Norwood Aquarium

The Norwood Aquarium near Warlingham is a solid little spot if you're looking to kill an hour or two without venturing far from your caravan. It's nothing like the grand tanks you'd find at the big attractions - this is a proper neighbourhood-scale setup where you can get close to the fish without fighting crowds. The tanks are well-maintained and you'll see everything from tropical species to British freshwater types, which works well if you're trying to teach kids about what lives in their local rivers as well as abroad.

It's the kind of place that genuinely suits families with younger children more than anyone else. A teenager might lose interest after forty minutes, but five-to-tens will happily spend an afternoon here, especially if they're into spotting fish and tapping the glass (they shouldn't, but they will). Admission is modest - details are a bit thin on opening hours online, so ring ahead before you head over.

Stay at Milberry Green Meadows, which is barely two miles down the road, and you've got a cracking base for exploring this part of Surrey without being stuck in the noise and expense of central attractions. On a rainy afternoon, when your kids are climbing the caravan walls, the aquarium beats sitting indoors. It's not worth planning a whole day around, but as part of a wider park break in the area, it works well.