Knights Lodges - Fun Days Out

Alton Towers is one of the UK's largest and most popular theme parks, set in over 500 acres of Staffordshire countryside. The rides range from big rollercoasters such as Wicker Man, Nemesis Reborn, The Smiler and Oblivion to gentler family rides, and there are over 40 rides and attractions in all. There's also a waterpark, mini golf and landscaped gardens.

It suits thrill-seekers and families alike. Younger children can head to CBeebies Land, while older ones can take on the headline coasters. History fans can wander the original gothic-style Towers, which date from the estate's days as a stately home. Most visitors spend a full day here, and it's busiest at weekends and school holidays.

Tip: Pre-book your ticket online before you go, as everyone needs one and sold-out dates can't be bought on the day.

Twycross Zoo is a 100-acre charity-run zoo near Norton Juxta Twycross in Leicestershire. It is known as a specialist primate centre and is the only zoo in the UK to keep all four types of great ape: gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees and bonobos. It also has one of the largest collections of gibbons in Europe.

Beyond the apes, you can see Amur leopards, Sumatran tigers, giraffes, black rhinos, meerkats, Humboldt penguins and Chilean flamingos. There is a Butterfly House and a walk-through lorikeet enclosure where you can feed the birds. Keepers and rangers run daily talks and feeds, from meerkats and giraffes to penguins, tortoises and big cats. Gruffalo Discovery Land is also on site, and the zoo runs seasonal events through the year.

Tip: Check the 'What's On' board at the entrance for the day's talk and feed times, and book tickets online ahead to save money.

Drayton Manor Resort is a family theme park and zoo in Drayton Bassett, Staffordshire, set in the grounds of the former Drayton Manor. It has over 50 rides and attractions split into themed areas, including Adventure Cove, Vikings, Frontier Falls and Thomas Land.

Thomas Land is the big draw for young children, with over 25 Thomas & Friends rides and attractions, and it is described as Europe's only one. Older kids and thrill seekers can head for the roller coasters, including Thor, a Disk'O Coaster, and Loki, the UK's first Zamperla Nebulaz. The 15-acre zoo is home to over 100 animals, including red pandas, Eurasian lynx, monkeys and gibbons. It suits families with toddlers and young children best, and there is a hotel on site if you want to extend the visit.

Tip: Book tickets in advance online to save money, and leave time for the zoo as well as the rides.

Gulliver's Kingdom is a theme park in Matlock Bath, aimed at children aged 3-13. It sits on a hillside on the edge of the Peak District National Park, so many of the rides come with views over the Derwent Valley. The Crows Nest Quest is there to climb, and the log flume runs high above the valley.

The park began in 1978 as a model village and grew from there. Its main rollercoaster is named after the Victorian Switchback ride that once stood nearby. There are rides built with younger thrill-seekers in mind, so it suits families with little ones who want a full day of rides rather than anything too extreme.

Tip: Leaving the car behind? Matlock Bath station is a 10-15 minute walk away, and a valid public transport ticket can bring a discount on entry.

Calke Abbey is a Grade I listed Baroque mansion near Ticknall, built between 1701 and 1704 and cared for by the National Trust. Despite the name, it was never an abbey, though an Augustinian priory once stood on the site. The Harpur family owned it for nearly 300 years, and many rooms are deliberately shown in the state of decline in which the Trust received the house in 1985.

Beyond the house there are gardens, a Kitchen Garden and Physic Garden, stableyards, a shop, a second-hand bookshop and a restaurant. The parkland is a National Nature Reserve, and guided tours of the gardens and parkland are available. Dogs can roam the parkland under close control, and are welcome in the gardens, stableyards, restaurant and shop on a short lead. Inside the house, corridors are narrow, so large backpacks go in free lockers by the west side.

Tip: Check the National Trust website for current parking and admission details before you go. Enter via the Ticknall main entrance only, and note the 3.6-metre height restriction on the archway.

Derby Museum and Art Gallery holds the world's largest collection of works by Joseph Wright of Derby, the 18th-century artist known for his dramatic use of light and shade. The gallery has over 300 sketches and 34 oil paintings by Wright, including The Alchymist in Search of the Philosopher's Stone and A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery.

Elsewhere you'll find a large display of Royal Crown Derby and other local porcelain, along with archaeology, natural history, geology and world cultures. The Royal Lancers Museum is housed inside, as part of The Soldiers Story gallery, which also covers the Sherwood Foresters and Derbyshire Yeomanry. The Coffee House, in the Ceramics Gallery, is a family-friendly spot for a drink or a meal.

Tip: Head for the Joseph Wright Gallery first, as it is the museum's best-known collection.

Kedleston Hall is a National Trust country house with a Palladian exterior and Neo-classical interiors, built in the 1760s for the Curzon family and designed largely by Robert Adam. Inside, the Marble Hall is the showpiece, with twenty pink alabaster columns and a skylit roof, followed by the domed circular Saloon. The hall also has a museum and a link to the family's colonial history, and there is a restaurant, shop and second-hand bookshop on site.

Outside, the parkland and pleasure grounds are good for a long wander, with walking routes, picnic tables near the visitor reception and a family-friendly orienteering course. The medieval church of All Saints, the only survivor of the village that was moved to make way for the house, is reached through the gardens. It suits history and architecture fans, families and anyone who likes a stroll after a stately-home visit. Dogs on leads are welcome outdoors.

Tip: For sat nav, use postcode DE22 5JD for the main entrance, and note the paths in the park can get muddy and slippery when wet.

Sudbury Hall is the Vernon family's 17th-century country house, now run by the National Trust as The Children's Country House. The Grade I listed hall is known for its Great Staircase, ceiling paintings by Louis Laguerre and carvings by Grinling Gibbons. Inside, you can pose for a portrait in the Long Gallery, dance in the Saloon and play games in the Drawing Room.

The Museum of Childhood, in the old servants' wing, looks at growing up through the centuries. It has hands-on activities, a Victorian classroom and a chimney climb. Outside, the garden has a historic parterre, a lake, a boathouse and Bluebell Wood, plus den-building in the woodland and a small play area. The stableyard has picnic benches and a café. It suits families, and it works whatever the weather.

Tip: Parking is free, about 300m from the main entrance. Follow the path to the Hall. Check the opening times before you set off.