Coopers Beach - Fun Days Out

Colchester Zoo has been open since 1963 and is home to many rare and endangered species, including big cats, primates, birds, invertebrates and fish. The animals are arranged in themed zones, so you move from one habitat to the next as you explore.

Highlights include Elephant Kingdom, where a herd of African bush elephants has a pool and waterfall, and Kingdom of the Wild, a savannah-style habitat with giraffes, white rhinos and zebras. You can also see Komodo dragons, Humboldt penguins, cheetahs and Malayan sun bears. Australian Rainbows has a walk-through aviary where you can feed nectar to free-flying lorikeets, and there are walk-through areas with iguanas and farm animals.

The zoo describes itself as a full day out and says you may need to visit twice to see everything.

Tip: Arrive close to opening, and book e-tickets online at least 24 hours ahead to get the cheaper rate. If you arrive after midday, visit Kingdom of the Wild and Elephant Kingdom first, as they close an hour early.

Colchester Castle is a Norman castle dating from the second half of the eleventh century. Its keep is mostly intact and is the largest of its kind anywhere in Europe. The Normans built it on the foundations of the Roman Temple of Claudius, the largest Roman temple in Britain, so Roman and medieval history sit together in one building.

Inside is Colchester Museum, which has an important collection of Roman exhibits. You can see the keep's thick walls, which include Roman brick and tile, and learn how the castle endured a three-month siege in 1216 and later served as a prison. The castle gives its name to Castle Park, where it stands. It is a Grade I listed building and a scheduled monument, and it will suit history fans and curious older children.

Layer Marney Tower is a Grade I listed early Tudor house in Essex, built in rich red brick with some of the finest Italianate terracotta in the country. Its gatehouse is the tallest Tudor example in Britain, and it was begun by Henry, 1st Lord Marney, who served Henry VIII as Lord Privy Seal.

You can explore the Gatehouse and the church, then wander the gardens and grounds. Inside the Gatehouse are the College of Arms' Exhibition of Crowns and Crests and Myra English's Dolls Houses. There are a few animals on the farm and a play area for children. The Tearoom in the Edwardian Stables serves simple lunches, cakes and scones, with much of the food produced locally. Guided tours are available, some aimed at families and others at serious history fans.

Hedingham Castle sits on a hill above the village of Castle Hedingham in Essex. Its Norman keep was built around 1140 by the de Vere family, later Earls of Oxford, and is widely described as the best preserved of its kind in England. The estate is still a family home, owned by their descendants, the Lindsays.

You explore the keep, which has five floors, including the Great Hall with its large fireplace, and the Royal Chamber at the top. Outside are landscaped gardens and medieval parkland with a red-brick bridge, plus secret spaces to wander through. The castle also hosts events such as jousting, living history, vintage car shows, theatre and outdoor cinema. The Keep Tearoom serves hot and cold drinks and light snacks, with seating indoors or takeaway.

Access to the keep involves steep stairs, so it is unsuitable for prams and wheelchairs, though the grounds have easy, accessible walks.

Tip: Check the events calendar and book tickets online in advance before you go.

Christchurch Mansion is a Tudor house in Christchurch Park, close to Ipswich town centre. Built on the site of a medieval priory, it has over 500 years of history. You can wander through period rooms, from the Tudor kitchen and the Georgian saloon to the Victorian wing, and imagine how owners and servants once lived.

The art is a big draw, with the largest collection of Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable paintings outside London. You will also find musical instruments, toys and glassware. There is a museum shop and a tea room that can be reached from the park. History fans, art lovers and families will all find plenty to enjoy, and the '50 Ways to Play' challenge sheet gives children ideas for the house and park.

Tip: Download the free Bloomberg Connects guide before you go, as the Mansion has no Wi-Fi, and note there is no parking at the museum.

Gainsborough's House is the birthplace of the English painter Thomas Gainsborough, in the Suffolk town of Sudbury. It is now a museum and gallery in a Grade I listed building, parts of which date back to around 1500. It is described as the National Centre for Gainsborough, with a large collection of his oil paintings, works on paper and artefacts on permanent display.

Alongside the permanent collection, the museum runs changing exhibitions. Its Cedric Morris Room is also open to visitors, and the House holds events such as drawing sessions and life drawing days. Exhibitions are updated regularly, so check the website to see what is showing before you go. It is a good fit for anyone interested in Gainsborough, art or the history of an old house.

Tip: Check the website's exhibitions and events pages before you go to see what is on during your visit.

Mangapps is a working railway and museum set on a farm near Burnham-on-Crouch. Trains run along a standard gauge line past restored stations and signal boxes brought in from various sites across East Anglia and beyond. The railway has 18 steam and diesel locomotives and over 80 carriages and wagons, some of considerable historic and technical interest.

The museum alongside holds one of the largest collections of smaller railway relics in Britain, covering every aspect of railway operation, with a particular focus on East Anglia. Its signalling collection is believed to be the largest on public display in the country. The Jolly family run the site with a team of volunteers.

Tip: It isn't open every day, so check the website for open days before you set off.

Ross Revenge is the former pirate radio ship of Radio Caroline, moored on the River Blackwater in Essex. Visitors are taken out by tender from Bradwell Marina at Bradwell-on-Sea, with a fully qualified skipper, then shown round the ship on a guided tour. The journey out takes roughly half an hour, and the tour itself lasts around an hour and a half, though timings can shift.

On live broadcast weekends, small groups are led by resident DJs, some of whom served at sea in the pirate days, and the tour includes the live studio. On other trips the studios aren't live, but you learn about the ship's history as a record-breaking fishing trawler and can see the crew cabins, which are closed during broadcasts. The ship is a former trawler with steep stairs, so it suits those who are reasonably able-bodied. The ship needs major repairs and its future is uncertain, so check before you plan around it.

Tip: Email to check availability and book ahead, and wear sensible grippy footwear, not sandals or flip-flops.