Lloyds is the big boy of private fitness clubs in Belfast - the biggest, the plushest and of course…read morethe most expensive. But it's definitely a case of getting what you pay for as there is a definite air of being upmarket and everything on offer that you could possibly want or need to occupy the whole family. Despite the freakish Northern Ireland spring weather, I went last weekend with my kids with guests of a friend who is a member, and we actually used the outdoor swimming pool. It was a very warm day and the water is nicely heated so it was a lovely experience. The kids loved it and I just wished it was hot enough to lounge on one of the sun beds beside the pool. There was an attentive life guard on duty to satisfy over anxious parents like me. The changing facilities are a treat too - warm and luxurious with great showers and nice toiletries. None of your 20p a time hair dryers here. There is also a shop where we bought swimming goggles and fit flops (I know, I know, I have a problem), a hair and beauty salon and a creche for under 5s. David Lloyds is the most luxurious health club I have used and I loved it. It's the kind of place I was born to use. Now all I have to do is talk the husband into forking out for the family membership fee.

A great gym,although expensive it is worth it for the indoor tennis courts and outdoor swimming…read morepool. David Lloyd's is huge and has more to offer than any other local gym.

The Odyssey Pavilion many moons ago used to be THE place to go, but it has become the last word in…read morefaded glory as it has died a long slow death by a thousand cuts (or small disappointments) which date back to shortly after it originally opened. The first sign of this that always springs to mind (and maybe those who remember it opening) was the big installation piece right beside the escalators that take you up to the foyer of the cinema. For those who done remember it there was/is 3 cosentric rings, made of a similar tarpaulin material as the roof that looked like donught/smoke signals that were raised and lowered through each other. I recall it only working for about 3 months after the pavilion originally opened, when it broke after such a short time, it was never repaired. Now, if you can see it at al the big donught structures are lying at the bottom, deflated and covered by several cms of dust. This theme then read over the years as place after place sprung up to replace the previous, act as short lived as the one before. This wasn't great in and of itself but it seems now that for the last few years potential investors who may have thought that they could make something work in the pavilion have given up. Now, virtually the whole place is vacant, leaving the frontage of the last of each of the restaurants and bars to inhabit the units. As you go up the escalator to the cinema, the frontage of the last place to be in the unit under the foyer is still up despite its closing some 5 or so years ago! I go here for the cinema, they have good deals and there is oddly, a feeling of an event to going here for a movie. But really, without this, I can't see that I would ever come back here any more. The feeling of sadness around here is almost tangible now!!!! I hope someone comes up with a plan to turn this place around, I'll keep going for the cinema, but my interest in the Odyssey is now hanging by that 1 thread.

There are a few things on offer around the pavilion, restaurants, bar etc but the atmosphere (when…read morethere is nothing on in the arena) is non existent and some of the restaurants don't even open mid week. There is also a couple of random bouncy castles which make it feel like s deserted area of Portrush! The place could do with a revamp (which I here is in the pipeline) so watch this space!

I was here last night for the first time and I was hugely impressed by the facilities - It's…read moredefinitely had a recent facelift! I was there to play football and having played at a number of different sports facilities I have to say that these were right up there with the best. The have 6 floodlit 3G pitches that are available to hire. There are also two full size 4G floodlit pitches. They have rebranded the sports pitches 'V36' and they have obviously thought about the logistics of the centre as it now comes with a refurbished car park. Great facility all in all and relatively cheap to hire in comparison with other pitches.

Newtownabbey Council has put a lot of time and money into sprucing up the Valley Leisure Centre,…read moreand they've done a great job in my opinion. Back when I was young, the Valley was pretty dark and everything was brown or cream, but now the lighting's a lot better and you don't really feel like this is a place where joy comes to die. The slide in the pool was the main attraction when I was growing up, and it remains to this day. Beyond that, there are squash courts, indoor football pitches and rooms for classes. There's also a gym upstairs, which my brother is a member of and loves. Municipal gyms are some of the cheapest going and I think they're the best option if you're thinking of joining a gym. The Valley is also the location for many a children's birthday party and they provide a bouncy castle, so it's pretty easy for parents to organise.

