The Yellow Submarine

Cheddar (a mile away) is primarily known for two things: its excellent cheese and its equally excellent gorge. Both are easy to explore by bike, by car or on foot – stop by at the Original Cheddar Cheese Co on your way to Cheddar Gorge and Caves (five minutes' drive). And for more of the area’s impressive geology, plan a visit to Wookey Hole (15 minutes) as well. The coastline is well worth visiting around here too – local beaches include Weston-super-Mare, Brean and Burnham-on-Sea (all within a half-hour drive). If you fancy some countryside wanders instead, it's handy to know that you're just on the edge of the Mendip Hills National Landscape; for city time, try tiny Wells (20 minutes) or buzzy Bristol (40 minutes). Other days out? How about meeting the exotic beasts at Chew Valley Animal Park (half an hour), swapping your sub for flying machines at The Helicopter Museum (25 minutes) or heading to Puxton Park (20 minutes) for zipwires, soft play and animal encounters?