South Yorkshire

Cannon Hall is a stunning Georgian country house museum nestled in seventy acres of historic parkland between Cawthorne and High Hoyland, just a few miles west of Barnsley. For nearly three hundred years, it served as the home of the Spencer and Spencer-Stanhope families, who built their fortune through the local iron trade. The house was expanded and refined in the 1760s by renowned Yorkshire architect John Carr, until the family eventually sold it to Barnsley Council in 1951, leading to its opening as a museum in 1957.

Inside, guests can explore elegant period rooms filled with fine furniture, art, ceramics, and glassware, as well as regimental collections. The surrounding grounds, featuring lakes, formal walled gardens and wide lawns, are free to enter and perfect for walks or picnics. Right next door is Cannon Hall Farm, a popular family attraction with plenty of animals, making the whole estate a great spot for a full day out in the countryside.

Located near Rotherham in South Yorkshire, Wentworth Woodhouse is a massive Georgian mansion famous for having the longest façade of any country house in England, with an east front spanning over six hundred feet. This Grade I listed estate features more than three hundred rooms and is actually two houses joined together: a Baroque west front from the 1720s and a huge Palladian east front built between 1731 and 1750. It was built for the Watson-Wentworth family, including the Marquess of Rockingham, who served as Prime Minister twice.

The estate declined after the war, with coal mining damaging the grounds and the house falling into decay, but a preservation trust has since stepped in to restore it. Today, visitors can wander through some of England's most impressive interiors, including the stunning Marble Saloon and ornate state rooms, before exploring the surrounding parkland and its scattered monuments—a true survivor brought back from the edge.

Located near Branton on the edges of Doncaster, Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a modern zoo dedicated to conservation that opened in 2009 on what used to be a farm attraction. It quickly became one of the area's top destinations, gaining a reputation for excellent animal care and rescuing animals in need—most notably a pride of lions saved from a dilapidated zoo in Romania.

The park features large walk-through reserves that bring visitors face-to-face with the animals. The standout Project Polar exhibit houses one of the biggest groups of polar bears outside the Arctic, with acres of grass and deep pools to explore. You'll also find Amur tigers, leopards, giraffes, lemurs, and painted dogs, as well as a great sea lion habitat. Between the conservation efforts, kids' play areas, and special events, it's a fantastic family day out regardless of the weather.