2 Best Sights in The Lake District, England

A lakeside 19th-century mansion with 30 acres of terraced gardens sloping down to the water, Brockhole serves as a national park visitor center but also offers various exhilarating activities (some free, some for a fee). Among them are Treetop Trek—a rope bridge and zip-line route high up through oak trees—and the country's only "treetop nets," allowing everyone over the age of three to climb and bounce around safely among the twigs and leaves more than 25 feet up, supported by elastic ropes. There's also a 30-foot climbing wall. The gardens, designed in the Arts and Crafts style by Thomas Mawson, are at their best in spring, when daffodils punctuate the lawns and azaleas burst into bloom. Other options here are an adventure playground, pony rides, minigolf, kayak tours, and rowboats for rent. The bookstore carries hiking guides and maps, and you can picnic here or eat at the café-restaurant.

Named for the Celtic kingdom of Cumbria, Rheged is a modern, grass-covered multipurpose cultural center with a gallery that hosts rotating art and photography exhibits, as well as a massive, large-screen cinema that often live streams theatrical performances and concerts as well as new releases. Shops showcase Cumbrian food, drink, and crafts, and three different cafés offer drinks and light meals. Rheged is 2 miles southwest of Penrith and 1 mile west of Junction 40 on the M6.