Rothesay Leisure Centre

The leisure centre sits right on Rothesay's seafront - you can practically see the water from the main entrance. It's a proper modern facility with a swimming pool, gym, and sports halls, the kind of place you'd actually want to visit rather than just tolerate. The pool is the real draw, especially if you've got kids who need to burn off energy on a rainy Scottish day, which let's face it, happens fairly often round here.

For families staying at Beach House Pods just down the coast near Dunoon, this makes a solid half-day option. The gym's decent if you're not the type to abandon your routine on holiday, and the sports halls occasionally host badminton or squash if you want to play rather than watch. Swimming is the main event though - indoor pool, so weather doesn't matter.

You're looking at a couple of hours maximum unless you're really settling in for a long session. It's functional rather than fancy, which is fine. The real appeal is location - right on the water, so you could do a swim and then wander along the seafront afterwards for fish and chips. Not a destination in itself, but definitely worth factoring in if you're based nearby and need something active indoors. Call ahead to check current hours and entry fees, as they do vary.