Mellowes Adventure and Childcare Centre

If you’re anywhere near Athboy and have kids between 2 and 11, Mellowes is worth the detour. The climbing structures, slides, and swings keep younger ones genuinely busy, and the themed play areas — think pirate ships, castles — give it more personality than your average council playground. There’s an open grass field too, which parents will appreciate when kids just need to run. Picnic tables and free parking make it easy to settle in for a few hours rather than rushing off.