Down Leisure Centre

Down Leisure Centre sits right in Downpatrick and is genuinely one of those places that works well if you're already in the area with kids who need a proper workout. It's a sports facility rather than a tourist attraction, so go in with the right expectations - this isn't somewhere you'd plan a day trip around, but it's worth knowing about if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks like Delamont or Buckshill.

The centre has a swimming pool that's decent enough, plus indoor courts and gym facilities. Children can burn off energy in the water while adults either join them or grab a coffee. It's the sort of place where you pay to enter and spend an hour or two without breaking the bank.

Walkers heading out to the Mourne Mountains won't find much reason to stop here - you'd be better spending that time on actual trails. But families staying at Edgewater or Coney Island who've had enough of the weather or fancy a change of pace will find it practical and unpretentious. The pool is clean, the staff are friendly, and nobody's pretending it's anything other than what it is: a leisure centre that serves the local community.

Timing-wise, check the session times before you go - peak hours get rammed with school groups, so a quiet weekday morning beats a weekend visit. It's not a destination in itself, but it slots nicely into a rainy afternoon during a park-based holiday.