Tyn Y Celyn

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.

Plas Newydd in Llangollen was the home of Lady Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, two Irish ladies who eloped and set up house together in the late 18th century. It began as a five-roomed stone cottage and was enlarged with many Gothic features. It is now a museum.

Tip: Look closely at the outside of the house as well as the rooms, since the patchwork of reclaimed oak carvings is its most unusual feature.

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.

The Welsh Mountain Zoo is a zoological garden near Colwyn Bay in Conwy County Borough. It covers 37 acres and has been open since 1963, so it has built up a good range of animal areas over the years.

Tip: Check the zoo's website before you go, as the sources note that animal exhibits such as the sea lions have changed over time.

Liverpool Cathedral is the largest cathedral and religious building in Britain, and one of the longest in the world. Designed by Giles Gilbert Scott and built between 1904 and 1978, it is a Grade I listed building. Inside, the vast space is made for wandering, with large-scale art installations and family activities alongside daily worship services.

Tip: There is an on-site car park off Upper Duke Street, and you don't need to book, but check opening hours first as parts can close for events.

The Grosvenor Museum is a Grade II listed Victorian building in Chester, built in red brick with sandstone dressings and Dutch gables carved with peacocks. Inside, its galleries cover the area's archaeology and natural history, with items from the Roman period, paintings and musical instruments.