Greshams Ipswich

If you’re after an active break, you can be on the golf course within five minutes’ drive, and the scenic Fynn Valley Walk (10 minutes' drive) offers smashing rural Suffolk views. To up the pace a bit, head for Alton Water (25 minutes) and hire out paddleboards or sailing dinghies. Probably top of the to-do list if you’re got the kids on board will be the reptile encounters, petting zoo and soft-play areas at Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park (20 minutes), or you could also treat them to days out splashing about on the beach at Felixstowe (25 minutes) and Dovercourt (45 minutes). You can see incredible Anglo-Saxon treasures exhibited at National Trust-owned Sutton Hoo (20 minutes) and let the kids run off steam on the themed sculpture trail. And of course the beautiful countryside around Flatford (30 minutes) in the Dedham Vale, which inspired artist John Constable, is open for boat cruises on the Stour river and waterside strolls.