Millenium Rose Garden

The Millennium Rose Garden sits practically on Minehead's doorstep, and it's one of those places you could easily walk past without realising what you've stumbled upon. Rows of roses - proper country garden stuff, not themed Disney nonsense - fill the beds in summer, with the scent actually worth the visit on its own. There's a decent amount of space to wander, and benches dotted about mean you can sit and watch the sea in the distance if the light's right.

It's genuinely free, which is rare enough to mention. You won't need more than 45 minutes here unless you're the type who photographs every bloom. Families with young kids might find it bit short on the kind of entertainment that keeps them occupied - there are no play areas or water features, just gardens. But if you're after somewhere quiet to decompress between park activities at Butlins or Minehead Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite, both just up the road, it does the job well.

The real draw is the low-key nature of it. No queues, no gift shop pushing expensive guidebooks. Come in June or July when the roses are at their peak, and it transforms into something actually worth the walk from town. Spring's pleasant enough, but autumn feels a bit sparse. Worth building into a morning before heading to the beach or one of the holiday parks nearby - it's the sort of place that rounds out a day rather than anchoring it.