Lancashire is an historic county in the North West of the UK, founded back in the twelve century and as such is the perfect holiday destination for any historian. It’s not just history though, with sweeping rugged landscapes, beautiful walks and several traditional seaside towns, it has all the ingredients of a wonderful holiday!

Blackpool

We could make a listing alone with just attractions in Blackpool, as there is so much to see and do! The beach and promenade offer a delightful traditional holiday experience, and the thrilling rides at the Pleasure Beach are enough to keep the kids excited, and the big kids too!

But Blackpool is so much more than a beach and a fair; the Sealife Centre is brilliant day out giving you a chance to get up close and personal with more than 1,000 marine creatures. If you fancy your creatures a bit more land based Blackpool Zoo has over 400 species from around the world including big cats, giraffes, gorillas and elephants.

And of course, if you visit Blackpool at the right time there’s always the illuminations, plus many other events that the town holds every year, and the essential trip up the tower too! www.attractionsblackpool.co.uk

Farmer Parr’s Animal World

Rural Lancashire may not be what you’re used to at home and if that’s the case why not incorporate a visit to a working farm during your holiday? Farmer Parr’s Animal World is much more than just a children’s farm, there’s plenty to do, plenty to see, and with a heritage museum on site too, you’re guaranteed a full day out for the whole family!

Rare and exotic animals feature at Farmer Parr’s alongside traditional farm animals, and the chance to get hands on with many of the creatures too. The children will love the play area and a train ride around the farm is essential. Grab some lunch in the on site café and then take a look around the wonderful Country Life Heritage Museum and Pottery Studio where you can learn all about rural life from now and the past.

The park is near Fleetwood so it’s easily accessible from many holiday parks on site. It’s open all year, every single day and they have a fixed schedule of events on their website. Much of the farm is under cover with barns aplenty but you might need your wellies on muddy days! www.farmerparrs.com

The Fusilier Museum

If you’re interested in military history, or have soldier mad kids, then the Fusilier Museum in Bury is a fascinating and engaging day out. Set in the very heart of Bury it’s easily accessible from much of the local area, and there’s plenty to see and do.

Interactive displays, learning about weaponry and finding out the history of 300 years of the Royal Fusiliers makes for an interesting day out, and there are plenty of educational features too. The museum has many collections and whether you’re interested in assault rifles or Napolean’s personal mail, your eye will be caught here.

A truly fascinating day out, and as the museum is located within Bury itself you can take in other features of the local town too. The museum changes its displays and holds special events, all details are listed on the full website. www.fusiliermuseum.com

Lancaster Castle

The history never ends in Lancashire, and deep in the heart of the county town you’ll find Lancaster Castle, a veritable mine of treasures and information from days of old. The hilltop location affords stunning views over the historic town with a 12 century Keep, a 14th century Witches’ Tower, the 15th century Gatehouse, and a female penitentiary, there’s plenty to see and do!

The Grade 1 listed building is a delight to visit, and is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and while it’s uses may have changed over the years, it is still used as a court and was used as a prison as late as March 2011. A day out at Lancaster Castle may entail an interactive tour, re-enactments, and some time learning about the history of the castle, of which there is plenty!

The castle accepts school bookings and private parties, so while it is open all year, it’s best to check details with the castle before you schedule it into your holiday plans. www.lancastercastle.com