Botanic Gardens playground

Right in the heart of South Belfast, this playground gets a lot of use from locals for good reason — it’s well-positioned inside the Botanic Gardens, so you’re getting proper green space around you rather than just a patch of tarmac. The climbing structure and slides keep kids from about 2 up to 12 entertained, and there’s enough open grass nearby to burn off whatever energy is left over. Benches are dotted around with decent sightlines, which makes keeping an eye on younger ones genuinely easy rather than stressful. Parking is available and the walking paths through the gardens mean you can stretch your own legs while the kids do their thing. If you’re already planning a trip to the Ulster Museum next door, it makes a solid half-day out without much effort.