Next weekend is the last bank holiday before Christmas, so it may be the last time you have a day off work to get out and about. But, what to do?

If you are thinking of heading for the coast… what about all the traffic jams you are likely to encounter as everyone else has the same idea, especially if the weather is good. Then there are all the cries from younger members of the family of ‘are we there yet’?

Why not be a culture vulture and soak up the atmosphere in any one of the finest stately homes and abbeys in our region? And they’re not all just dusty old rooms – most have cottoned on to the fact that children are not always entertained by portraits and furniture, so there are adventure gardens, animal attractions and all sorts to keep the little darlings happy.

From Castle Howard – forever remembered as the film location for TV’s Brideshead Revisited – to ruined Fountains Abbey, there is a range of places to visit.

Harewood House, home to the Queen’s cousin, the Earl of Harewood, should keep all members of the family entertained for a day. There’s the house, with its outstanding art collections and splendid state rooms, and wonderful grounds, which include formal gardens and gentle woodland walks.

You can marvel at the collections in the house, explore the bird garden, take a boat trip across the lake, while younger members of the family can enjoy the challenge and excitement of the adventure playground.

Next Sunday there is a treat in store when the classic novel Black Beauty is brought to life in a contemporary open-air theatre production and on Saturday and Sunday there are summer craft activities to keep little hands busy.

The sheltered walled garden on the bank of the River Rye near Helmsley, with its peacocks and old varieties of fruit trees and clematis complements Nunnington Hall, a mellow 17th century manor house which houses the Carlisle collection of miniature rooms which reflect different periods.

Over the Bank Holiday weekend, you can join in the family activities and games to celebrate the summer exhibition, featuring kids’ favourites Rupert Bear and Postman Pat.

Eight hundred years of history are waiting to be explored at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal which combines architectural and landscape features of outstanding historical importance. Visitors can lose themselves on the paths winding past ponds, cascades, follies and classical temples.

A world heritage site, it remains one of the most popular attractions in the North. During school half-terms and holidays, there are self-guided trails, quizzes and indoor games that get families discovering the estate.

Castle Howard offers not only a splendid 18th century palace, but exquisite grounds and gardens incorporating lawns, scenic lakes, rose gardens and woodland. Set in an elevated position, against the Howardian Hills in the North Riding of Yorkshire, the magnificent facade is visible for miles around. It is the largest house in Yorkshire and has been the home of the Howard family since the 17th century.

Explore the 1,000-acre park, with its lovely lakes and fountains; and don’t miss seeing Vanbrugh’s Temple of the Four Winds, or Hawksmoor’s circular Mausoleum, which is as big as one of Christopher Wren’s churches. Or simply take a relaxing walk in the rose garden.

If you are feeling energetic you can Get Active over the Bank Holiday and test out a variety of different pedal-powered machines from toddler bikes to tandems. You can even enter a competition to win a new bike, try out the climbing wall, learn archery, or for something completely different there are full-size zorbs and small children’s zorbs.

Brodsworth Hall, near Doncaster, a once-opulent Victorian Hall, offers a fascinating insight into the changing fortunes of a previously wealthy Victorian family, with many of the original fixtures and fittings still in place. The grounds, a collection of grand gardens in miniature, have been restored to their full Victorian splendour, and feature a colourful array of seasonal displays. Hear one of the best local bands, Dodworth Colliery MW Band, perform against this stunning backdrop on Monday, when you can take along your deck chairs and picnics for an afternoon of superb music.

Newby Hall, near Ripon, is one of England’s renowned Adam houses, an exceptional example of 18th century interior decoration, which has recently been restored. The hall’s 25 acres of award-winning gardens are full of rare and beautiful plants, including the National Collection of Cornus.

Newby Hall is a child-friendly historic house with an exciting adventure garden with paddling pool, sandpit and swings for toddlers and climbing frames, bridges and aerial slide for older children and a miniature railway – ideal for children and adults alike.

Factfile

  • Castle Howard is near York: visit castlehoward.co.uk or ring (01653) 648333
  • Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Estate is near Ripon: visit fountains abbey.org.uk or ring (01765) 608888
  • Harewood House is at Harewood, near Leeds: visit harewood.org or ring (0113) 218 1010
  • Newby Hall and Gardens is at Ripon: visit newbyhall.co.uk or ring (0845) 4504068
  • Nunnington Hall is at Nunnington, near York: visit nationaltrust.org.uk/nunnington-hall or ring (01439) 748283