White Willow Premium, Delamere Forest - Fun Days Out

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.

There are five adventure playgrounds for children, and you can take the Islands Lazy River boat ride. Keepers and Zoo Rangers give daily talks about the animals they care for. The zoo is a short distance from Chester city centre and the M56, and it has been rated the UK's number one zoo by Tripadvisor.

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.

Beyond the main park, Blast Arena is an indoor NERF attraction for children aged 6 and over, with blasters, goggles and target vests provided. The site was once part of the RAF Burtonwood air base, and the RAF Burtonwood Heritage Centre on the park has RAF memorabilia and displays on its history. It suits families with younger children, who can build a day around the rides, play areas and themed zones.

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

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.

Afterwards you can park for free and explore the Foot Safari, home to Nubian giraffes, Andean bears, meerkats, capybaras and California sea lions. The Amur Tiger Trail has forest areas, streams and ponds. Animal talks and displays are included with a standard ticket. There are also fairground rides and amusements, a small railway, and a restaurant and gift shop. The park is a member of BIAZA and EAZA.

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

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.

For a day out, the Land Rover Experience lets you try models such as the Defender and Range Rover off road in the castle grounds. The 1851 Restaurant is award-winning and open to both residents and non-residents. The castle also runs a year-round programme of ticketed events. The Sandstone Trail footpath runs along the base of the slopes below the castle, and the ruins of Beeston Castle stand on a separate hill about a mile to the north.

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.

Anderton Boat Lift is a Victorian engineering landmark that lifts boats 50 feet between the River Weaver and the Trent and Mersey Canal. Known as the "Cathedral of the Canals", it is a scheduled monument and one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways. The lift itself is currently closed to the public while repairs are carried out, so you can't ride or tour it at the moment, but the visitor centre, exhibition and grounds remain open.

There's still plenty to do. The Edwin Clark trip boat runs river cruises from the foot of the lift along the Weaver towards Northwich, though trips are seasonal and the schedule changes through the year. The grounds have a children's play area, a maze made from the lift's original counterweights and a neighbouring nature park, good for picnics and spotting wildlife. Families, history fans and walkers will enjoy it.

Tip: Check the Canal & River Trust website for current boat trip times before you go. Online booking is available at present.

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. Deep in the ruins is one of the deepest castle wells in England, long rumoured to hide Richard II's lost treasure.

The site's story goes back much further than the castle. A reconstructed Bronze Age roundhouse shows how people lived here long before the medieval stronghold, and the Castle of the Rock exhibition in the visitor centre covers 4,000 years of history. Younger explorers can build their own fort on the World Builder trail. The kiosk sells hot and cold drinks, pasties, cream teas and ice creams, and there are outdoor picnic tables. It even stocks treats for dogs.

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.

Vale Royal Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey turned country house in Whitegate, near Northwich. It was founded in the 13th century by the future Edward I, who planned the largest Cistercian monastery in the country, though money troubles left it much smaller. The Grade II* listed house still contains parts of the medieval abbey, including its refectory and kitchen. It sits in 150 acres of Cheshire countryside at the end of a mile-long driveway.

Today you can have afternoon tea inside the abbey, looking out over the golf course, or play the 18-hole championship course, where visitors are welcome. Designed by Simon Gidman, the par 72 course runs through the grounds, and the clubhouse is the abbey itself.

Tip: The abbey also hosts weddings and private events, so check with the team before you go.

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.

For a different view, the Tower Experience takes you to the rooftop of the highest cathedral in the UK, with 360-degree views across Liverpool's skyline. There is also a bistro serving brunch, burgers and traditional scouse, with vegetarian and vegan options, plus a shop whose income helps keep entry free.

It suits families, history and architecture fans, and anyone wanting a free, indoor stop in the city. Most of the building is on a single level, and manual wheelchairs can be borrowed.

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.