Golden Sands Holiday Park

Right on the doorstep is the Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary, which has exotic and predatory birds, chinchillas and genets as well as the rescued seals (guests can also see a large colony of wild seals at nearby Donna Nook). Mablethorpe is a classic British seaside resort with a funfair, boating lake and miniature railway, as well as a regular farmers’ market (other good options for markets include Alford and Lincoln). For more seaside fun, try lively Skegness - just outside is Fantasy Island theme park, with rides and amusements for all weathers - or Cleethorpes, where you can pick up the steam railway for an atmospheric journey along the shoreline, and find other exciting rides for all ages, including some screaming white knuckle affairs, at the Pleasure Island Theme Park. For more natural thrills, make for the Lincolnshire Wolds (one of the country’s certified Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty), or the large nature reserve at Gibraltar Point, near Skegness - it’s home to a wide range of sea birds, and the massive over-wintering populations frequently offer a dramatic spectacle. Or you could simply enjoy the splendour of the Lincolnshire coastline and picturesque seaside villages such as Moggs Eye, Saltfleetby and Crook Bank. Finally, the historic city of Lincoln is well worth a visit for a gawp at the stunning cathedral that dominates the skyline (take a rooftop tour - free for kids under five - for a spellbinding view across the surrounding countryside). There’s also a Norman castle to explore, plus museums, galleries and shops.