Pack your bags for adventure – but leave your passport at home

You don’t have to spend a fortune or endure airport queues to have a genuinely world-class time, insists Sarah Baxter

It seems staying close to home is, well, here to stay. Visit Britain reported a four per cent increase in trips taken by Britons in England in 2017, and bookings suggest that 2018 will be another British boom year as travellers remain cautious with their cash and perhaps even nostalgic for the family holidays of the past.

Fortunately, that doesn’t mean denying yourself world-class experiences. You can admire rare artefacts, go on safari, watch a World Cup, tour award-winning vineyards and marvel at ancient Rome without leaving the UK thanks to an array of excellent home-grown attractions – many new for 2018.

SOAK UP CHINESE CULTURE LIVERPOOL

No need to head to China. Earlier this year more than 180 artefacts from the country arrived in Liverpool – appropriately enough, as the city is home to one of Europe’s oldest Chinese communities. The World Museum is showcasing an array of objects spanning almost 1,000 years of Chinese history, including a collection of terracotta warriors and a life-size terracotta horse from the burial complex of the first emperor, Qin

Shi Huang.

From £14.50 adult/£5.50 child, under-fives free. Until Oct 28 2018 (0151 478 4393; liverpoolmuseums. org.uk/wml)

SLEEP IN A LOG CABIN CUMBRIA

Forgo Canada for a luxe log cabin stay in one of England’s biggest protected places. Three new lodges at Artlegarth, near Kirkby Stephen, nestle into the hills of the recently expanded Yorkshire Dales National Park. Sustainably built and greenpowered, each cabin has a wood-burning fire, woollen rugs (courtesy of the local sheep), fresh flowers, private

CAIRNGORMS MS

Scotland’s Highland and Wildlife Park has s the world’s largest polar olar bear zoo enclosure ure and is home to the he UK’s only female polar bear. In January it was announced that

Victoria had given en birth to the first British-born cub for 25 years, and junior made a first public appearance arance last month. Join the daily keeper talk (1.15pm) pm) to learn about the park’s pioneering approach oach to bears in captivity. y.

From £15.90 adult/ £12 child, under-threes r-threes free (01540 651270; 270; highlandwildlifepark. fepark. org.uk)

MARVELL AT ANCIENTT ROME BATH

The Roman Baths s give a flavour of what the he Romans did for us when they

ISLE OF MAMAN

Travellers are perhaps nostalgic for family holidays of the past

EXMOOR

Travel to out outer space from Exmoor, Eur Europe’s first

DINING OUT Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons; a terracotta warrior, right