Hawker Hurricane

You won't find this one advertised in glossy travel brochures, but that's half the charm. The Hawker Hurricane is a proper piece of aviation history - a meticulously restored Second World War fighter aircraft that's been preserved as a gallery of sorts in Buckinghamshire, just outside Windsor. Walking around it, you're looking at one of the machines that genuinely changed the course of history. The detail is remarkable: the weathered fuselage, the cockpit setup, the sheer engineering that went into making something so deadly also so elegant.

This appeals most to aviation enthusiasts, military history buffs, and anyone with a genuine interest in wartime Britain. If your kids are into planes and engineering, they'll be absorbed for a solid hour or more. Anyone expecting interactive exhibits or a visitor centre experience will be disappointed - it's straightforward and sincere.

It's worth combining with the nearby caravan parks around Windsor if you're basing yourself in the area for a week. Queens Acre and Amerden are within a few miles, so you could easily slot this into a broader Berkshire itinerary. The attention to detail rewards a proper visit rather than a quick drive-by, and the location keeps it refreshingly low-key. Best to phone ahead regarding opening times and admission fees, as information's thin on the ground.