Ballynafeigh Tennis & Squash Club

You won't find this one on most tourist maps, and that's rather the point. Ballynafeigh Tennis & Squash Club is a proper working sports venue on the southern edges of Belfast, the kind of place where locals have been hitting balls for decades and visitors rarely venture. If you're staying at The Pods at Streamvale or Dundonald Touring Caravan Park - both within four miles - and you're moderately handy with a racket, it's worth knowing about.

The club itself is straightforward: tennis courts and squash courts, nothing fancy, nothing designed for Instagram. You can turn up and play if you're a member or book a casual slot, though you'll want to ring ahead to check availability and costs, as details aren't easy to pin down online. Squash is a proper winter pursuit in Northern Ireland, and the courts here are well-maintained. Tennis works year-round, weather permitting.

Who should bother? Active types who want something genuine rather than a tourist experience. If you're a keen player stuck at a caravan park for a week, this beats driving into Belfast proper. Families with older kids who play either sport will find a genuine local club rather than a commercial centre. It's not a day out - more of a half-morning activity that fits around a broader Northern Ireland itinerary.

The location means you're close enough to Belfast for everything else, but far enough out that you get actual quiet. Check opening hours before you go.