3 Best Sights in Manchester, Liverpool, and the Peak District, England

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.

This is the area's most exciting cavern by far, with 105 slippery steps leading down to old lead-mine tunnels blasted out by 19th-century miners. Here you transfer to a small boat for the claustrophobic ¼-mile trip through an illuminated access tunnel to the cavern itself. At this point you're 600 feet underground, with views farther down to the so-called Bottomless Pit, a cavern entirely filled with water. An on-site shop sells items made of Blue John, a mineral found nowhere else in the world.

Caves riddle the entire town and the surrounding area, and in this massive example, rope making has been done on a great ropewalk for more than 400 years. You can still see the remains of the 17th-century rope-makers' village. Some trivia to keep kids amused: the cavern was traditionally called the "Devil's Arse" due to the flatulent noise that water makes when draining out of the caves. Events held here include pop-up cinemas, live music concerts, and Christmas carols.