For young children, The Ark Open Farm and Castle Espie Wetland Centre are two of the best days out nearby.
Beyond those, there's trampolining, soft play, a First World War museum, and a miniature railway among the 48 places listed — with a good spread of free options and indoor alternatives for wet days.
The best days out near Newtownards
Pure Day Spa
Castlebawn Retail Park
Strangford Garden Centre
Happy Town
Newtownards to Mount Stewart Shore Walk
Ards Blair Mayne Wellbeing & Leisure
Ards Blair Mayne Wellbeing & Leisure Complex
Jump Zone Newtownards
Heli Power
Ulster Flying Club
Dickson's Garden Centre
Ards Skatepark
Ards Sub-Aqua Club
Newtownards Model Flying Club
Ards Shopping Centre
Movilla Abbey
NI Microlights
Scrabo Country Park
Scrabo Golf Club
Somme Museum
The Ark Open Farm
Bradshaws Brae Driving Range
Helen's Tower
Clandeboye Golf Club
Bullhouse Brew Co
McKee's Country Store
McKee's Country Store & Restaurant
Gransha Equestrian Centre
Island Hill
Blackwood Golf Centre
Comber Skatepark
Eddie Irvine Sports Bangor
Comber Greenway
Dino's Den
Comber Leisure Centre
Play Town
Tactical Airsoft Bangor
Clandeboye Estate
Ireland Offroad Experience
Drumawhey Junction Miniature Railway
Airtastic Entertainment Centre Bangor
Airtastic Adventure Golf (Bangor)
Airtastic Bowling (Bangor)
Horner's Farm Shop
Castle Espie Wetland Centre
Birr House Riding Centre
Bloomfield Shopping Centre
Bangor Aurora Aquatic & Leisure Complex
What's on near Newtownards
- 1JulPond dippingCastle Espie
- 1JulExhibition by Diarmuid Delargy RUA REArtisAnn Gallery
- 3JulVision — Comber LibraryComber Library
- 4JulDragonfly crafts with Boom StudiosCastle Espie
- 5JulCourtyard sessionsCastle Espie
- 6JulNature Through Our Eyes Alphabetography — Holywood LibraryHolywood Library
Days out in Newtownards — your questions
What are the best days out in Newtownards?
Castle Espie Wetland Centre and The Ark Open Farm are strong picks for families. Scrabo Country Park is a great free option, and the Somme Museum is one of the most memorable visits in the area. Jump Zone Newtownards is the go-to when kids need to burn off energy indoors.
What free things are there to do in Newtownards?
Quite a few. Scrabo Country Park, the Somme Museum, and the Newtownards to Mount Stewart Shore Walk are all free. Movilla Abbey is a historic ruin on the edge of town, and Ards Skatepark and Comber Skatepark cost nothing either.
Where can you go on a rainy day near Newtownards?
Happy Town has indoor soft play covered, and Jump Zone Newtownards works well in any weather. The Somme Museum is a genuinely engaging free visit for older children. A short drive brings you to Adventure World Bangor or Dundonald International Ice Bowl for more indoor options.
What's good for young children near Newtownards?
Happy Town is purpose-built for little ones. The Ark Open Farm and Castle Espie Wetland Centre are both brilliant for toddlers and young children who love animals. Eastwell Farm Alpacas is a lovely nearby option too, and Ward Park Playground is a free outdoor choice.
More about Newtownards
Newtownards is watched over by Scrabo Tower, a 41-metre Scottish-baronial tower built in 1857 that stands on Scrabo Hill with sweeping views over Strangford Lough. It sits in Scrabo Country Park, with woodland walks through Killynether Wood, and you can climb it for the view.
The town is old, though: Saint Finnian founded Movilla Abbey on a hill above the lough back in 540. The Georgian Market House of 1771 in Conway Square marks its long life as a market town, and Strangford Lough on its doorstep is one of the best places in Northern Ireland for waterside walks and wildlife.