Seven Stars Inn

Well, there are stacks of family-friendly days out around this part of Dorset. Nearby Monkey World (five minutes' drive), a 65-acre ape rescue park, is one of those fab places that's got a good amount of informative stuff among all the animal antics. The Tank Museum, meanwhile, is home to historic armoured vehicles from all over the world, some of which can be seen in action in live displays (10 minutes). If towers and turrets are your thing, take a trip to stately Lulworth Castle (10 minutes), and the hilltop ruins at Corfe Castle (15 minutes); stick around at the latter if you fancy jumping on one of the heritage steam trains that run between here and Swanage. Dorchester, Dorset's county town, is also nearby: head here to visit Maiden Castle, a fascinating Iron Age hill fort (25 minutes). If it’s sand and surf you seek, start off with Lulworth Cove (15 minutes) or spectacular Durdle Door (15 minutes), or head to Weymouth for classic seaside amusements, a sandy beach and the top-rated Sealife Centre aquarium (25 minutes).