tickets online, and ask about the joint house and farm ticket if you're visiting both. Use the West Entrance for the house car parks.

Cannon Hall is a country house a few miles west of Barnsley, once home to the Spencer and Spencer-Stanhope families. Inside, the museum's collections span four centuries, from Georgian furniture and 17th-century Dutch paintings to modern art glass and British studio ceramics.

Tip: Parking is pay and display and you don't need to book a ticket, so you can simply turn up.

Cusworth Hall is an 18th-century Grade I listed country house near Doncaster, built in the Palladian style by George Platt and altered by James Paine. It is a country house museum, with displays on the history of South Yorkshire inside the hall.