Heaney Brewery

The smell hits you first - warm grain and yeast hanging thick in the air as you walk through Heaney Brewery's doors just outside Antrim. It's a working operation, not some theme park version of brewing, and you can tell straight away by the genuine clatter of production and the staff who actually know what they're talking about.

You'll get a proper tour through the process, watching how they move from grain to glass. The tasting room is where things get interesting - they let you sample their range without any pretension, and the brews are genuinely well-made rather than trying to be clever for cleverness' sake. If you've got any interest in how craft beer actually comes together, you'll spend a solid two hours here minimum.

It's less about entertainment and more about learning, so this works best for adults or older teens who actually care about the product. Young children will find it dull inside of twenty minutes, to be honest.

The location works well for a longer park stay in the area. Both Lough Beg Glamping and Sunset Glamping sit within easy reach, and this gives you something proper to do on a day when you fancy leaving the caravan. Check their website before you go - opening hours and tour availability vary, and you'll want to know if you need to book ahead or can just turn up. It's worth ringing.