Longleat

The first thing that hits you at Longleat is the sheer scale of the estate - 900 acres of parkland rolling away from one of England's finest stately homes. Built in the 1560s by Sir John Thynne, this Elizabethan masterpiece sits near Warminster and remains one of the most ambitious country houses ever built.

You can tour the house itself, which is genuinely impressive - intricate plasterwork, period furnishings, and the kind of architectural swagger that makes you understand why the Victorians got obsessed with their ancestors. But honestly, the main draw these days is the drive-through safari park. Yes, really. You stay in your car (or take their bus) and drive past zebras, rhinos, and lions roaming properly large enclosures. It sounds gimmicky but it works - kids absolutely love it, and seeing big cats actually move is something else.

Allow a full day if you're doing both house and safari. The house tour takes a couple of hours; the safari could be anything from 45 minutes to three hours depending on how many animals decide to cooperate.

Admission isn't cheap, but you get what you pay for. Better value in winter when fewer tourists clog the roads. Spring is glorious for the grounds.

If you're staying at Center Parcs Longleat Forest or The Treehouses nearby, this is an obvious visit but don't assume one destination covers it all - there's a lot here. The Longleat Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite is literally on the estate if you want to stay put entirely.