Weymouth Pirate Adventure Mini Golf

The mini golf course here trades in proper pirate theatre - think skull-topped obstacles, treasure chest hazards, and enough nautical nonsense to keep under-12s entertained for a solid hour. It's the sort of thing that works brilliantly on a rainy Tuesday afternoon when the beach is too windswept to enjoy. You're putting your way through a themed course rather than playing championship golf, which is precisely the point. Kids love the gimmick of it; adults tolerate it because the alternatives are fish and chips or another lap round the town.

Little Melcombe Regis (Weymouth's historic heart) sits just along the coast, and this sits within easy reach of the seafront attractions. If you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks - Chesil Beach Lodge gets solid reviews, and the Littlesea and Waterside parks are close enough for a quick evening outing - you could bundle the mini golf in with a fish and chip supper and a walk along the promenade. The Chesil Beach itself is the real draw in this part of Dorset, mind you; the mini golf is more of a filler than a destination.

Go on a quieter day if you can stomach it. Seaside mini golf gets heaving in summer holidays and weekends. Entry fees and opening times aren't readily advertised online, so ring ahead or ask at your park reception desk. It's a one-off sort of place - worth the detour if you've got restless children, less so if you're after actual coastal views.