Raywell Hall Country Lodges - Fun Days Out

The Deep is a public aquarium in Hull, overlooking the Humber Estuary where the River Hull meets it. Its Endless Ocean tank holds sharks, rays and northern Europe's only pair of green sawfish, and you can walk through Europe's deepest viewing tunnel or ride a glass lift through the water. Elsewhere you'll find the Lagoon of Light with colourful tropical fish, plus turtles, jellyfish, coral, fish that glow in the dark and penguins.

There are hands-on displays and an interactive area where you learn to control an underwater diving vessel, and a chronological journey through the story of the oceans. Daily talks cover sharks, penguins and artefact handling. It was voted the best family place to visit in Hull, so it suits families, and anyone curious about marine life. The Deep is a charity, so your visit supports its conservation work.

Tip: Check the daily talk times when you arrive and plan your visit around the shark and penguin talks. Use HU1 4DP or HU9 1TU for sat nav, which takes you to Tower Street.

Beverley Minster is the parish church of Saint John and Saint Martin in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire. It is one of the largest parish churches in the UK, bigger than a third of English cathedrals, and is regarded as a Gothic masterpiece. A holy place for around 1300 years, it grew up around the monastery founded by Saint John of Beverley, whose remains still lie in a vault beneath the nave.

Inside, visitors praise the Gothic architecture and the skilful medieval stone and wood carvings. The west front, with its two great towers, is a superb example of the Perpendicular style and inspired the west towers of Westminster Abbey. You can explore on your own, or join an 'Exploring Beverley Minster' tour or a Roof Tour. There is also a shop inside.

Tip: Tours, including the Roof Tour, can be booked through the Minster's website. On Sunday mornings access is limited to the west end until services finish.

The Ferens is one of the UK's finest art collections, housed in a Grade II listed building in Queen Victoria Square. The collection runs from late medieval painting through to sculpture and new media, with highlights from Lorenzetti, Frans Hals, Canaletto, Leighton, Stanley Spencer, Helen Chadwick and Gillian Wearing. Alongside the permanent displays there are changing exhibitions.

It suits art lovers, but families are catered for too, with museum trails, a children's gallery and activities for under 5s. There is a café and a gift shop selling postcards, prints and art books, plus a lift, baby change and wheelchair hire. The gallery is a short walk from the Maritime Museum and Hull City Hall, so it fits easily into a wider day in the city.

Tip: No need to book for a normal visit, but last admission is 30 minutes before closing and the café shuts an hour before the gallery.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a zoo and conservation centre on the outskirts of Doncaster, South Yorkshire. You explore on foot, with three walk-through animal reserves and themed lands that recreate habitats from around the world. Highlights include Project Polar with its polar bears, Land of the Tigers with a raised walkway, Lion Country, Lemur Woods and the African Plains, where giraffes and zebras share a large paddock.

There are ranger talks and live shows, a dinosaur-themed Pangea area and six indoor and outdoor play areas, so younger visitors have plenty to do. Next to the entrance, The Yorkshire Hive has shops and places to eat, plus Planet Putt, an indoor adventure golf course that is handy if the weather turns. Families and animal lovers will get the most from a visit.

Tip: Booking tickets in advance is cheaper than buying on the day, and Planet Putt next to the entrance is a good wet-weather add-on.

Murton Park is set in 14 acres of countryside east of York and is home to the Yorkshire Museum of Farming. Inside you can explore the history of farm machinery, rural life and the Women's Land Army. Outdoors there are animals to meet, play areas, and a short ride on the Derwent Valley Light Railway at weekends.

The living history sites bring the past to life, with a one-third scale Roman fort and a Viking village that are open to all visitors most weekends and school holidays. The Yorkshire Barn Café is on site for a break. Visitors praise the friendly staff, the play areas and the space for small children to run about, so it suits families best, and anyone who likes a bit of history.

Tip: The living history sites may have limited or no access during school term time, so visit at a weekend or in the school holidays to see the Roman fort and Viking village.

Lincoln Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral and a working place of worship, consecrated in the 11th century. The building is grade I listed and has Gothic architecture from several periods, including two large rose windows, the Dean's Eye and the Bishop's Eye. The Victorian writer John Ruskin rated it highly among British buildings.

Beyond the main building, the visitor centre has an Exhibition Gallery with the Romanesque Frieze and artefacts from the cathedral's history. The Discovery Centre lets families build an arch, sit on a throne and recreate a stained glass window. Themed tours cover historic graffiti, stained glass and hidden symbols in the carvings. Dean's Green is a landscaped garden with seating and a fountain, and there is a café and shop. It suits history fans, families with children and anyone interested in architecture.

Tip: The cathedral is a living church, so some areas can close for services or events. Check the visit page for current restrictions before you travel.

Pontefract Castle is a dramatic medieval fortress, now a ruin, with plenty of stories to tell. Built by Ilbert de Lacy in the late 11th century, it is thought to be where King Richard II died, and it saw a series of sieges during the English Civil War. Today it is also a much-loved community space, and entry is free.

You can wander the towering ruins, look into the deep dungeons and visit the medieval herb garden, which grows around 160 varieties of plants. There are free family activities and guided tours, plus a visitor centre, gift shop and the Keep Café, which has vegan, gluten-free and kids' options. It suits history fans and families with children, and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds.

Tip: Use the free car park behind the castle (sat nav WF8 2JF). It is a 122m walk to the site, cobbled and uneven in places, with a 1 in 13 gradient. Check the castle website for any roadworks affecting access before you go.

York Minster is an Anglican cathedral in the city of York and the seat of the Archbishop of York. Most of the building dates from between 1220 and 1472. It keeps most of its medieval stained glass, including the huge east window, the largest expanse of medieval glass in the world, and the Five Sisters window in the north transept.

A visit can include free guided tours led by volunteer guides, a stained glass tour, and the Undercroft Museum, which covers 2,000 years of history. You can also see the Crypt, and visitors aged 8 and over can climb the Central Tower. Families get interactive trails and Little Explorer Backpacks, and history lovers have plenty to explore.

Tip: Pre-book your tickets, and note that a Minster ticket is valid for 12 months. The Central Tower needs a combined ticket and a minimum age of 8.