4 Best Sights in Buxton, Manchester, Liverpool, and the Peak District

The Peak District's extraordinary geology can be seen up close in this large limestone cave far beneath the 100 acres of Buxton Country Park. Inhabited in prehistoric times, the cave contains, in addition to the standard stalactites and stalagmites, the source of the River Wye, which flows through Buxton. The Country Park paths take you up to Grin Low, home to the Victorian fortified hill marker Solomon's Tower, the remains of several Bronze Age burial chambers, and views of Mam Tor and Kinder Scout. There's also a fun Go Ape! treetop adventure course on-site. Admission to the cave includes a guided tour lasting nearly an hour.

Built in 1903, this lovely Edwardian edifice is one of England's best examples of Frank Matcham theater design, with its marble columns, carved cherubs, and gold leaf. A varied performance program includes classical music, opera, dance, drama, and comedy, and it's also host to the Buxton Festival.

This impressive 18th-century building was designed by John Carr as a stable with room for 110 horses. In 1859, the circular area for exercising horses was covered with a slate-color, 156-foot-wide dome—bigger than that of St. Paul's Cathedral in London—and incorporated into a hospital. The University of Derby has taken over the building, which you can visit for free when school is in session. The Devonshire Dome is also home to the luxurious Devonshire Spa.

These 23 acres are home to a miniature train, a boating lake, a play area, and the 1870s Pavilion building. With its ornate iron-and-glass roof, the latter was originally a concert hall and ballroom, but it's now the setting for an arts center, three cafés, an ice-cream parlor, a market hall, and a gift boutique.