Zoo Monorail

The monorail at Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a proper novelty - a suspended railway that loops above the grounds, giving you a bird's-eye view of the animals without the legwork. You'll spot giraffes, rhinos, and zebras from up there, which beats trudging round on foot, especially if you've got small legs in tow.

It's not a lengthy ride, maybe 15-20 minutes depending on stops, but it does what it says on the tin. The views are decent enough, though don't expect anything that'll make your jaw drop. Kids seem to enjoy the novelty of it more than adults, to be honest. You get a proper sense of the park's scale from up high, and on a clear day you can see across quite a bit of the Yorkshire countryside.

Going early in the day is your best bet - the queues build up by mid-afternoon, and the animals are more active before the heat sets in. Pack a hat if it's sunny; there's not much shade up there. The monorail works year-round, though winter light fades fast so leave yourself decent time before dusk.

If you're staying at Black Bull Caravan Park or Westgate Carr Farm - both within a couple of miles - the wildlife park makes for a solid half-day out alongside a walk round the grounds. It's the sort of thing that gets the kids' energy out without requiring much planning on your part.