Little Hill Farm

First up: the sea? Whether you’re zipwiring from the pier in Bournemouth (20 minutes’ drive), building sandcastles, strolling in the gardens or riding the land train, the town’s a good introduction to the south coast. Get even more acquainted with the coast in Milford on Sea (40 minutes), a New Forest sailing spot that's popular for its clifftop hikes, beaches and sailing trips. Don’t count out Poole (half an hour) either, which has an old town, museum and a harbour where you can board a boat to Brownsea Island to see its castle and walk along trails where you might spot red squirrels. If you don’t spot any wildlife there, not to worry, there are many more animals at Paultons Park Home of Peppa Pig World (half an hour) – yes, and the obvious Peppa Pig-themed rides too. Perhaps you want something that’ll get you moving some more… If so, New Forest Water Park (20 minutes) has an aqua park, wakeboarding, kayaking and paddleboarding activities. Also in the national park is the Blackwater Arboretum (half an hour), where there are splendid strolls past some of Britain’s oldest Douglas Fir trees.