Hoburne Park Cottages - Fun Days Out

Paultons Park is a family theme park on the edge of the New Forest National Park in Hampshire, set in 140 acres of parkland. It has rollercoasters, thrill rides, family rides, indoor and outdoor play areas and water splash parks, along with a collection of birds and animals.

Peppa Pig World is the headline area, with Peppa-themed rides and a large indoor playzone. The park also has themed areas including Critter Creek, Lost Kingdom, Tornado Springs and Valgard, a Viking-themed land. The park describes itself as a family venue, and most of its rides are designed for children and families. It will suit families with young children, and anyone who likes a day of rides alongside the animals and gardens.

Tip: Tickets are for a set date and some days sell out, so book your visit date in advance.

Highcliffe Castle is a Grade I listed building on the cliffs at Highcliffe, Dorset. It was built between 1831 and 1835 in the Romantic and Picturesque, Gothic Revival style, and incorporates carved medieval stonework salvaged from two Norman buildings in France, including the Benedictine Abbey of St Peter at Jumièges.

Inside, you can explore the castle and its changing exhibitions, which have included the story of how Highcliffe grew from a small hamlet into a seaside town. The oriel window on the south-east side looks over landscaped gardens towards the Needles and the Isle of Wight. The castle also hosts events, so it's worth checking what's on before you go. Its history, architecture and links to Lord Stuart de Rothesay and his daughter Louisa, a talented painter, make it a good fit for anyone curious about the past.

Tip: You can pre-book tickets online, though some walk-ins are usually taken subject to availability on the day.

The New Forest Wildlife Park sits on the edge of the New Forest near Ashurst and Lyndhurst. It specialises in animals that are or once were native to Britain, plus otters and owls from around the world. The otters are the stars, including the world's largest collection of giant otters, and you can also see wolves, a lynx and Bodie, Hampshire's only wolverine.

It's easy to get around, with daily keeper talks and a walk-through wallaby enclosure that lets you get close to the animals. There are adventure playgrounds for children, a tearoom and a gift shop. Reviewers describe it as small but full of things to do, so it suits families with young animal fans and anyone with an interest in conservation. Keeper experiences are available if you want to get closer to the animals.

Tip: Parking on site is free but first come, first served, so arrive early on busy days. Put the full address into your sat nav rather than just the postcode.

Monkey World is an ape and monkey rescue centre set in 65 acres near Wool in Dorset. It was founded in 1987 and takes in primates rescued from the illegal pet trade, laboratories and abuse, rehabilitating them into natural living groups.

You can see the largest group of chimpanzees outside Africa, split across four social groups, plus Bornean and Sumatran orangutans. The park also has Europe's only orangutan crèche, five species of gibbon and a wide range of monkeys and lemurs, including capuchins, marmosets, spider monkeys and slow lorises. The lemurs are fed at their window each day around midday. There's also a gift shop, and the centre's work is shown in the TV series Monkey Life.

Tip: Book online in advance, as tickets are cheaper than at the gate.

The Russell-Cotes sits on top of Bournemouth's East Cliff, next to the Royal Bath Hotel. This Grade II* listed building was originally called East Cliff Hall. Merton Russell-Cotes, then the hotel's owner, had it built in the Art Nouveau style as a birthday present for his wife Annie, and it later passed to the town as a museum.

Inside, the house and its annexe display items Sir Merton collected on his foreign travels, especially to Japan, alongside paintings from his personal art collection. One room is the Sir Henry Irving Museum. Irving was a friend of the family and had stayed in that room, which was devoted to his memory after he died. It's a good choice for anyone who likes history, art and a look inside a grand seaside home.

Marwell Zoo is a 140-acre zoo at Colden Common, near Winchester, run by the conservation charity Marwell Wildlife. It is home to hundreds of animals, including giraffes, leopards, meerkats and penguins, with red pandas, snow leopards and a walkthrough lemur exhibit among the other residents.

Alongside the animals there are seven adventure play areas, cafés and a gift shop, and animal feeds are on offer, subject to availability. The zoo sits in the grounds of Grade I listed Marwell Hall, which dates from around 1320. Families with children are the natural fit, though anyone who likes wildlife and a long walk outdoors will find plenty to fill the day. Café Graze serves hot food, sandwiches and sweet treats, and has vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options.

Tip: Book tickets online for the correct day before you arrive, and allow about 4 hours on a first visit.

The Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum is an independent museum in New Milton, on the edge of the New Forest. It grew from the collection of Sammy Miller MBE, an eleven-times British Trials Champion who spent decades restoring rare motorcycles from rusty wrecks to working order. The collection includes Vincent/H.R.D., BSA, Norton, Zundapp and Moto Guzzi machines, along with some three-wheeled vehicles.

Visitors can wander through the displays, which were reorganised when a large two-storey extension was added. It's an obvious stop for motorcycle fans, and anyone curious about the history of the machines and the man behind them will enjoy it too. You don't have to pay to visit the craft and gift shops, the tearooms or the animals, so it also works as a relaxed stop for a mixed group. The museum is a good choice for a wet day.

Tip: Phone the museum on 01425 620777 or check its Facebook page before a long journey or in bad weather, to confirm it's open.

The National Motor Museum sits at Beaulieu in the New Forest, and holds one of the finest collections of vehicles and motoring memorabilia in the world. It runs from the earliest motor carriages to classic family saloons, with motorsport cars, motorcycles and World Land Speed Record breakers along the way. A monorail even runs through the building.

Highlights include the British land speed record story, with Bluebird CN7, Golden Arrow and the Sunbeam 1000 hp. The On Screen Cars display has Del Boy's Reliant Regal, Mr. Bean's lime green Mini and Doctor Who's Bessie. 'We Had One of Those' is an interactive display of popular cars from the 1960s onwards, where you can open the doors, sit inside and press the buttons and dials. There's also a 1930s garage recreation, a Streets Ahead gallery and the In Focus gallery for changing exhibitions.