Parterre Garden

The formal gardens here are a real throwback - geometric beds, clipped hedges, the sort of place that demands you walk slowly and actually look at things. It's the kind of garden that makes sense once you realise someone has spent years keeping it this precise. Paths lead you through different sections, each with its own rhythm, and if you come when the borders are in full colour it's genuinely worth the time.

This appeals most to keen gardeners and anyone after a peaceful hour or two away from the chaos. It's not a scramble-around-and-burn-energy sort of place - it rewards the sort of visitor who enjoys spotting design details and understanding how a garden hangs together. Parents with fidgety young children might find it a bit slow, though older kids interested in horticulture would get something from it.

Situated just outside Antrim town, it works well as a break between other activities rather than a full-day destination. If you're staying at Six Mile Water Caravan Park or Blair's Castlewood Holiday Park - both within half a mile - you could easily slip in for an hour before heading elsewhere. It's free entry, which is always a bonus, and the whole experience rarely eats more than ninety minutes unless you're the type to sketch every border layout.