Herons Lake Retreat - 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.

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.

Features named in the sources include Chimpanzee World, a Lemur Walkthrough, Red Pandas and Otters on the Prytherch Himalayan Terraces, Gibbon Heights, Condor Haven and a Children's Farm. There is also a Jungle Adventureland and a wallaby enclosure. The zoo has also bred the first Bactrian camel born in Wales. With a farm and walkthrough areas alongside the bigger enclosures, it suits families and anyone who likes seeing animals up close.

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.

Conwy Castle was built by Edward I between 1283 and 1287 and is part of a World Heritage Site. Eight large towers and a high curtain wall still stand, and it has the best preserved set of medieval royal apartments in Wales. The ruins are split into an inner and an outer ward, with a Great Hall undercroft and chapels to explore.

The main draw is the walk around the battlements, reached by restored spiral staircases in the great towers. From the top you look out to the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) and down over the harbour and narrow streets of Conwy. The town is still ringed by 1.3km of medieval walls, so it is worth a look round after the castle. The path up from the visitor centre is steep with several steps, and the towers involve a climb, so it suits those happy with stairs.

Tip: Climb the spiral staircases and walk the full battlement circuit if you can. Cadw highly recommends it.

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.

Flint Castle (Castell y Fflint) was the first of the castles built during Edward I's campaign to conquer Wales, and it sits on the western shore of the River Dee estuary. Its ruins are looked after by Cadw, and access is free via a path. Most of the site, including the keep, is open to the public.

The keep is the star. It stands apart from the rest of the castle, with walls 7 metres thick at the base, and the layout is unique in the British Isles. Inside, a vaulted passage runs all the way around the ground floor. A spiral staircase in the north east tower leads up to a platform with views over the Dee Estuary.

The castle has a long history, including sieges by Welsh forces, a spell holding Richard II in 1399, and a three-month siege in the Civil War before it was slighted. It suits anyone who likes castle history.

Tip: Head for the spiral staircase in the north east tower to reach the viewing platform over the estuary.

The copper mines on the Great Orme were uncovered in 1987 during a landscaping scheme. They date from the Bronze Age, long before the Roman invasion, and are thought to be the largest prehistoric mine discovered in the world so far. Archaeologists, cavers and mining engineers are still uncovering more tunnels and surface landscape.

The tour is self-guided. You start in the visitor centre with a short introductory film, then head down two levels of the mine along a 200 metre underground route, using slopes and staircases. Back above ground, a surface walk takes in the smelting shelter and the opencast mine, and there is a gift shop. Hard hats are provided, which helps with the low ceilings. It suits curious children and adults, walkers exploring the Great Orme, and anyone interested in early British history.

Tip: It's cold underground (5-8°C), so bring warm clothing and sensible footwear; the floor is uneven and wet in places. Pushchairs and wheelchairs can't do the tour.

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.