2-Bedroom Hot Tub Lodge in South Molton - Fun Days Out

Exmoor Zoo is a conservation centre near Bratton Fleming in Exmoor, North Devon. It grew from Exmoor Bird Gardens, which opened on a former farm site in 1982, and today it specialises in smaller animals, with a good number of rare species on show.

You can see red pandas, meerkats, bush dogs and Abyssinian ground hornbills, along with small carnivores such as servals, caracals and fishing cats. Cheetahs, maned wolves and wolverines are among the other residents, and the zoo is also home to birds like flamingos and a shoebill. It is a member of BIAZA and EAZA and takes part in breeding programmes. Families and animal lovers can also book keeper-style experiences, and the zoo runs education activities for curious children.

Tip: Tickets can be bought securely online through the zoo's website, where you can also check price options and offers.

Diggerland is a theme park where children and adults can ride, drive and operate real diggers, dumpers and other full-size construction machinery. The Devon park is in Cullompton, and the whole line-up runs to around 20 rides and drives. You can get to grips with real JCBs and Komatsu excavators, spin on Spindizzy, rise up on the Skyshuttle for the views, or take an off-road trip on the Groundshuttle. There are also dodgems and go-karts.

The parks are aimed at children aged 4 to 14, though visitors of all ages enjoy it, and rides have height restrictions. There are indoor and outdoor play areas, a cafeteria and a Goodie Store for souvenirs. Visitors describe the site as compact, with little walking between rides, which suits grandparents and younger children. One reviewer spent about five hours there in mixed weather.

Tip: Check the ride height chart on the Diggerland website before you go, so you know which rides each child can enjoy.

The BIG Sheep is a farm park and theme park in Abbotsham, North Devon, built from the old buildings of a family farm. It is best known for its live shows, including the World-Famous Sheep Race, the Duck Trials and the Sheep Show. In the Animal Barn you can meet and feed animals such as pigs, goats and alpacas, and say hello to the Highland cows, Maggie and Merida.

There are rides too, including the Rampage roller coaster, the Twister, a train around the lake, swan pedalos and tractor rides. When the weather turns, head for EWEtopia, one of the South West's largest indoor playgrounds, with slides, ball pits, rope bridges and soft play. There is a toddler zone and a baby sensory room, and a restaurant and coffee seating for grown-ups who want a sit-down. It suits families with children of all ages.

Tip: Pre-book tickets online, as the park gets very busy in school holidays and term time, and booking ahead is cheaper than paying at the door.

The Milky Way is a family-run adventure park on a former dairy farm near Bideford. It has more than 110,000 sq ft of indoor attractions as well as acres of outdoor space, so a day here works whatever the weather. Rides include roller coasters, indoor dodgems, a mini-train and Ziggy's Blast Quest, an interactive laser shooting ride.

There are live shows, including birds of prey displays, plus archery, bouncing pillows, big soft-play areas and a display of sci-fi memorabilia. Little Stars is a dedicated play area for under-sixes, with a sensory room for babies. Toddlers through to teenagers and grandparents are all catered for, and most rides and shows are covered by the entry ticket.

Tip: Book tickets online in advance, especially in school holidays, and check the calendar for opening days and times.

Tropiquaria is a small zoo and animal sanctuary based in and around a repurposed 1933 BBC Radio Transmitting Station at Washford Cross in Somerset. The listed building houses the Reptile House, Aquarium and Nocturnal House, with several acres of outdoor enclosures around it. Outside you can spot animals such as gibbons, ring-tailed lemurs, meerkats, tapir, wallabies and serval.

There are talks and encounters, a restaurant, and both indoor and outdoor play areas, so it works well for a relaxed family day out. The mix of wildlife, conservation and history should also appeal to anyone curious about the building's past. The zoo is a member of BIAZA and has bred a number of endangered species.

Tip: Don't leave dogs in your vehicle, as the car park has limited shade; only registered Assistance Dogs are allowed in the zoo.

Arlington Court is a neoclassical country house, built in the 1820s and set in a picturesque garden. Inside, you can see the Chichester family's antique furniture and an eclectic collection of family memorabilia. The National Trust Carriage Museum on site holds an impressive collection of horse-drawn vehicles.

Outside, there is the garden and a wider estate to explore, with guided walks run at times. Families can let children loose on the adventure playground, which has sit-on diggers, balance beams and a mud kitchen. The Old Kitchen Tea-room serves drinks, light meals and cakes, and there is a shop and a second-hand bookshop. It suits history fans, walkers and families, with plenty to do outdoors if the weather is kind.

Tip: Dogs on leads can go in the garden, wider estate and Carriage Museum, but not the main house or tea-room. Follow the brown signs, not sat nav, as unmarked lanes are dead ends.

Exeter Cathedral has stood at the heart of Devon for nearly a thousand years. Its Norman towers and Decorated Gothic interior are topped by the longest uninterrupted medieval stone vaulted ceiling in the world. Inside you can see the 15th-century Astronomical Clock and an early set of misericords, and guided floor tours and audio guides help bring the building to life.

The Treasures Exhibition is the other big draw. It shows the Exeter Book, the oldest surviving book of English literature, along with the 1050 Foundation Charter and the Exon Domesday. Families can follow the Cathedral Cat Trail, and the Chapter House Café opens onto the Cloister Garden, with a shop next door. It is also a working place of worship, with regular services and concerts.

Tip: Head for the Treasures Exhibition tour or a guided floor tour, both included in standard admission, though floor tours are subject to availability.

Coldharbour Mill in Uffculme is one of the oldest woollen mills in the UK, and has been in continuous production since 1797. Once owned by the Fox Brothers textile firm, it is now a working wool museum set across 12 acres of Victorian mill buildings, boilers, steam engines and grounds. Historic England has called it "probably one of the best-preserved textile mill complexes in the country".

You can see working and static exhibits, watch craftspeople making traditional textiles, knitting yarn and hand woven rugs, and see the 18th century water wheel in action, the biggest breast-shot waterwheel still working in the UK. The estate also has about 10 acres of wetland, wildlife and mill pond, and the exhibits cover the Fox family and their Quaker history. There is a shop and a café bar on site, and the mill is just off junction 27 of the M5.

Tip: Check the mill's website for current opening days and any event days or workshops before you go.