Hampton Court Palace is one of my favourite places to visit.  The palace itself is a fascinating mix of architectural styles and the grounds and fun costumed shows make it an all around fun time- the coffee stalls selling baked treats (delicious cupcakes!) don't hurt either!

I love attractions where I can get involved- touch, interact or puzzle something out.  Hampton Court Maze is a deceptively tricky set of paths that was planted in the late 1600s- it looked quite small from the outside, but it took us ages to get to the centre (and perhaps a little bit of arguing about who had the better sense of direction...).  It's definitely a family friendly day out, and combines a good bit of relaxation and outdoor scenery with a history lesson that's way more fun than any I had in school- it really brings it alive to literally walk in King Henry VIII's footsteps!

We never actually planned on visiting Winchester cathedral- we bought a voucher for a hotel stay and there was absolutely nothing to do near the hotel so we looked up nearby attractions and stumbled upon this gem. The drive to get there was one of the best parts- the winding country roads would turn and suddenly the hedgerows would open up and you would find yourself in an enclave of adorable thatch roof cottages draped with flowers and vines.

Winchester Cathedral itself was a fun way to spend the afternoon.  The tours are all given by volunteers and they were far more jovial and humorous than other tours I've been on.  The cathedral is the gravesite of Jane Austen- she was buried in 1817, where she peacefully rested until the 1930s when central heating was installed and she was moved 1-2 yards to the left to make room for the pipes.

Sound II is the statue in the crypt (which floods during rainy months).  The statue is hollow and is partially filled with water to keep it from breaking when the crypt fills.  

My favourite part of the cathedral is the large west window, which was shattered by Cromwell's forces during civil war in the 1640s.  The glass chards were recovered and kept, and after the restoration of the monarchy the windows were put back together- with a slight twist.  Perhaps they found the job of fully reconstructing the images too daunting, so they randomly reassembled the pieces of glass- the beautiful windows that look like a modern collage actually date to the 1660s!