National Tramway Museum

Trams clatter along genuine vintage track in the Derbyshire countryside, and you're actually riding in them - not just gawping from behind glass. The National Tramway Museum sits near Matlock and runs restored electric and steam trams from different eras across about a mile of track, with the whole experience feeling properly authentic rather than overly sanitised.

You board actual working trams that operated in cities decades ago, then trundle through woodland and moorland with the conductor chatting away. The depot itself has dozens more vehicles you can poke around - some beautifully restored, others still in bits. It's absorbing stuff if you've got any interest in engineering or local history, though honestly, the ride itself is the main draw rather than endless static displays.

Families with kids aged five upwards will find it engaging for two to three hours without it becoming a slog. Older children and railway enthusiasts can easily spend half a day here. The actual tram journey is short and sweet - perfect if you've got younger ones who fidget in museums.

The museum is free to wander the depot area, though you'll pay for tram rides. Early spring or autumn is best - summer weekends get rammed with visitors. From The Firs or Lickpenny campsite near Matlock, it's barely a 10-minute drive, making it ideal as a morning or afternoon stop during a park-based holiday. Combine it with a walk along the Derwent Valley or a visit to nearby Matlock town and you've got a solid day sorted.