Lancaster, Lancashire
The Ashton Memorial - the huge green-domed folly you see from the M6 - crowns Lancaster's hilltop park, with a butterfly house, mini beasts and mini zoo below it and Morecambe Bay spread out beyond.
The park is free; the butterfly house charges a little and earns it. Fifty pence-sized legs will feel the hill - the memorial steps are the workout portion of the day.
Looking for more parks & outdoors near Lancaster?
Lancaster's council leisure centre doing triple duty: Energy soft play, XHeight climbing walls and a 33m pool with a waterslide and inflatable sessions. Cheaper than the private soft play chains, and everything is under one roof for a wet day.