Forbidden Corner, near Leyburn
The Forbidden Corner is often called a magical place but one of the best tricks it pulls off is to appeal to children and adults alike. Built in the four-acre gardens of Tupgill Park in the Dales, it's a warren of labyrinths, follies, passageways and secret doors. There are underground chambers, tunnels that shrink down to tiny doorways that adults have to crawl through and statues that are waiting to spring a surprise on the unwary. Entrance numbers are strictly limited so you have to book in advance but it's highly recommended to anyone with an ounce of imagination in them.
• 01969 640 638, theforbiddencorner.co.uk. Admission is by pre-booked ticket only, adults £10.50, children (4-15) £4.50, family ticket £36, 5% discount for online booking
Harlow Carr Botanical Gardens, near Harrogate
Banish visions of your precious offspring destroying rare plants or being tutted at by people with trowels – Harlow Carr is as family friendly as they come. Many of the pathways laid out through the fantastic RHS gardens are wheelchair friendly and there are i-Spy quizzes for the under-sixes. Older children can roam around the 58-acre site, with its mixture of informal gardens and woodland. Special events are held throughout the year including open-air theatre, guided walks and quiz trails. To cap it all, there's even a Bettys Tea Room!
• 01423 724690, rhs.org.uk/Gardens/Harlow-Carr. Adults £7.50, children £3.75, under-4s free, family ticket £20.25. Opening from 9.30 am-6pm March to October and 9.30am-4pm November to February
Brimham Rocks, near Harrogate
It's a great feeling, standing tall on a giant rock and looking out at Nidderdale, near Harrogate, rolling out beneath you, especially if you've climbed up the hard way. The huge rock formations at Brimham, which carry names like the Dancing Bear, the Gorilla and the Eagle, form a natural labyrinth and obstacle course. It's a National Trust site and you pay to park but after that you're free to roam this natural playground. Plenty of serious climbers use Brimham Rocks to practise their skills but there's no shame in simply sitting to admire the view. There are plenty of spots for a picnic and there's also a cafe if you need tea-based rejuvenation after all that scrambling about.
• nationaltrust.org.uk/brimham-rocks Generally the rocks are open from dawn to dusk, parking £4 for up to three hours, £5 after, motorcycles free
Aysgarth Falls, Wensleydale
The series of waterfalls on the River Ure in Wensleydale are spectacular, particularly after the dale has been drenched in rain. Park at the visitor centre and walk through the woods to reach the Upper Fall. This is the biggest and most impressive and was used as a location for the movie Robin Hood Prince of Thieves in the 90s. But the Middle and Lower Falls, where the river drops down over giant slabs of rock, are also breathtaking – you'll appreciate why Aysgarth has been voted one of the natural wonders of northern England. You can dip your feet in the water and explore the woods that line the riverbanks. There's also a museum, gift shop and cafe in the mill buildings by the Upper Fall.
• yorkshire-dales.com/aysgarth-falls
Ride on the Embsay Railway, near Skipton
Little railways don't come much better than the Embsay, which runs from the original 1888 station to Bolton Abbey. The line runs through some of the most stunning countryside in the dales – real God's-own-country stuff. At Bolton Abbey you can walk the 1½ miles down to the Abbey itself, set beside the River Wharfe. Back up at Embsay you can admire the lovingly restored engines and carriages. On Sundays from late July to the beginning of September the railway fires up its Stately Trains Collection which includes one carriage rumoured to have used by Princess Alice, daughter of Queen Victoria.
• 01756 710614, embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk. Adult return, £8, child return £4, family return £22
Underground walk at White Scar Cave, Ingleton
Fancy a bracing, one-mile, 80-minute stroll through part of the national park? There's just one catch: it's underground. Guided tours of the mighty White Scar Cave take you into a world of stunning rock formations and vast subterranean caverns. At four miles long it's the longest cave in the park that's accessible to the general public. There are naturally formed stone statues and even underground waterfalls. It's not a trip that can be undertaken with a wheelchair or baby buggy and you'll need suitable footwear as the floor is covered in metal sheeting. It's also worth taking a jumper with you as the temperature underground is just 8C year round.
• 01524 241244, whitescarcave.co.uk. From February-October the cave is open every day from 10am (last tour 4pm). Adults £8.50, children £5.50, family ticket £23.50
Fountains Abbey, Ripon
Fountains is one of the most atmospheric sites in the dales. There's a deer park, a lake and canals and acres of space simply to sit and enjoy the setting. It's easy to imagine the ghost of a monk floating past you but if you want to find out more about the Abbey's original inhabitants you can go to the visitor centre at the Mill. Here, there's a quiz trail just for children and audio tours for adults (you can download these as MP3s for no charge). During the school holidays there are family trails laid out – you get a map and a set of clues to follow around the Abbey grounds. The aim is to keep the children engaged while the grown-ups enjoy the beauty of the estate, which is a world heritage site.
• 01765 608888, fountainsabbey.org.uk. Open 10am-4pm October-March and 10am-5pm April-September. National Trust and English Heritage members go free, adults £8.15, children £4.40, family ticket £20.90
Go for a paddle at Bolton Abbey, Skipton
This has long been a popular spot for families coming from West Yorkshire as it's much closer to them than the nearest beach on the east coast. There's a quarter mile stretch of the River Nidd that's great for swimming, paddling and even catching fish (well, small ones). The spot nearest the Priory ruins is suitable to younger children with a shallow beach area that's great for building sandcastles. Use the Bolton Abbey car park or take the steam railway down from Embsay (see above). Be careful not to swim past the large stepping stones as there are stronger currents further downstream. It's a great place to relax and cool off on a warm summer's day.
• 01756 718 000, boltonabbey.com. £6 per vehicle (includes all passengers, £4 after 4pm), £3 per motorcycle
Test yourself at Aerial Extreme, near Bedale
This is one for those with a head for heights: walking and climbing high in the forest canopy at an aerial adventure park. This was one of the first of its kind in the UK and tackles rope bridges, zip wires and all manner of other obstacles up to 13m above ground. You are attached to a safety line, so there's no need to worry. There are some height restrictions: children between 1.1m and 1.4 need to be accompanied by an adult. If you get dizzy climbing a step ladder, Aerial Extreme say the park has actually helped some people conquer their fear of heights!
• 0845 652 1736, aerialextreme.co.uk. Adults £25, children £20 (1.1m minimum height), see website for opening times
Hesketh Farm Park, at Bolton Abbey
What makes Hesketh special is that it is still a very busy working farm with more than 1,000 sheep and cattle. If you're there at the right time of year, you may even see a lamb being born inside one of the enormous sheds. You can go on a tractor and trailer tour with one of the farm staff, who will show you exactly what goes on at a dales farm. You're free to wander around the paddocks, which are home to a range of animals, or picnic by the pond. If the weather turns bad there's plenty to do indoors – brushing the pigs and feeding the calves.
• 01756 710444, heskethfarmpark.co.uk Summer season: Tuesday-SDunday from 31 March-2 September, weekends and half-term week only until 4 November. Adults £4.75, children £5.50, under-2s £2.25, under-1s free
• Jerry Ibbotson is founder of yorkparents.co.uk
Know any great days out in the area? Add your recommendation in the comments below