Shorts bar and sports club. Cheap drinks and events. Lots of car parking, on a main road easy to…read moreget too. Also serve hot food.

Templemore baths and gym, one one of belfasts historic landmarks, Generally a quiet gym and…read moretraditional weights with treadmills. Big swimming pool. Events held in this building. On street parking.

I can't speak for the tennis courts (maybe one day...), the fitness suite (not a chance) or the…read moreclimbing wall (eeek), but the Ozone laser quest is incredibly fun, and just my sort of thing - no frantic exercise / running, competitive and a heck of a laugh. Recently updated and using the latest laser technology, the Ozone has come on leaps and bounds in recent years. I remember being about ten and being really excited about going to a party here, only to discover that the backpacks weighed an absolute ton and I wasn't going to have as much fun as I initially thought. These days, the packs are much lighter, much more compact and generally easier to use. The last time I was at the Ozone was about a year ago, and there was a quite a big group of us (fifteen or so). We spilt into two teams (you can play this way or individually), girls vs boys, and had a rundown of the game by one of the staff. After this, we selected our packs, which light up either green, blue or red (red and green it was for this game, in order to identify your team members and avoid shooting them), and has a cartoon / superhero / character name which will be used to record your score at the end. It's pretty funny when the most masculine guy in your group gets Barbie. The game lasts half and hour, and the labyrinth comprises of different levels and hiding places. The aim is to shoot your opponents on the back, front, shoulder or gun (the last option is really easier said than done), without getting shot yourself. The stats all appear at the end of the game, so you can see how your shooting was, and how many times you were shot. It's always amusing to see what place everyone came in, and there are definitely a lot of laughs at this stage. At £4.60 per person per game, it's not a bad price for birthday parties / youth events / general banter. Oooh, when can I go again?

This is a top notch establishment boasting a gym, squash and tennis courts, laser quest and a…read moreclimbing wall, not to mention outdoor pitches tennis and basketball courts. My favorite activities of these is the climbing wall. I never knew how much fun and addictive climbing walls could be. A great way to spend an afternoon and is decently priced. The ropes and harness's are provided free of charge. If you don't fancy going so high there are smaller walls with huge safety crash mats were you can learn the ropes!!! (excuse the pun). Another great activity to do here is the laser quest, for young and old I can't think of a funnier thing to do for a birthday or something. Absolutely fantastic.

T13 is a multi functional sports and events facility in the heart of the Titanic Quarter. Basically…read moreit's an old H & W warehous that has been converted to host some of Belfast's most unique events and a whole range of extreme sports. Sports include BMX, Skateboard and Scooter clubs. I visited T13 as part of Enter Conf yesterday and this was my first time in the warehouse. I was shocked about it's size and it's versatility. The organisers used the space excellently and the contrast between cutting edge enterprise and technology and Belfast's industrial roots was fantastic. The whole place is covered in artistic graffiti that depicts Belfast's heritage - it's worth going to T13 just to see the art. I read yesterday that T13 is going through a minor refurbishment at the moment and will re-open with a new schedule in July so keep your eyes peeled for upcoming events in one of Belfast's most interesting and exciting spaces.

Intriguing venue, I was there for the Northern Ireland Coffee Festival. It's basically a huge old…read morewarehouse but it's a great industrial space that could add character to any event.

I've been to two weeks of my aerial class. First yhing, its tough. I have used muscles that I…read moredidn't even know existed. I have bruised, burns and calluses. But on this occasions all worth it. I have hung, swung and stood on a trapeze. I have a new respect for circus performers. They make something that is so tough look simple and elogent. Two skills I have yet to achieve. It you want a new level of fitness, I recommend the circus school. The tutors are brilliant and support everyone. Yes I have slid from the trapeze, but you just present and pretend it was part of the routine. Watch this space, I may still run well on hobble away with the circus.

The Circus School is a great organisation based in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter and they do some…read morereally good work. I was never actually a pupil, but a few friends of mine were and they loved it, so their classes for kids come very highly recommended. Beyond that, they provide performances for the Belfast Festival of Fools, which is an annual street theatre festival and provides a great atmosphere for the city centre and a break form the monotony of everyday life!